he challenge: A prime rib is a little like a turkey: You probably cook only one a year, usually
for an important occasion, almost always for a crowd. Although you know there are alternative
cooking methods that might deliver a better roast, they're too risky. You don't want to be
remembered as the cook who carved slices of almost raw standing rib, or the host who delayed
dinner for hours waiting for the roast to get done. Rather than chance it, you stick with the
standard 350 degrees for X minutes per pound. We set out to determine if there was a better way
to go. 

The solution: Surprisingly, our perfect prime rib turned out to be one cooked in a 200-degree
oven. Unlike roasts that cooked at higher temperatures, this one was rosy pink from the surface to
the center and was the juiciest and most tender of all the roasts we cooked. The only thing that
bothered us about this slow-roasted prime rib was its raw-looking, unrendered fatty exterior. By
searing the meat on top of the stove before low-roasting it, though, we solved the problem of the
unattractive look.

PERFECT PRIME RIB

Serves 6 to 8

Even if you dont purchase the roast a week ahead of time as the instructions suggest, even a day
or two of aging in the refrigerator will help. 

1 3-rib standing rib roast (7 pounds), first cut (see Ask for It by Number, below), aged, set at
room temperature for 3 hours, and tied at both ends running parallel to the bone. Salt and ground
black pepper

1. Adjust oven rack to low position and heat oven to 200 degrees. Heat large roasting pan over
two burners set at medium-high heat. Place roast in hot pan and cook on all sides until nicely
browned and about 1/2 cup fat has rendered, 6 to 8 minutes. 

2. Remove roast from pan. Set wire rack in pan, then set roast on rack. Generously season with
salt and pepper. 

3. Place roast in oven and roast until meat registers 130 degrees (for medium-rare), about 3 1/2
hours (or about 30 minutes per pound). Let stand 20 minutes (a bit longer is fine) before serving. 

4. Transfer to cutting board and carve (see illustrations below).

ASK FOR IT BY NUMBER:
Butchers tend to cut a rib roast, which consists of ribs six through twelve if left whole, into two
distinct cuts. The more desirable of the two cuts consists of ribs ten through twelve. Since this
portion of the roast is closer to the loin end, it is sometimes called the loin end. Other butchers
call it the small end or the first cut. Whatever it is called, it is more desirable because it
contains the large, single rib-eye muscle and is less fatty. A less desirable cut, which is still an
excellent roast, consists of ribs six to nine, closer to the chuck end, and sometimes called the
second cut. The closer to the chuck, the more multimuscled the roast becomes. Since muscles are
surrounded by fat, this also means a fattier roast. While some cooks may prefer this cut because
the fat adds flavor, in general, the more tender and more regularly formed loin end is considered
the best. According to butcher Ronnie Savenor, of Savenors in Boston, the clearest way to
indicate what you want is to ask for the first three ribs from the loin end.

CARVE IT SIMPLY:





Perfect Prime Rib

1 (3-rib, about 7 pounds) standing rib roast, preferably first cut 
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Set roast on rack above pan lined with paper towels. Refrigerate for 3 to 7 days. Shave off dehydrated exterior layer of roast with sharp knife. Let roast rest at room temperature for 3 hours; tie roast. 
Adjust oven rack to low position and heat oven to 200*F (95*C). Heat large heavy-duty roasting pan over two burners set at medium heat. Place roast in hot pan and cook on all sides until nicely browned and at least 1/4 cup fat has rendered, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove roast from pan. Drain off fat. (Reserve fat in measuring cup if making Yorkshire pudding.) Set wide rack in pan, then set roast on rack. Generously season with salt and pepper. 
Place roast in oven and roast until meat registers 130*F - 55*C (for medium-rare), about 3 1/2 hours (or about 30 minutes per pound). Transfer prime rib to cutting board. Let roast stand stand 20 minutes (a bit longer is fine) before serving. 
Remove twine and position roast so that rib bones are perpendicular to cutting board. Using carving fork to hold roast in place, cut along rib bones to sever meat from bones. Set roast cut side down on board and carve meat across grain into thick slices. 
Serves 6 to 8.

Note: Even if you don't purchase the roast several days ahead of time as the instructions suggest, even a day or two of aging in the refrigerator will help. The roast is first browned on top of the stove and then placed in the oven. You can accomplish both steps in a heavy-duty roasting pan. Otherwise, brown the roast in a cast-iron skillet and then transfer it to a regular roasting pan. It is essential that the temperature inside your oven is actually 200*F (95*C). Some ovens can run a bit cool at such low settings. Use an oven thermometer and, if necessary, boost the thermostat as needed to maintain a constant temperature of 200*F (95*C) inside the oven. Serves six to eight.

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