For years I have done something different on Christmas. I am so beyond turkey by Christmas day and I love lamb and ham in the spring. This year we have had guests during the month of December, but I am really beyond ham at this point. I have made a goose, a duck, and Cornish hens in previous years and all were good.
The Standing Rib roast tradition actually comes from my mother (again, I know..) and it was done on Christmas eve, when my family really celebrated Christmas. My dad made his career as a professional musician and getting up early was never something that was going to happen, so we always went to visit grandma, came home to a wonderful beef dinner and open presents that Santa had left while we were traversing the Wisconsin country side.
I honored the Christmas eve beef tradition for a few years, but this year decided that our Christmas eve was going to be just family and simple. Save the meal for Christmas day when I was not going to go anywhere or do anything, anyway!
It will be a quiet Christmas day, just the family and some good friends visiting. A good day for some games, puzzles, movies, and friends.
Here is the menu. I wont put up the Figgy Pudding recipe yet, cause, well, I haven’t tried it, made my changes and tasted it.
Standing Rib Roast The key to cooking a standing rib roast is the cut of meat you purchase. I like mine bone-in, for obvious reasons. Typically the number of ribs in the roast x2 is the number of people it will feed, for example:
Six people - 3 rib roast
Eight people - 4 rib roast
Ten people - 5 rib roast
More flavor comes off the bone. You pay for the bones, but it is really worth it.
Make sure that the roast becomes room temperature before you begin cooking. I break down a head of garlic, then make slits in and throughout the roast, stuffing a clove of garlic into each slit. Do not overdo it! Use is wisely and sparingly. There are just as many thoughts about how to season the roast as well. I prefer a coat the roast with a little olive oil, then sprinkle fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme, basil) and salt and pepper. Sometimes I will just do salt and a layer of freshly cracked pepper. Its all personal.
Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F. I recommend that for a standing rib roast, you get yourself a good digital meat thermometer. Place in the center most portion of the roast. Place the roast, fat side up, ribs down, in a heavy roasting pain (prefer stainless steel). Sear the roast at this temperature for 15 minutes. Then turn the oven down to 325 degrees F.
Begin to check for doneness about 1/2 hour before estimated cooking time. Remember, the roast will continue to cook once you take it out of the oven, about 5 degrees more. So gauge your time accordingly.
Rare 120-125 degrees
Medium rare 130-135
Medium 140-145
Medium well 150-155
Well 160
2 ribs (4-5 pounds) 60 to 70 minutes
3 ribs (7-8.5 pounds) 1.5 to 1.75 hours
4 ribs (9-10.5 pounds) 1.75 to 2.25 hours
5 ribs (11-13.5 pounds) 2.25 to 2.75 hours
6 ribs (14-16 pounds) 3 to 3.25 hours
7 ribs (16-18.5 pounds) 3.25 to 4 hours
Remove the roast from the oven on desired doneness. (KEEP THE FAT AND JUICES FOR YORKSHIRE PUDDING AND GRAVY). Cover with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 15-20 minutes (Remember, the temperature of the meat will rise, while it is resting).
When carving a standing rib roast, bone in, as a suggestion, make sure your knife is very sharp! Also, use the bones and a guide for your cut. You will be able to get two pieces of meat for every bone.
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