Typecaster
01-07-2010, 03:41 PM
We have a family tradition of having a standing rib roast, Yorkshire puddings, etc. for Christmas Eve dinner before the late church service. Wanting a medium-rare roast that’s pink to the edges, low-temperature roasting is the way to go. And since I’m a cheap SOB, I just get the grocery store standing rib roast (which is why it isn’t “prime” rib)…but I dry age it for 9 days (optional). So this isn’t as much a recipe as a technique.
When I first dry-aged one about 10 years ago, it was a hit. You can cut it with a fork. But the timing when roasting at 200ºF seemed unpredictable, and there were a couple of times I had to turn up the heat because of the time factor. I’d always just roasted it at 200 until the thermometer said it was at 130—but it sometimes made for a long cocktail session. The last couple of times I’ve tracked the internal temperature of the roast at roughly half-hour intervals—both a 3-rib roast and a 4-rib roast took the same length of time to reach the same temperature (because the variable is the length, not the cross section). As I monitored the temperatures I realized that the time/temperature curve was going to be the same—a sigmoid curve (gradual change, then a straight-line section, then gradual change). I can now repeat the roast, no matter how many ribs, and calculate when to put it in the oven to have it ready at any specific time.
Dry-aged standing rib roast—
When standing rib roast are on sale, I always pick one from the SMALL end. The small end has less fat, more meat. This year, I went for 4 ribs, about 10 lb. The market only had 3-rib roasts in the case, and when I explained to the butcher what I wanted to do, he cut 3 4-rib roasts and picked the best one for me. Don’t have the butcher cut the roast free of the bones or trim any fat, but ask to have it tied or if you can have some string to tie it yourself.
To dry age it, all you need is refrigerator space. Unwrap the roast, put it on a tray to catch any drips, and put it the refrigerator (approx. 38-40ºF). I always let my beef roasts (standing rib or sirloin) age 9 days. It will look like road-kill, but you shave of the scabby-looking crust (I know, it’s just jerky, but it’s unseasoned) and let it start to come to room temperature about 2 hours before roasting. The meat will be a rich, dark red. (The photo of the trimmed roast shows the trimmings at right.)
Low-Temp Roasting—
Season the roast with salt & pepper. SLIGHTLY brown all sides and the ends quickly over high heat—I usually use my big CampChef stove and a #14 cast iron skillet for a 3-rib roast; the 4-rib had to be done in a roasting pan. This should only take a 4-5 minutes, but can be very smoky. I win points when I do it outdoors.
Put the roast on a rack in a roasting pan, ribs down. Roast at 200ºF until internal temperature reaches 130 for medium rare. Remove from oven and cover with foil—it will NOT coast (increase) more than 1 or 2 degrees with this technique. Increase oven temperature to 425ºF, and when it reaches that temperature uncover the roast and return it to the oven for 5-10 minutes to brown the sugars and juices that have come to the surface. This may increase the temperature 1-2 degrees. Now you’re done! It isn’t necessary to let it sit to distribute the juices (they don’t migrate to the surface very much at low temperature), you can slice it immediately, or wait.
The Downside…
Yes, there are a couple, actually.
1. There’s hardly any pan drippings. If you are expecting an au jus, you’re SOL.
2. Same goes for fat. If you want fat for Yorkshire Puddings (we do), you’ll need to render it separately. The butcher has been good about comping extra fat when asked.
Best,
Richard
When I first dry-aged one about 10 years ago, it was a hit. You can cut it with a fork. But the timing when roasting at 200ºF seemed unpredictable, and there were a couple of times I had to turn up the heat because of the time factor. I’d always just roasted it at 200 until the thermometer said it was at 130—but it sometimes made for a long cocktail session. The last couple of times I’ve tracked the internal temperature of the roast at roughly half-hour intervals—both a 3-rib roast and a 4-rib roast took the same length of time to reach the same temperature (because the variable is the length, not the cross section). As I monitored the temperatures I realized that the time/temperature curve was going to be the same—a sigmoid curve (gradual change, then a straight-line section, then gradual change). I can now repeat the roast, no matter how many ribs, and calculate when to put it in the oven to have it ready at any specific time.
Dry-aged standing rib roast—
When standing rib roast are on sale, I always pick one from the SMALL end. The small end has less fat, more meat. This year, I went for 4 ribs, about 10 lb. The market only had 3-rib roasts in the case, and when I explained to the butcher what I wanted to do, he cut 3 4-rib roasts and picked the best one for me. Don’t have the butcher cut the roast free of the bones or trim any fat, but ask to have it tied or if you can have some string to tie it yourself.
To dry age it, all you need is refrigerator space. Unwrap the roast, put it on a tray to catch any drips, and put it the refrigerator (approx. 38-40ºF). I always let my beef roasts (standing rib or sirloin) age 9 days. It will look like road-kill, but you shave of the scabby-looking crust (I know, it’s just jerky, but it’s unseasoned) and let it start to come to room temperature about 2 hours before roasting. The meat will be a rich, dark red. (The photo of the trimmed roast shows the trimmings at right.)
Low-Temp Roasting—
Season the roast with salt & pepper. SLIGHTLY brown all sides and the ends quickly over high heat—I usually use my big CampChef stove and a #14 cast iron skillet for a 3-rib roast; the 4-rib had to be done in a roasting pan. This should only take a 4-5 minutes, but can be very smoky. I win points when I do it outdoors.
Put the roast on a rack in a roasting pan, ribs down. Roast at 200ºF until internal temperature reaches 130 for medium rare. Remove from oven and cover with foil—it will NOT coast (increase) more than 1 or 2 degrees with this technique. Increase oven temperature to 425ºF, and when it reaches that temperature uncover the roast and return it to the oven for 5-10 minutes to brown the sugars and juices that have come to the surface. This may increase the temperature 1-2 degrees. Now you’re done! It isn’t necessary to let it sit to distribute the juices (they don’t migrate to the surface very much at low temperature), you can slice it immediately, or wait.
The Downside…
Yes, there are a couple, actually.
1. There’s hardly any pan drippings. If you are expecting an au jus, you’re SOL.
2. Same goes for fat. If you want fat for Yorkshire Puddings (we do), you’ll need to render it separately. The butcher has been good about comping extra fat when asked.
Best,
Richard