Perfect Prime Rib - Take 2 - Tutorial

[KK787]

This is my second dry-aged prime grade Prime Rib I’ve cooked on a 23 Ultimate with outstanding results.  I am here to teach you how I achieved a roast with excellent crust, pink throughout - no dark overdone perimeter ring, and excellent flavor, and the tools I used.

 

SOURCES:

 

Adam Perry Lang book: Charred and Scruffed

Thermoworks Video: Prime Rib Tutorial

 

TOOLS

 

KK 23 Ultimate or Similar

KK Rotisserie Basket

KK lower grill grate

Weber Stainless Steel Grill Pan (Rectangular & Perforated)

Jealous Devil Lump Charcoal 

Fat scraps from the trimmings

Butcher String

 

OPTIONAL TOOLS

 

Meater Probe

 

PROCEDURE

 

1. THE ROAST: Find a Prime Rib of your liking.  We used a Prime Dry-aged 5 bone roast.  This is expensive but worth every penny.   Have the butcher take the roast from the thicker side of the cut, cut the bones off, then tie the roast together. 
2. TRIM:  Remove the butcher string.  Trim away the majority of the fat and silver skin so the rub has plenty of meat to stick to.  This will lay the ground work for a beautiful flavorful crust.  I trimmed using French Style by trimming off the thick fat cap on top of the bones then trimming in between.
3. SCRUFF:  Charred and Scuffed - absolute game changer in the way I grill and roast.  Adam’s techniques will elevate your steaks, poultry, roast, etc. to whole new level.  Scruff and rough up that meat surface.  You can achieve this in several ways.  I chose to make shallow surface cuts. 
4. RUB:  Charred and Scuffed seasoning rub: 1 cup kosher salt, 2 TBS fresh ground black pepper, 1 tsp garlic salt, 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper.  Grind in a spice grinder/coffee grinder/food processor until a sand consistency.  Use a few splashes of low sodium soy sauce as a binder.  Coat the roast heavily with the rub, moisten hands, and really work it into the scruffed surface.  I added more pepper directly and worked it in. Season between the bones and roast.  Use butcher string to tie the roast back together. Refrigerate overnight uncovered. 
5. ROOM TEMPERATURE/FREEZE:  Pull the roast from the fridge and bring to room temp - about two hours.  Then, put the roast into the freezer for about an hour until the outer 1/4 or so is almost frozen.  This will keep the outer portion of the roast from turning brown and produce a rare color edge to edge.
6. LIGHTOFF:  Light your KK and set up for a 225-250  meat level cook - about 250-300 at the dome. Make sure it’s preheated in cold environments.  Connect your rotisserie motor and ensure your basket fits.  Install the lower grill grate. 15 minutes before go time, fire up your gas grill or similar and preheat your pan for the initial sear.
7. WEBER DRIP PAN - GENIUS:  I started using this by my own accord and have had phenomenal results.  Place the Weber Stainless Steel Grill Pan centered on the grate.  This works as an excellent heat deflector.  Better yet, the pan's perforations allows the fat renderings to drip through and reach the fire creating a beautiful smoke that adds incredible flavor to the meat. 
8. SEAR:  Sear the roast on all sides for roughly 15 seconds on each portion.  I use a gas grill, cast iron griddle with beef tallow on high heat.  
9. LOCK & LOAD:  Load the roast into the basket and lock it in secure.  I use three MEATER probes, two in the ends and one in the center.  I use the two end probes to measure the ambient temperature at the roast.  The middle probe is placed in the thickest part of the roast and set to 125 rare.  Meater is purely optional.
10. TURN ON THE ROTISSERIE:  Make sure everything works properly.
11. ADD THE FAT:  Take some of the white fat scraps from the trimmings and toss them onto the heat deflector a few times during the cook.  The fat will slowly render and drip into the fire below creating a smoke that adds another dimension of flavor to the cook. 
12. BASTE:  Baste the roast very 20-30 minutes.  I use one cup olive oil, one stick of unsalted butter, some thyme sprigs, one mashed garlic clove, chopped rosemary, and a few shakes of low sodium say sauce.  Simmer for about 5 minutes and set aside. I use an herb mop made by bunching sage, rosemary, thyme, etc all bunched together and tightly tied with butcher string.
13. COOK:  My 10 pound roast cooked in 2.5 hours - much faster than the 4 to 5 hour oven estimate - when my center meter probe reached 125 degrees. The other portions read 134 with the thinnest part reading 140.  I backed the temps up with a Thermopen.  Bottom line, everyone was happy - something for everyone!
14. REMOVE:  Remove the roast and let sit for 40 minutes.
15. SAUCE:  Prepare a finishing sauce of olive oil, chopped large leaf parsley, garlic, salt and pepper.  Chop the roasted ends of the herb mop and add to the mixture.  Drizzle over the meat once carved. 
16. CARVE:  Carve and serve.  I like to put the sauce on the cutting board, slice my slab into pieces and tossing with the board oil mixing the meat juices and sauce all together.  Plate and finish with an additional drizzle of board oil, a thyme sprig - incredible flavor. 
17. ENJOY!!

 

Final note, this was the most flavorful prime rib I’ve ever had.  The "Scruffed" process give the roast an incredible flavor that penetrates the surface much better than just adding seasoning to the surface alone.  That combined with the smoke produced from the fat renderings, the finishing sauce, makes for a delicious combination. A special thank you to Adam Perry Lang who revolutionized the Scruffed process - it’s a game changer for chops and steaks as well.  Also, a huge call out to Dennis for is input and excellent customer service.  Happy New Years to all.

[tekobo]

Nice looking result @KK787  Like you, I love Adam Lang Perry's Charred and Scruffed book and use his methods and standard rub whenever I can.  He layers flavour in a really good way.