Butter-Poached Standing Rib Roast
Chef on Call
- Course: Main Course
Summary:
The recipe calls for a whopping 8 pounds of butter to be clarified for poaching the meat. The meat becomes incredibly tender and is finished in a skillet on the stove top, where the outside of the roast is quickly seared with roasted garlic and, believe it or not, a little more butter.
Assuming you're interested in trying the recipe for an elegant party, what's to be done with all that clarified butter afterward? Chef Michael Mina says that it can be strained and reused 2 more times and that, in fact, the quality of the butter is the best for the second use. Freeze the strained butter.
It's best to use an instant-read thermometer to monitor the temperature of the poaching butter, which should remain at 165 degrees.
12 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 8-pound bone-in rib-eye roast Frenched and tied (have the butcher remove the chine bone, trim the roast of the fatty cap all the way to its eye, and tie it)
- 8 pounds unsalted butter
- 1 bunch thyme
- 1 bunch rosemary
- 6 bay leaves
- 6 medium shallots, cut crosswise into thin slices
- 6 medium cloves garlic, cut crosswise into thin slices
- Salt
- Coarsely ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup roasted garlic
- 1/3 cup grated white horseradish
- 1 cup creme fraiche
Directions:
Remove the meat from the refrigerator so it can come to room temperature (at least 30 minutes).
To clarify the butter: Place it in a large stock pot over low heat. Cook without stirring until it has liquefied, then begin skimming the foam off the top (discarding the foam) until the butter is clear enough to see through to the milky solids at the bottom of the pot. Remove from the heat and pour slowly into a separate large Dutch oven that is oven-proof, so that the solids are left behind (discard them). The Dutch oven/pot should be deep enough to hold the butter and the roast.
Place it over medium heat and bring the butter temperature to 165 degrees, adjusting the heat setting as necessary.
Add the thyme, rosemary and bay leaves to the pot, along with the sliced shallots and garlic. Cook for 30 minutes to infuse the butter with those flavors.
Adjust oven racks as needed to allow room for the pot; preheat to 300 degrees.
Submerge the roast in the pot of clarified butter and herbs, then place the pot in the oven. Slow-roast for 2 hours or until the interior of the roast registers 127 degrees on an instant-read thermometer.
About 20 minutes before the meat is to be served, remove the roast from the clarified butter and liberally season it all over with salt and pepper. Strain the clarified butter and discard the herbs. Let the butter cool.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat until it is quite hot, then place the roast in the skillet. Sear on all sides, turning the meat every few minutes while you add 2 tablespoons of the strained clarified butter and the roasted garlic. As soon as the butter melts, use the mixture to baste the meat on all sides. This will take about 15 minutes and will generate some smoke in the kitchen; it's best to have a ventilating fan on or open a window.
Because the meat was slow-cooked, there is no need to rest it before it is carved. Just before serving, combine the horseradish and creme fraiche in a small bowl; mix well. Serve at the table alongside the portions of roast.
Recipe Source:
Adapted from chef Michael Mina.
E-mail the Food Section with recipe questions.
(James M. Thresher for The Washington Post)
