Post by BBQ Butcher on Mar 30, 2008 6:58:51 GMT -5
12/15/07
The BBQ Butcher #20
The Perfect ‘Prime Rib’ for Christmas/New Year’s (or anytime!)
The 'Prime' Rib can be either boneless (Rib Eye roast) or with the bone-in (Standing Rib Roast). Technically speaking, a cow has 13 ribs, 1 to 13. 1-4 are left in the Chuck and #13 is left in the loin, leaving us ribs #5 thru #12.
All bone-in whole ribs come from the packer (in the US) with 7 rib bones. For reasons of familiarity and simple butcher talk, we will refer to them as ribs 1 (near the Loin) through 7 (next to the Chuck).
Also, for all intents and purposes, ONE rib will serve two 'normal' people.
For presentation and prettiness, the first three or four ribs (small end or loin end) will do the job. It has less marbling and its leaner, but still very tasty and tender. They are also the 'prime' of the Rib, hence the name, which has nothing to do with the USDA Grading. However, I would always make sure it's Choice or Prime, not Select. The last three or four ribs (large end or Chuck end), 4-7 or 3-7, has more marbling, more fat, less attractive, and in my opinion, MORE flavor. All the ribs roasts I cook are from near the Chuck end. If I get a three rib roast, I like ribs 4, 5, 6, a four rib roast 3,4,5,6. Nothing wrong with #7, it's just plain ugly (however, trimmed up it makes a nice steak for the grill).
Here is how I like to prepare my Prime Rib at home.
1 Beef Rib Roast (3-4 ribs)
Dale’s Sauce (available in the grocers barbecue condiment section)
Kosher Salt, black pepper and granulated garlic (mixed with 2 parts Kosher and 1 part each of pepper and garlic)
Fresh Rosemary sprigs (optional)
Splash the roast liberally with the Dale’s Sauce on all sides and then rub in the seasoning mix. Don’t be afraid to have a heavy hand. You can now cook it or cover it and place in the fridge over night (recommended).
Set your grill for indirect cooking with a dome temp of 400-425°. Add a chunk of your favorite smoking wood. Hickory, cherry, oak and even Mesquite is popular for this recipe. If cooking in an oven, place the roast on a cooking rack with a splash of water in the bottom of the pan. This prevents any of the grease or fat from smoking during cooking.
Set your Rib Roast in your grill and cook for approximately 30-45 minutes. After that time, adjust your vent settings so that the temperature will drop down to around 325-350°. Finishing cooking your roast until the internal temp reaches 130-135°.
Remove from the grill and let it rest for about 15 minutes before slicing it to serve.
An alternate method and just as good, is to sear the roast direct on both the sides and the top (bottom also if it’s boneless) for about 5 minutes per side. Adjust your vents for 325-350° and finish cooking as in the original recipe.
For ease in carving, ask your butcher to remove the bones and then tie them back on. Season and cook as above. When ready to carve, snap the strings, remove the bones and slice. Don’t throw the bones away, they make a great snack for later.
Ask-A-Butchers Prime Rib
Not in the mood for Prime Rib? How about a leg of lamb for a change of pace….
Leg of Lamb
3-5 lb boneless Leg of Lamb
Olive oil
3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
Kosher salt, fresh ground pepper, granulated garlic, fresh chopped Rosemary
Remove the lamb from the netting, rinse under cold water, pat it dry and place onto a cutting board. Open it up where the bones have been removed and flatten it out in a "Butterfly" pattern, so to speak. This also gives you a chance to look for pieces of bone, fat and gland that were not removed at the packer. Occasionally you will find a plastic, spring loaded 'pop-up timer' inserted into the meat to let you know when it's 'done'. Discard this, it's a waste of time and will over cook your meat.
Coat the inside of the meat with olive oil, the minced garlic and the spices. Flip it over and apply more olive oil and seasonings to the fat side. It's now ready to cook or you can wrap it and cook it later. This gives the meat time to 'soak up' the flavors of the garlic and spices.
Leaving the lamb butter flied, place it on the grill at 400° direct. You will want to cook each about approximately 7-8 minutes. Once that is done, adjust the vents for a 325-350° temperature range and finish cooking the lamb indirect. Pull from the grill when the temp registers 135°. Let rest for about 10 minutes, slice thin and serve.
Grilled Leg of Lamb
Greek Style Lamb
1 3-5 lb boneless Leg of Lamb
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 bulb garlic, divided into cloves and then cut into good sized slivers
2-3 whole lemons, halved
Ground black Pepper
Fresh Basil, chopped
Dried Mexican Oregano
Buy a boneless leg of lamb, approx 3-5 lbs. Remove from the netting and open it up, as it is butter flied. Cut away any undesired fat, tendons and fell (loose membrane over the fat). Fat side down, cut some slits in the meat with a sharp paring or boning knife. Insert the garlic slivers into the slits. Rub with the Olive Oil, probably a tablespoon, + or -. Now sprinkle, heavily with the Black Pepper. Add about 1 TBS of the Oregano and finish off by adding the fresh chopped Basil, 2-3 TBS. Pat lightly to work into the meat. Now squeeze the juice from 2-3 half lemons all over the inside of the meat. Pat lightly. Repeat on the other side of the meat, omitting the Oregano and garlic slivers.
Loosely fold back into shape (tying with twine is an option) and place into a plastic bag, or cover with plastic wrap; place in the fridge for 4-6 hours.
One half hour prior to cooking, remove lamb from fridge and let it sit at room temp. Cook at 350° indirect until the internal temp of the meat reaches 135°, or your desired doneness, and let rest for 10 minutes. Carve and serve.
