Prime Rib and Potatoes
By Morgan BollingPublished on October 8, 2015
Time
4½ to 5 hours, plus 24 hours salting and 1 hour resting
Yield
Serves 8 to 10
Ingredients
Before You Begin
Look for a roast with an untrimmed fat cap, ideally 1/2 inch thick. The roast must be salted and refrigerated for at least 24 hours before cooking. Wait until the roast is done cooking before peeling and cutting the potatoes so they don’t discolor. It is crucial to use a sturdy rimmed baking sheet for this recipe. Our favorite is the Nordic Ware Baker's Half Sheet. Serve with Red Wine–Orange Sauce, if desired.
Instructions
- Using sharp knife, trim roast’s fat cap to even 1/4-inch-thickness; reserve and refrigerate trimmings. Cut 1-inch crosshatch pattern in fat cap, being careful not to cut into meat. Rub 2 tablespoons salt over entire roast and into crosshatch. Transfer to large plate and refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 24 hours or up to 4 days.
- Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 250 degrees. Cut reserved trimmings into 1/2-inch pieces. Place 4 ounces (about 1 cup) of trimmings in rimmed baking sheet, then set wire rack in sheet. Season roast with pepper and place, fat side up, on wire rack.
- Roast until meat registers 115 degrees for rare, 120 degrees for medium-rare, or 125 degrees for medium, 3 to 3 1/2 hours. Transfer roast to carving board, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest for 1 hour. Carefully remove wire rack and reserve beef fat in baking sheet (there should be about 1/2 cup; if not, supplement with vegetable oil).
- Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees. Microwave potatoes, covered, in large bowl until they begin to release moisture and surfaces look wet, about 7 minutes. Pat potatoes dry with paper towels. Toss potatoes with rosemary, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Transfer potatoes to baking sheet and carefully toss with reserved fat (fat may be hot). Roast until tender and browned, 35 to 40 minutes, redistributing halfway through cooking. Season potatoes with salt and pepper to taste.
- Pat roast dry with paper towels. Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Sear all sides until browned, 6 to 8 minutes total. Transfer roast to carving board. Carve meat from bones and cut into 3/4-inch-thick slices. Serve with potatoes.
Time
4½ to 5 hours, plus 24 hours salting and 1 hour restingYield
Serves 8 to 10Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
Letting the salt-rubbed prime rib sit for at least 24 hours before roasting it in a low 250-degree oven yields meltingly tender meat. And instead of discarding the fat trimmed from the roast as we usually do, we add it to the roasting pan along with the meat, tossing the potatoes in the rendered fat before roasting them. This simple step gives the potatoes the meaty flavor we were after. We tried roasting the potatoes along with the roast, but the low oven didn’t cook the potatoes through fully. To remedy this problem, we crank the oven to 450 degrees and roast the potatoes while the prime rib rests. Yukon Gold potatoes are the best choice here as they provide the ideal combination of a creamy interior with a crispy exterior.
Before You Begin
Look for a roast with an untrimmed fat cap, ideally 1/2 inch thick. The roast must be salted and refrigerated for at least 24 hours before cooking. Wait until the roast is done cooking before peeling and cutting the potatoes so they don’t discolor. It is crucial to use a sturdy rimmed baking sheet for this recipe. Our favorite is the Nordic Ware Baker's Half Sheet. Serve with Red Wine–Orange Sauce, if desired.
Instructions
- Using sharp knife, trim roast’s fat cap to even 1/4-inch-thickness; reserve and refrigerate trimmings. Cut 1-inch crosshatch pattern in fat cap, being careful not to cut into meat. Rub 2 tablespoons salt over entire roast and into crosshatch. Transfer to large plate and refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 24 hours or up to 4 days.
- Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 250 degrees. Cut reserved trimmings into 1/2-inch pieces. Place 4 ounces (about 1 cup) of trimmings in rimmed baking sheet, then set wire rack in sheet. Season roast with pepper and place, fat side up, on wire rack.
- Roast until meat registers 115 degrees for rare, 120 degrees for medium-rare, or 125 degrees for medium, 3 to 3 1/2 hours. Transfer roast to carving board, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest for 1 hour. Carefully remove wire rack and reserve beef fat in baking sheet (there should be about 1/2 cup; if not, supplement with vegetable oil).
- Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees. Microwave potatoes, covered, in large bowl until they begin to release moisture and surfaces look wet, about 7 minutes. Pat potatoes dry with paper towels. Toss potatoes with rosemary, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Transfer potatoes to baking sheet and carefully toss with reserved fat (fat may be hot). Roast until tender and browned, 35 to 40 minutes, redistributing halfway through cooking. Season potatoes with salt and pepper to taste.
- Pat roast dry with paper towels. Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Sear all sides until browned, 6 to 8 minutes total. Transfer roast to carving board. Carve meat from bones and cut into 3/4-inch-thick slices. Serve with potatoes.
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