Rib Eye Roast

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If anyone is interested in fool-proof recipe of roasting a rib eye roast under the cut you go.

Please note that this works best specifically with the rib eye roast.  I have tried to do this with the boneless roast and was not as impressed with results.  Experiment at your own risk.

The Roast: When selecting an rib eye roast select the one with the thickest layer of fat and make sure that fat layer covers all or most of the top side of the roast.  Also, you probably want the roast to be at least 2 ribs wide (thinner ones overcook easily).  The roast that I was working with here was about 4.5 lb and 2 ribs wide.  Take the roast from the fridge at least an hour before you are planning to roast it so it comes to room temperature.  Preheat oven to 500* F.



The Rub:  Bring half stick of butter to room temperature.  I cut it into cubes so it warms up faster.  Into the butter add spices of your choice.  I vary spices from time to time.  Here, starting at the top clockwise – salt, cumin, curry, paprika, cayenne pepper. 



Time to roll up your sleeves.  Mix butter and all spices to homogeneous consistency of a paste (I use hands) and then slather the roast on all sides into the spiced butter paste. Stick meat thermometer into the middle of the meatiest part of the roast (make sure it does not touch the bone) and set it to 110* F for medium rare (which is the only way a good beef roast should be, imho).  It is best to use the two-level roasting or broiler pan, where the top layer of the pan has drip holes.  There will be a lof of fat drippings when all is said and done. 



Stick the roast into the preheated 500*F oven and set the timer for 10 minutes.  When the timer goes off, reset the oven temperature to 350*F and continue roasting until your thermometer beeps at 110*F.  Basically, the 10-minute blast in the oven at 500*F roasts the outside and seals all the juicy goodness inside the roast for your future consumption.  Then the slow roasting at 350*F slowly brings the rest of the roast to the rare temperature ensuring that it does not overcook.  If you can stand not to open the oven during all these manipulations, all the better; I usually peak at least once right before I drop the temperature to make sure I like how the top has browned.  While the roast is getting the makeover the oven, it is the perfect timing to succumb to the begging and pleading of the whiny 8-year-old and fry-up some fries Russian-style. 

When the thermometer beeps at 110*F, take the roast out of the oven and leave it on the counter to rest for at least 10 minutes, 15 would be better. Do not remove the thermometer.  The internal temperature of the roast will continue to rise due to carryover heat.  In the case of this particular roast, after it was removed from the oven at 110*F, it reached the temperature of 119*F before I cut into it. 

(Kids made everybody placecards for dinner )


When your roast has sufficiently rested and you are ready to carve, do it on the platter with some raised edges rather than on the cutting board.  You don’t want all the juices that you so carefully sealed inside the roast to end up all over your cutting board and kitchen counter.  When cut open, the roast will be rare to medium-rare at the very center and gradually reach well done (but not overdone) at the edges.  Serve yourself a generous piece and enjoy.