We haven't had beef here in the house in so long I'm having withdrawals. We had turkey for Thanksgiving of course, and we've also managed to demolish 2 hams so far. Sauerkraut with pork is a New Years thing around here, so beef is on the menu if I have anything to say about it. And I do.
Something medium rare, butter knife tender. So flavorful the only thing you need is salt and pepper. I want to feast on a beast. I want to gorge myself silly and have enough of leftovers. (Mmm, cold beef with horseradish sauce.)
I've made beef tenderloin before but shockingly have never tried a standing rib roast or without the bones, it's known as prime rib.
I've been eyeballing the grocery advertisements waiting to pounce. Tenderloin is running $14 lb but the rib roasts are $7 lb right now. I'll also need to get a meat thermometer. Can you believe it? I've been cooking for 30 years and have never owned a meat thermometer. I've gotten by with the finger poke technique all these years, but I need a medium rare roast so badly. I'm not planning on screwing this one up so it's best to have a little insurance.
I've also got fudge on the brain. Chocolate is such a part of my Christmas's growing up. Dad was a chocolate salesman for Nestle. He would sell bulk chocolate to speciality candy shops. We always had boxes of chocolates laying around. Up in Ohio, Dad sold to a shop called The Yum Yum Tree. I loved their particular blend of chocolates. Mom would get a box of some kind of mint chocolates and maybe if we were lucky she'd let us have one. They were that good. Us kids weren't picky about chocolate...anything and everything was fine by us. That was our Christmas breakfast. Chocolate at 5 am unwrapping our Christmas presents. I'd eat chocolate all day long. Christmas just isn't Christmas without some kind chocolate in the house.
I've never made fudge before but it looks like the easiest thing in the world. I think that's what I'll do today. Make fudge. Slide into a sugar coma.
At least I'll die happy!
So what's cooking at your house? Any cravings you'd care to share?
Just remember that rib roasts are half the price because you're paying for all bones. I admit they look impressive, but I don't care for digging around bones.
ReplyDeleteCravings here? Homemade mounds and also dipped pretzels. Sugar coma? Yes! Bring it on!!!
:)
Remember the year your Dad was given 50 lbs of boxed chocolates. Everyone in the family got a box for a Christmas present. I took some to the girls at work also. But of course the Doctors were also bringing in to us too. I came close to NOT liking chocolate that year.
ReplyDeleteThe mint chocolate came from Anthony Thomas in Columbus. Then there was the peanut butter from Esther Price in Dayton. And of course the best is the English Toffee from Rocky Mountain.
I even have a T-shirt that says "Inside this body is a thin women trying to get out but I can usually shut the bitch up with chocolate."
Tami: I fix prime rib quite a bit. Here's the recipe I swear by:
ReplyDeletePRIME RIB OF BEEF
6-8 pounds boneless beef rib roast
1 tablespoon onion salt
1 tablespoon granulated garlic powder
1 tablespoon paprika
1/2 tablespoon freshly ground pepper, preferably white
1/2 tablespoon thyme
a few cloves of garlic peeled and sliced
olive oil
Preheat oven to 500 degrees
Multiply the weight of the meat times 5. This will give you the amount of time to leave it in the oven at 500 degrees.
Example: 5 lbs. times 5 equals 25 minutes. Ovens may vary. 5 times the weight gives me medium to medium rare. For medium rare to rare I multiply the weight of the meat by 4.8.
Wash and dry the meat and rub olive oil on the meat. Put small slices into the meat and insert garlic slivers. Mix the spices together and rub them on the meat.
Stand the roast fat side up in a roasting pan. I also place a rimmed cookie sheet under the pan to stop some of the splatter. Put the roast into the well preheated oven and close the oven. BE EXACT ON YOUR TIME! DO NOT REOPEN THE OVEN DOOR!
My 5 lb. roast will stay at 500 degrees for 25 minutes. Your roast stays in for whatever the number of minutes you figured out.
When the timer goes off, shut the oven off and reset your timer for 2 hours BUT DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN DOOR UNTIL 2 HOURS ARE UP! Your roast will be ready to serve and perfect throughout.
Sometimes I omit the garlic and other spices and just use a nice salt/ground pepper rub. I cook my legs of lamb the very same way...delcious...no meat thermo. needed.
We still have the Yum Yum tree and don't forget Daffins! I also found another chocolatier in Sugarcreek, Oh...Cobelentz. All is well with Ohio and Western PA chocolates. :) For your beef needs, try to seek out a local farmer and buy your beef the the 1/4 or 1/2. Make sure you have freezer space and you will have the tastiest prime rib ever!!! Merry Christmas
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