Colorado Proud
Cattle is Colorado’s top agricultural product, with more than 2.8 million head in the state. Beef is a great source of 10 essential nutrients including protein, zinc, iron and B vitamins. Look for Colorado beef at your local winter farmers’ market, grocery store, direct from the rancher or at restaurants across the state.
Each month the Colorado Department of Agriculture features a different commodity to highlight the variety and quality of products grown in the state. Prime rib, also known as standing rib roast, is a popular centerpiece of many holiday meals. The following guidelines for successfully selecting and preparing a prime rib are provided by Chef Jason K. Morse, C.E.C., of 5280 Culinary, LLC. Visit coloradoagriculture.com for a complete list of recipes.
PRIME RIB
Select: How much do I need? A good rule of thumb is to plan on one bone per two people. That can equate to about 10 ounces of cooked prime rib per person. Keep in mind there will be a small amount of shrink while cooking, so buy a little extra to ensure you have some leftovers for those shaved prime rib sandwiches the next day.
Bone or no bone? While the bones do add a great flavor, it’s not necessary to cook a bone-in rib roast. If cooking a boneless roast, reduce total cooking time by 20-30 minutes.
When choosing a size, don’t buy anything under a two-bone portion, as this is more of a thick steak style cut and will be difficult to roast and keep from drying out.
Prepare: Place roast into a large pan, drain any juices and set at room temperature for 20 minutes.
Liberally rub all sides with your choice of seasoning blend.Allow the rub to sit on the roast for another 20 minutes, then wrap in plastic wrap and place on a cookie sheet. Refrigerate wrapped roast for 16-24 hours.
Cook: Preheat oven to 425 F. Place prime rib on a rack in a roasting pan rib side down and fat side up. Do not cover roast during cooking process.
Sear at 425 F for 20 minutes, then turn the oven down to 325 F and cook until desired doneness is reached.
A two- to four-rib roast (6-8 pounds) will take 2.5-3 hours plus resting time for medium (145 F).
Beef will continue to carry-over cook. Once removed from the oven, it will continue to cook another 10-12 degrees in 20 minutes of resting. Be sure to remove roast from oven slightly under desired doneness to allow the carry-over cooking to end up at the exact temperature desired.
Allow the prime rib to rest for about 15-20 minutes prior to carving to allow the juices to settle.
Enjoy: Pair it with a glass of Colorado wine from the 2019 Governor’s Cup Collection (coloradowine.com/governors-cup).