A Little Slice of Evan

Friday April 27th is National Prime Rib Day and we are VERY EXCITED.

Years and years ago when my mother, Cathy, was a young lass she told me that her mother would prepare a Prime Rib nearly every Sunday for dinner. As the cost of beef has grown exponentially in the decades since, the king of beef roasts has transitioned from a weekly staple to being served for “special occasion” meals or as a centerpiece for your holiday spreads. We have Prime Grade (reserved for the most marbled and flavourful 2% of beef) Rib Roasts, so that all of you can eat like Kings and Queens!

Where Is Prime Rib Cut From? Prime rib is cut from the primal rib section of the animal. Ribeyes are actually steaks cut from the prime rib. A whole prime rib is composed of 6 ribs (ribs 6 to 12), which can weigh anywhere from 12 to 16 pounds.

What Makes Prime Rib So Special? Prime rib has a large “eye” of meat in the center, which is juicy, tender, and marbled with fat. This eye has a fat-marbled muscle around it, and the whole thing is surrounded by a thick cap of fat. This means that prime rib is tender, juicy, and extremely flavorful because the muscles aren’t heavily used.

Several notes on preparation:
a) As a rule of thumb, each bone serves two people.
b) The night before you cook it, leave it unwrapped in your fridge. A drier surface makes for a better sear which makes for a tastier end result.
c) Take it out of the fridge three hours before you cook it, allowing it to come to room temperature. This ensures an even cooking, so you don;t overcook the delicious outside before achieving a medium-rare centre.
d) For seasoning, stick with coarse salt and pepper. Montreal steak spice is about as far as I’ll go outside the box…and I don’t find it necessary. You want to taste the beef, not the seasonings. Pro tip: sprinkle some salt atop after it is all carved and ready to serve.
e) Roast at 450 degrees for the first 15 minutes to achieve the perfect sear, then drop it down to 300 degrees until the centre reads 125 degrees for medium-rare ( do not open the door during this process). The low temperature slowly melts the generous rippling of intramuscular fat which gives this roast its prized flavour. Let it sit for around 20 minutes before carving.

Other essentials? Mashed potatoes are the go-to side dish, however scalloped are also a popular option. Roast vegetables for a texture in contrast to the starchy potatoes. You can quickly cut carrots and parsnips into thicker matchsticks and roast them while your beef cooks. My choice of Horseradish is Kozlik’s, it’s locally produced and has the perfect amount of spice. Our Village Grocer Beef Gravy is a must, and always add the drippings from your finished roast before serving. Oh….and I can’t forget Yorkshire Pudding…perhaps the best part.