THIS IS A TWO PART BLOG:   Part One, dry aging; Part Two, the easiest and most stress free way to roast the perfect prime rib.

This year, I have been impressed with the ease with which my family has accepted an occasional vegetarian or tofu inspired meal.  However, it’s this time of year that we all look most forward to and become full on carnivores.  This amazing prime rib has become a special meal that we look forward to every year.  

Making the extra effort to dry age the meat before cooking it makes this an unforgettable meal.  Dry aging effectively intensifies the flavor of the beef by dehydrating it.   If you are looking to impress family and friends…this is the dish for you!

Dry Aged Beef1.5

Wrap the beef in cheesecloth to completely cover.

You can choose to dry age the beef for anywhere from three  to ten days.  The longer you age, the tastier the meat.  Just remember that the longer you age, the more mass the roast will lose, so make sure to keep this in mind when choosing the right weight for the number of servings you will need.  As a point of reference,  my 6.75 pound roast lost one pound over the course of 6 days. Finish with my Easiest Prime Rib Ever and Au Jus recipes and you are golden!

Yes, it is not pretty at this stage, but your guests will think otherwise once they bite into this succulent slice of heaven!

Yes, it is not pretty at this stage, but you will think otherwise once you’ve tried it.

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Dry Aged Prime Rib
Author: 
Recipe type: Holiday
Cuisine: Beef
 
Ingredients
  • 1 boneless rib roast (just my preference to go boneless, you may get more flavor from the bone-in, but that is why we are dry aging) SEE TIPS BELOW ON SIZE
  • 1 pkg cheesecloth
  • olive oil -enough to evenly coat the roast
  • McCormick's Montreal Steak Seasoning -enough to generously cover the entire roast from top to bottom and side to side. (you may use a different rub of your liking, but the Montreal Steak Seasoning is a really well balanced blend of spices)
Choosing the size of the roast will be based on the number of people you will be serving. Typically you can expect to need ½ to ¾ pound per serving depending on the appetite of your guests. I would error on the side of more, because they will be coming back for seconds!
You must also take into consideration the dehydration that will occur during the dry aging process. My 6.75 pound roast lost one pound between the moisture loss and the trimming of the dry exterior after the 6 days that I aged it.
Instructions
  1. Remove the roast from its packaging and rinse well.
  2. Pat it completely dry, and wrap completely with 2 to 3 layers of cheesecloth.
  3. Place on a rack on top of a sheet pan in the back of your refrigerator with the fat side up.
  4. After 24 hours, remove the cheesecloth and discard.
  5. Wrap meat with a new piece of cheesecloth and return to the refrigerator.
  6. Leave undisturbed for an additional 3 to 9 days. (The longer you leave it the more you intensify the flavor of the meat.)
  7. Remove the roast from the refrigerator.
  8. Remove remaining cheesecloth.
  9. Cut away excess fat and trim the ends and any discolored hard portions of the roast before preparing for the oven.
  10. Now for cooking it, head to my EASIEST PRIME RIB EVER recipe...link is above the recipe card.