Prime Rib Dinner

Christmas Traditions - where do they begin?  How can I create "new" traditions for my family while honoring our family's history? 

I don't think our parents and grandparents set out to make traditions. They simply retained their parents traditions or began doing something they enjoyed and it stuck.  With our children still so young, we're continuing to find things that we all enjoy doing together around the holidays.  Like most families, our traditions revolve around food.  And two things are certain: Christmas Eve should be easy and Christmas Day should be decadent.

My husband's family cooked prime rib for their Christmas dinner and it sounded like a good idea to me. Easter: ham, Thanksgiving: turkey, Christmas: beef. I asked my sister-in-law for the family's recipe.  I learned that their cousin owned a restaurant in Wichita and this was how he cooked his Prime Rib.  I've modified a few things and finally have the right formula. 

Prime Rib Dinner (for 6)

7-8 lb. standing rib roast, bone-in (this is a 3-rib roast)

2 Tbsp. hickory smoke salt
2 Tbsp. coarse black pepper
3 Tbsp. granulated garlic (NOT garlic salt, or garlic powder)

Take the roast out of the refrigerator 1 hour before you intend to cook. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. 

Pat meat dry with paper towels. Combine seasoning in a small dish. Sprinkle seasoning onto roast liberally and rub into meat on all sides. It should look like a crust when you're done. 

Place roast fat side up (bone side down) on a rack in a roasting pan. Do not cover. 

A 7-8 lb. roast should take about 1 hr 45 minutes - 2 hours. Start checking the roast temperature around the 1-hour-mark, or use a remote thermometer*. Check the temperature in multiple locations on the roast. The center is what you're looking for, but you also want to make sure the outer edges aren't too hot.  Remove the roast when the center reaches 125 degrees, which is medium-rare.  

Cover with aluminum foil and let rest for 20-30 minutes before carving. To carve, first, remove the rib bones (watch this video for instruction) and then slice against the grain about 3/4" thick with a very sharp knife or an electric knife. 

*A remote thermometer is great because you don't have to open the oven and lose heat every time you check the temperature.  However, you'll want to check multiple places on the roast to ensure you're not overcooking.

 Notes: 

1. To modify this recipe for a larger roast, keep in mind: 
• 1 pound per person or 1 rib for every 2 people.
• Cook roast for 15 minutes per pound
• Increase seasoning as necessary.
2. Also, prime rib is ridiculously expensive, hence why we make it once a year. A prime cut from a butcher is about $15 per lb, and trust me, you want it from the best meat market in your area. (I got mine at Casey's). You might also want to order it ahead of time given the demand around the holidays.
3. We had mashed potatoes and glazed carrots on the side along with dinner rolls.
4. Jason is a purist with his leftovers (just reheating them with mashed potatoes), but I got fancy and made some AMAZING cheese and prime rib quesadillas. My friend Dave lent me his meat slicer and we also made some roast beef sandwiches!