The BBQ Butcher #20
The Perfect ‘Prime Rib’ for Christmas/New Year’s (or anytime!)
The 'Prime' Rib can be either boneless (Rib Eye roast) or with the bone-in (Standing Rib Roast). Technically speaking, a cow has 13 ribs, 1 to 13. 1-4 are left in the Chuck and #13 is left in the loin, leaving us ribs #5 thru #12.
All bone-in whole ribs come from the packer (in the US) with 7 rib bones. For reasons of familiarity and simple butcher talk, we will refer to them as ribs 1 (near the Loin) through 7 (next to the Chuck).
Also, for all intents and purposes, ONE rib will serve two 'normal' people.
For presentation and prettiness, the first three or four ribs (small end or loin end) will do the job. It has less marbling and its leaner, but still very tasty and tender. They are also the 'prime' of the Rib, hence the name, which has nothing to do with the USDA Grading. However, I would always make sure it's Choice or Prime, not Select. The last three or four ribs (large end or Chuck end), 4-7 or 3-7, has more marbling, more fat, less attractive, and in my opinion, MORE flavor. All the ribs roasts I cook are from near the Chuck end. If I get a three rib roast, I like ribs 4, 5, 6, a four rib roast 3,4,5,6. Nothing wrong with #7, it's just plain ugly (however, trimmed up it makes a nice steak for the grill).
Here is how I like to prepare my Prime Rib at home.
1 Beef Rib Roast (3-4 ribs)
Dale’s Sauce (available in the grocers barbecue condiment section)
Kosher Salt, black pepper and granulated garlic (mixed with 2 parts Kosher and 1 part each of pepper and garlic)
Fresh Rosemary sprigs (optional)
Splash the roast liberally with the Dale’s Sauce on all sides and then rub in the seasoning mix. Don’t be afraid to have a heavy hand. You can now cook it or cover it and place in the fridge over night (recommended).
Set your grill for indirect cooking with a dome temp of 400-425°. Add a chunk of your favorite smoking wood. Hickory, cherry, oak and even Mesquite is popular for this recipe. If cooking in an oven, place the roast on a cooking rack with a splash of water in the bottom of the pan. This prevents any of the grease or fat from smoking during cooking.
Set your Rib Roast in your grill and cook for approximately 30-45 minutes. After that time, adjust your vent settings so that the temperature will drop down to around 325-350°. Finishing cooking your roast until the internal temp reaches 130-135°.
Remove from the grill and let it rest for about 15 minutes before slicing it to serve.
An alternate method and just as good, is to sear the roast direct on both the sides and the top (bottom also if it’s boneless) for about 5 minutes per side. Adjust your vents for 325-350° and finish cooking as in the original recipe.
For ease in carving, ask your butcher to remove the bones and then tie them back on. Season and cook as above. When ready to carve, snap the strings, remove the bones and slice. Don’t throw the bones away, they make a great snack for later.
Ask-A-Butchers Prime Rib
Not in the mood for Prime Rib? How about a leg of lamb for a change of pace….
Leg of Lamb
3-5 lb boneless Leg of Lamb
Olive oil
3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
Kosher salt, fresh ground pepper, granulated garlic, fresh chopped Rosemary
Remove the lamb from the netting, rinse under cold water, pat it dry and place onto a cutting board. Open it up where the bones have been removed and flatten it out in a "Butterfly" pattern, so to speak. This also gives you a chance to look for pieces of bone, fat and gland that were not removed at the packer. Occasionally you will find a plastic, spring loaded 'pop-up timer' inserted into the meat to let you know when it's 'done'. Discard this, it's a waste of time and will over cook your meat.
Coat the inside of the meat with olive oil, the minced garlic and the spices. Flip it over and apply more olive oil and seasonings to the fat side. It's now ready to cook or you can wrap it and cook it later. This gives the meat time to 'soak up' the flavors of the garlic and spices.
Leaving the lamb butter flied, place it on the grill at 400° direct. You will want to cook each about approximately 7-8 minutes. Once that is done, adjust the vents for a 325-350° temperature range and finish cooking the lamb indirect. Pull from the grill when the temp registers 135°. Let rest for about 10 minutes, slice thin and serve.
Grilled Leg of Lamb
Greek Style Lamb
1 3-5 lb boneless Leg of Lamb
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 bulb garlic, divided into cloves and then cut into good sized slivers
2-3 whole lemons, halved
Ground black Pepper
Fresh Basil, chopped
Dried Mexican Oregano
Buy a boneless leg of lamb, approx 3-5 lbs. Remove from the netting and open it up, as it is butter flied. Cut away any undesired fat, tendons and fell (loose membrane over the fat). Fat side down, cut some slits in the meat with a sharp paring or boning knife. Insert the garlic slivers into the slits. Rub with the Olive Oil, probably a tablespoon, + or -. Now sprinkle, heavily with the Black Pepper. Add about 1 TBS of the Oregano and finish off by adding the fresh chopped Basil, 2-3 TBS. Pat lightly to work into the meat. Now squeeze the juice from 2-3 half lemons all over the inside of the meat. Pat lightly. Repeat on the other side of the meat, omitting the Oregano and garlic slivers.
Loosely fold back into shape (tying with twine is an option) and place into a plastic bag, or cover with plastic wrap; place in the fridge for 4-6 hours.
One half hour prior to cooking, remove lamb from fridge and let it sit at room temp. Cook at 350° indirect until the internal temp of the meat reaches 135°, or your desired doneness, and let rest for 10 minutes. Carve and serve.