A noble prime rib roast of beef is a treat and the perfect dish for a special family gathering. Serve with Yorkshire pudding or baked potatoes with all the trimmings (sour cream or yogurt, chopped chives or green onions), grilled corn, yellow and green beans topped with fresh-snipped dill and butter, and a selection of condiments such as a grainy mustard, pickled beets, and fresh horseradish aioli. In this version, we’ve enhanced the flavour of a tender beef cut with a garlic spice rub, fragrant smoke, and Mushroom Ragout to serve on the side.
Serves: 8
Ingredients
- 6-7 lb prime rib beef roast, three ribs bone in, well-trimmed (3–3.5 kg)
- 1 tbsp olive oil (15 ml)
- 2 tsp kosher or sea salt (10 ml)
- 1 tsp freshly ground pepper (5 ml)
- 4-6 cloves cloves garlic, halved
- Handful of hickory chips
Preparation
- Rub roast on all sides with olive oil, salt, and coarsely ground black pepper. With the point of a sharp paring knife, make small slits in the surface of the roast and insert garlic halves. Place the roast on a platter, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside for an hour, or overnight in the refrigerator.
- When ready to cook, prepare the smoking chips (see smoking tip below), set up the drip pan, and pre-heat the grill. Place the roast, fat side up, on the grill over the drip pan. Using indirect heat at a medium temperature—a constant 350°F/180°C—cook about 20 minutes per lb/500 g (about 2 hours), or until the internal temperature reaches 130°F/55°C for rare.
- Remove roast from grill and set aside for 10–15 minutes, loosely covered in foil, before carving. The internal temperature of the roast will rise 5–10 degrees during the resting period, so if you like your beef rare to medium-rare (remove when temperature is 140°F/60°C), start testing after 1 1/2 hours.
- Serve the beef in generous slices accompanied withMushroom Ragout, if you like, and all your favourite fixings.
Smoking tip: Presoaked wood chips, either wrapped in perforated foil or in a dedicated smoker box, can be placed directly over the flame. If you are using a gas grill, follow the manufacturer’s recommendations, or fill the smoker box with soaked wood chips and preheat the grill to high. When smoke begins to billow out, reduce heat to medium and commence cooking. On a charcoal grill, toss about a cup of presoaked wood chips onto the coals when you are ready to cook.
Leftover tip: If you are lucky enough to have leftover ribs with meat on them, next day brush them with a zesty barbecue sauce and set on a pre-heated hot grill for 10 minutes or so, turning them over the fire until nicely browned.
