Fr. Mahoney’s Christmas Roast

This whole adventure into the monthly recipe with the saints began two years ago when I was asked after Mass what I would be cooking for Christmas dinner. The answer is a prime rib roast. Then, I was asked if I could put my recipe in the bulletin at some point, and here we are. Cooking a roast, especially beef, can be intimidating as many are concerned about overcooking it. So here is my tried-and-true method for my Christmas prime rib roast and a few personal secrets to get the best out of it. I hope you enjoy it!

What you will need:

One Bone in Prime Rib Roast Any Size (Serving size for prime rib is 2-3 servings “per bone.” I ask the butcher to remove the bones and tie them back onto the roast. Cooking meat on the bone adds more flavor, but carving around the bones can be painful. By having your butcher tie the bones back on, you get that extra flavor but can remove the meat easily for slicing after it is cooked. Also, you’ll need Salt, Pepper, Crushed Garlic, and Fresh Chopped Rosemary, Onion, Celery, Carrot, A Roasting Pan and  Digital Thermometer.

 

Method:

Step 1 The day before cooking: roughly chop carrots, celery, and onion and place in the bottom of the roasting pan.

HEAVILY season the roast with salt, pepper, garlic, and rosemary.

Place in refrigerator uncovered overnight (24 hours if possible).

Step 2- You must calculate your roast's cooking time. Here is the formula: 15 minutes per pound minus one pound. For a 5lb prime rib, that comes to 1 hour. This is for medium-rare

Step 3-Remove roast from refrigerator 2 – 3 hours before cooking.

Step 4-Preheat your over to 500 degrees. No that is not a typo, 500 degrees.

Step 5-Cook roast at 500 degrees for 15 minutes, then drop oven temperature to 325 degrees for the remaining time.

Step 6 As each oven and roast will cook slightly differently, you will want to use a digital thermometer to check the temperature periodically throughout the cooking process.

(Beef is rare at 115 degrees, medium rare at 120 degrees, and medium at 130 degrees. The world's feel and skill are no substitute for an accurate digital meat thermometer. Prime rib is too expensive to take any chances!)

Step 7-Remove the roast from the oven when the temperature is 7-10 degrees lower than your desired final temperature. The roast will continue cooking as it rests.

Step 8-LET IT REST. The most often overlooked step. Let the roast rest for 30 minutes to allow the juices to reabsorb into the meat. During this time, you can make a great gravy with what is in the roasting pan.

Step 9 After resting, remove the strings, separate the roast from the bones, and slice. Enjoy!