Standing Rib Roast
If you ever find yourself cooking for a crowd (and you're not obligated to make a turkey), perhaps the easiest thing to make is a standing rib roast. This is one of my favorite Christmas meals! Don't let the cut or cost of this meat throw you off. The value, as a cut of steak goes, is good and, most important, the preparation is super, SUPER easy.
Here's what you need:
- Standing rib roast - one rib serves two people with large appetites. The larger the group, the more you can round down. For instance, if I'm serving 12 people, 5 ribs is plenty.
- Olive oil
- Spicy Brown Mustard
- Rosemary
- Freshly ground pepper
The instructions/amounts below are for the 5-rib roast I made recently. Feel free to adjust for whatever size cut of meat you get. This does not need to be an exact science!
Start by patting the meat dry and put into a roasting pan with the ribs facing down. Be sure to use a pan with at least 2-inch sides.Next, roughly chop the rosemary.
In a medium bowl, add 1/4 cup of spicy brown mustard to 1/4 cup good quality olive oil.
Whisk together to incorporate.
Add chopped rosemary and pat onto the meat.Grind plenty of fresh pepper over the roast (it's impossible to use too much!). I don't use salt because salt pulls the the moisture from the meat. However, my good friend Shanah thinks this is nuts and always includes salt. If you ask around, you'll hear different opinions. The great news, this is not a make or break decision!Put the meat into a preheated 375 degree oven (rack should be on the lowest level). Roast until the meat reaches 120 degrees. For this cut of meat, it took 2 hours, 45 minutes. For a smaller cut, cooking time could be as little as 1 hour, 30 minutes. There is no substitute for using an instant-read meat thermometer! Tent the meat by covering with a loose piece of tin foil and allow it to sit for AT LEAST 2o minutes! Don't skip this step. All of the juices will run out if you cut the roast too early and your meat will be dry!Carve the meat immediately before serving. This is the best time to bust out the electric knife if you own one.Serve on a platter and use sprigs of rosemary to make it look fancy : )If you have a dog, save the ribs and bribe him not to dig in the yard the next time you put him outside!Enjoy!!