For special occasions, prime rib is perfect choice
PRIME rib is a celebration-worthy cut of meat, and we wanted to take advantage of all of the flavorful drippings to cook supremely delicious vegetables to accompany this centerpiece roast. We began by scoring and salting a standing rib roast and refrigerating it for at least 24 hours to ensure tender, well-seasoned beef. Roasting the beef in a roasting pan in a low oven for 3 hours yielded evenly pink and juicy meat. While the meat rested, we reused the roasting pan to cook a mix of root vegetables and Brussels sprouts in the flavorful beef drippings. Adding the meat back to the pan with the browned, tender vegetables for a final stint under the broiler turned the outside of the roast crispy and golden and brought the whole dish together. Look for a roast with an untrimmed fat cap, ideally ½ inch thick. We prefer this roast cooked to medium-rare. Use Brussels sprouts no bigger than golf balls, as larger ones are often tough and woody.
Prime Rib and Roastedvegetables
Total time: 4¾ hours, plus 24 hours salting
1 (7-pound) first-cut beef standing rib roast (3 bones), with ½-inch fat cap
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
2½ teaspoons pepper, divided
2 pounds carrots, peeled, cut into 2-inch lengths, halved or quartered lengthwise to create ½-inch-diameter pieces
1 pound parsnips, peeled and sliced ½ inch thick on bias
1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and
halved 1 red onion, halved and sliced through root end into ½-inch wedges 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
Using sharp knife, cut 1-inch crosshatch pattern in roast’s fat cap, being careful not to cut into beef. Rub 2 tablespoons salt thoroughly over roast and into slits. Refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 24 hours or up to 4 days.
Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 250 degrees. Set V-rack in large roasting pan and spray with vegetable oil spray. Sprinkle roast with 2 teaspoons pepper and arrange fat side up on prepared V-rack. Roast until beef registers 120 to 125 degrees (for medium-rare), 3 to 3½ hours. Transfer V-rack with roast to carving board and let rest for 1 hour.
Meanwhile, increase oven temperature to 425 degrees. Using fork, remove solids in pan, leaving liquid fat behind (there should be about 2 tablespoons; if not, supplement with vegetable oil). Toss carrots, parsnips, Brussels sprouts, onion, thyme, remaining 1 teaspoon salt, and remaining ½ teaspoon pepper with fat in pan. Roast vegetables until tender and browned, 45 to 50 minutes, redistributing halfway through cooking.
Remove pan from oven and heat broiler. Carefully nestle V-rack with roast among vegetables in pan. Broil roast until fat cap is evenly browned, rotating pan as necessary, about 5 minutes. Transfer roast to carving board, carve beef from bones, and slice ¾ inch thick. Season vegetables with salt and pepper to taste. Serve beef with vegetables. Serves 8 to 10.