The Evolution of A Prime Rib Roast

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year everybody! 

I've been gone for a while but taking care of a toddler who goes through the so called 'terrible twos " and a baby girl  isn't exactly an easy job :) I know I shouldn't complain there are people with more kinds than  me and they don't complain over lack of time. 

Today's recipe is dedicated to our annual New Year's  Eve dinner . All pictures and instructions are courtesy of my husband Christopher. Thanks , hon , for your contribution. If I was cooking I'd use organic ingredients. Also you can substitute peanut oil with olive oil or any kind of oil. 

Here we take our Rib Roast and start by removing the ribs (we'll use them in our Au Jus gravy which we will start tomorrow, one day before we cook.)

We'll cut these ribs apart after we de-fat the roast.

The ribs, fat and silver skin will go in a bag for tomorrow's gravy starter.

Here we've cut up the ribs, ideally you would get your butcher to do this and then have him saw them in half lengthwise to expose the marrow... I got to the grocery store too late for that. They will still enhance our Au Jus gravy.

Here the roast has been mostly de-fatted. We didn't need that great big fat cap on there, it won't really baste the meat as many have been led to believe, and the roast already has plenty of fat in it. We are going to season this tomorrow in a wet-rub and we want our seasonings to get into the meat, not into the fat.

Our next step involves Kosher Salt and Saran Wrap.

Now we've rubbed our meat liberally in Kosher Salt. If you watch this meat over the next few hours, the liquid in the meat will dissolve the salt and then draw it back into the meat. This will help the proteins in the meat hold on to moisture better and will give us a significantly good flavor... Don't worry, it won't seem overly salty.

Now we wrap the meat and stick it in the fridge for the next 24 hours.
For more details of this recipe and others recipes which are near 100% sure to please, go towww.amazingribs.com . you and your guest will be glad you did!

Now it is about 24 hours later and 24 hours yet to go before we actually finish this roast! So today we'll prepare a dry rub which we'll turn into a wet rub by adding oil to it. I prefer Peanut oil, you might prefer olive oil. We'll be using dry herbs and oil will extract the flavors better than water, also the oil will help to form a nice crust on our finished Prime Rib. Here we begin by using a spoon and a bowl as an improvised mortar and pestle to kind of break up our rosemary leaves to start releasing some of the aromas. 

This wet rub has the following ingredients:
4 tablespoons ground black pepper
4 teaspoons dried rosemary leaves
4 teaspoons dried thyme or oregano
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder and then we'll mix in 8 tablespoons peanut oil after removing 2 tablespoons of the dry mix for our Au Jus gravy.
This is our dry rub before the oil.

 

Now we've added the peanut oil and we'll let this sit for at least a couple hours for all the flavors and aromas to intensify a bit.

Now we'll get a head start on our Au Jus gravy. We'll start with 2 onions cut in quarters and we'll leave the skins. Onion skins give a nice flavor and also help to darken the color in a stock. No worries about them, we'll be straining all this out later.

The gravy recipe is as follows: 3 or more beef ribs or other beef bones, meaty trimmings from the roast with a little fat.
2 medium onions, root end removed, skin left on, and cut into quarters
2 carrots, peeled and chopped into 1" lengths
1 stalk celery, leaves left on, cleaned, and chopped into 1" lengths
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 or 3 dried mushrooms
1 cup dry red wine
1 teaspoon of the Dry Rub we just made
1 bay leaf
32 ounces of water
2 smashed garlic cloves
About the mushrooms. Just about any dried mushroom will do: Porcini, wood ears, whatever. Just toss them in. As they absorb liquid they exude essence of mushroom and add umami, a savory flavor amplifier.

Our garlic cloves, all smashed up.

I chose Shitake 'shrooms.

Here's our beef ribs and trimmings that we'll use in our stock, I'm going to brown the trimmings in a skillet and brown the ribs on the grill with a few wood chips for some smoke.

Grilling our ribs. Getting the meat caramelized a bit before we simmer it will help with the flavor.

Getting ready to add the liquid ingredients.

Now the liquid ingredients are in and we'll simmer for up to 3 hours uncovered so this will reduce down.

Make sure that you get the ribs down as far as possible in the liquid so we can extract flavor from the marrow.

While the au jus is simmering let's make some horseradish sauce. I'll make it today so that it can sit overnight and all the flavors will come together.

Here's the finished horseradish sauce. Ingredients are:
1/2 cup sour cream
4 tablespoons prepared horseradish in vinegar
4 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
4 pinches table salt
4 pinches ground white pepper, or black,
1 tablespoon minced roasted garlic.

au jus/stock is done... 

strain it out and do whatever you want with the meat and veggies

After straining in a colander .

Now strain it back into the pot with a mesh strainer.

See how many particles still remained? Now we taste, adjust seasoning and reduce more if necessary, then in the fridge for a bit.

Here is our roast after relaxing in it's dry brine overnight, you may notice that it is very shiny... that tends to happen after dry brining.

Now we'll take our butcher's twine and tie it tightly about every inch. We are trying to make this roast as close to round as possible, this promotes more even cooking. Let's say this roast is 5 inches in diameter and 8 inches long. Even if we had another one 5 inches in diameter but 12 inches long they would both cook in the same amount of time.

Now we have taken our wet rub and liberally covered this roast and we'll put it back in the fridge until tomorrow... this time we'll let it sit uncovered.

