A Rib Eye Roast for the Holidays

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Merry Christmas, Happy New Years, and Happy Holidays to everyone.

You can take that as spiritually or as secularly as you’d like.

But if you’re in that giving sort of mood, I will unobtrusively mention that my e-cookbook, Farewell To Foie Gras: The Food and Drink of Arduise, is now Pay What You Want on DriveThru, and it makes a great (virtual) stocking stuffer, if you’re really a last minute type!

Something about Christmas just makes me want to roast things, so I considered it a wonderful Christmas eve opportunity this year when my parents brought home a 6.5 pound rib eye roast and asked me to look for some recipes for the night.

I came across two methods, one method for prime rib involving a very long low temperature treatment before a 500 degree F blasting from Serious Eats and this much more conventional method on GlobalPost.

Given my family’s tendency (myself excluded) towards less rare meat I opted for the latter method.

It’s a really simple recipe, aside from the neat for some slightly specialized equipment. A shallow roasting pan or half sheet pan, foil, a probe thermometer, and a rack.

Otherwise, it is just beef, salt, pepper, and some optional herbs.

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Mmm, beef.

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For my herbs, I harvested some of the perennial thyme from my backyard.

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The prep is very simple, just generously salt and pepper (and herb) all over the roast.

Top, bottom, side to side.

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Covering for safety, and back into the fridge unless you’ll be cooking within the hour. But well before you’re ready to slide it into the oven, take it out and let it rest at room temperature, so it will not be too chilly by the time you put in the oven.

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When you are about ready, preheat the oven to 350 Degrees F, and set up a rack. I highly recommend foil here for easier cleanup later.

This by the way, is a shoddy and pathetic rack. I was hoping against all odds this cooling rack might do.

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But since it didn’t I went to the garage and pulled out this much more appropriate rack that goes with another roasting pan. Why didn’t I use that other one? Because I needed more airflow, and the sides on that one were too high.

At 18 minutes per pound per that recipe, it would be just shy of two hours. I used the probe thermometer just to be sure, and that estimate was almost right really.

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Two hours later, it comes out! Tend with foil and let it rest for at least fifteen minutes.

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And now we’re ready to get going.

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Man, my Don Nguyen custom still slices like a dream.

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Oh right, beef. Yum.

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Serve with flair, and some salt on the side, since the salt and herb rub doesn’t quite permeate all the way. Hmmm, maybe I’ll make a separate beef gravy next time…

Actually, next time I’ll probably try the Serious Eats version. I think I’ve convinced folks that “rare” is not a bad thing.

But at any rate, will not complain. It was a lovely meal and the meat, as promised, was totally not ruined.

Happy holidays and Merry Christmas everyone! Cheers to good life, and good health to all.

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Simple Boneless Rib Eye Roast – Adapted from Global Post.

  • Boneless Rib Eye Roast
  • Salt
  • Black Pepper (Cracked or ground, fresh if possible)
  • Herbs (optional, recommend thyme, rosemary and/or oregano)
  • Salt, for serving.
  1. Rub a generous amount of salt, pepper, and herbs all over the roast.
  2. Ensure roast is kept at room temperature for an hour before it goes into the oven (roughly 30-45 minutes before you start to preheat the oven)
  3. Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F.
  4. Place rib eye roast on a rack on a shallow pan, and insert a probe thermometer if using.
  5. Roast until and internal temperature of 120-125 Degrees F is reached, or 18 minutes per pound if no thermometer is used.
  6. Remove from oven and carefully place on a deep plate to drain (there’s a lot of dripping involved, so be forewarned) and cover with foil. Note, try to avoid puncturing or piercing the roast in this process.
  7. Let rest for 15 minutes.
  8. Slice (transferring to a cutting board if necessary) and serve, with salt on the side for guests to use to their preference.