I once ruined a magnificent standing rib roast by carelessly tossing it in a hot oven when it was cold. I took the roast from the refrigerator, slapped it in the roasting pan and shoved it in the preheated oven. Even when the instant-read thermometer said it was done, it was raw in some parts, overcooked in others.
That is called learning your lesson the hard way.
Christmas is the perfect time for a standing rib roast because they cost a king’s ransom and there are not many other occasions that justify the cash outlay. The better the meat, the better the roast will taste — and this means buying it from a real butcher (nowadays as rare as hen’s teeth, I know) or from a market with a good meat counter and lots of turnover. Figure two or three servings per rib: a four-rib roast will serve eight to ten people.
Once the roast is cooked, don’t discard those awesome pan juices. Skim the fat from the surface and then make gravy with some
beef stock (canned is perfect). Serve the beef with the gravy and perhaps horseradish cream, as well.
Three caveats before you begin so that you don’t ruin this pricy piece of meat (like I did): First, while it’s important to keep the raw meat refrigerated until you plan to cook it, let it come to room temperature before you roast it. This means thirty to forty minutes on the kitchen counter — out of reach of the dog. Second, use a meat thermometer or instant-read thermometer to determine when the meat is done. For medium-rare meat, that means 130 to 140° F. Take the meat from the oven when it’s about five degrees lower than the desired temperature. Three, let the meat rest for five to ten minutes before carving. This gives the juices time to recollect so that the meat will be as juicy as can be.
There really is nothing quite like a standing rib roast on the holiday table. It reminds us of Christmases past, when a joint on the table meant generous good will toward men.