Notice that the twine did make the roast very round. The point is that when it is round, the shortest distance to the center of the meat is the same everywhere... hence, even cooking throughout with the exception of the ends, they may be a bit more well done.

We're getting ready to place our roast on the grill. I'm preheating the aujus we made yesterday before the beef goes on. I've set up the grill for two-zone cooking. I have 4 burners and one is on all the way, the next one is about 1/2 and the other two are off. We'll put our roast above the two which are off and try to keep the temp at that end at 225 F.

Here is our roast, straight out of the fridge, and now straight to the grill. We want to cook this low and slow so we'll start it cold.

Now the roast is on a rack above the au jus so it will roast, not boil... very important, and we'll catch the drippings for even more yummy au jus. I've placed hickory chips over the burner which is hottest for some smoke. We'll leave the roast in here for about an hour to get the smoky flavor and then, since it's cold here, and getting dark, we'll transfer it to the oven set at 225 degrees F.

Now we've been in the smoke about an hour so we'll move to the oven. Some of our au jus reduced down too much so I've added some boiling water. We will be going back to the grill to sear the outside at the very end. Notice that a meat thermometer has now been inserted to the center of the roast.

Here we are monitoring our temp. When we reach 115 degrees F then we'll remove the meat back to the grill which will already be as hot as possible and we'll sear all sides with the lid open. 

Ok, now we've reached 115 degrees and we're back on the grill to sear the outside.

Searing.

After searing, now we'll let it rest and it will gain another 15 or 20 degrees to get us to 135 degrees

Here's our au jus, now we'll put it in a sauce pan and reduce it to make a nice thin gravy. 

Reducing

We've hit our target temp.

After resting in the oven.

Getting ready to cut into it.

 I wish these pictures were more accurate, it was pinker than this in reality. But you can see that the fat and connective tissues have broken down.

Very tender meat

With a little au jus poured on it. Ok, this is the end. I can tell you that I forgot the steak knives and one guest of mine said, after I remembered, no problem, I'm doing fine with a butter knife! When asked I heard, "this is the best prime rib I've ever had." That was me, Then a guest said, the same thing actually, and another guest from the Ukraine said that it was the best beef she'd had in the US, my wife enjoyed it much as well even though she normally doesn't eat medium rare meat. I think it was a success, and if you follow this recipe you should have some great success too. Happy New Year!

Spinach Kale Soup (vegan)

I love greens and I am constantly looking for recipes. When my mom was here for the birth of my daughter,  she cooked for me a delicious spinach soup. I didn't take the recipe but I approximately knew the ingredients but decided to do some modifications to suit my son's taste. I am not a vegan but there are so many awesome vegan recipes that can compliment a meal with meat or just to satisfy hunger by eating it by itself. My son loved the soup and had 4 refills !!!!
This soup does not contain animal products , it's gluten/grain free. I used frozen spinach but you can use fresh as well, you just need to double the amount. 

Ingredients:

2 cups frozen cut spinach (or 4 cups fresh) 

4 medium sized chopped kale leaves (just the leaves, nor the stems) 

1 carrot finely chopped 

1 onion finely chopped 

1 celery stalk finely chopped 

4 garlic cloves chopped finely 

1 qt. water (approx. 1 l. ) 

1 can coconut milk 

1 Tbsp. Yellow split pea flour 

1 Tbsp.paprika powder

1 Tbsp. Garlic powder

1 Tbsp. Lemon juice

sea salt and pepper to taste. 

parsley (optional) 

Bring water to boil. Add carrots, celery, and onions and cook for 15-20 min. Add spinach . In a bowl mix well split pea flour and coconut milk and add to soup. Let it cook for another 10 min. Add kale, garlic powder , paprika powder, salt and pepper and let it simmer for 2 min. Remove and add lemon juice. Serve garnished with parsley. 

Mona's Pecan Truffles

Since the birth of my daughter I haven't been really active, but that's  understandable. Between the toddler and the baby I don't have much time to make fine stuff. We still eat very healthy but kinda limited when it comes to variety.
The recipe is from my pastor and friend Mona Shirley. We had a Mother's Day gathering at our church and this is where I tasted them the very first time and had to have the recipe.
This recipe is very easy. It's completely vegan and can be used as a snack as well . It's very rich so you don't have to worry that your child may get too much sweets.


Ingredients:

1 cup pecan halves
1 cup chopped dates
1/2 cup raw extra virgin coconut oil (not melted)
                                                                fine shredded coconut.


Combine pecans and dates in a food processor and blend until smooth. In a bowl combine coconut oil and the pecan/dates and mix well. If mixture is too runny let it sit for few minutes in the freezer. Place the shredded coconut in a plate. Make small balls,  about an inch in diameter and roll them in the coconut. Place in freezer for about an hour. Remove and store in the fridge.


* You can put the coconut oil in the blender with the other ingredients but it will melt and make the mixture runny which is not appealing.

Grain Free Egg-plant Lasagna

This recipe started as an improvisation and it evolved with time. My family decided to reduce the grains in our diet even the gluten free and as a result, at least I can speak for myself and my son, we feel better. I am proud of my husband that he changed his mind and doesn't  see the purchase of organic food as a waist of money. He still has issues with grass fed meat but I think that this would change soon :)

I don't know if I mentioned it before, but the eggplant should be soaked in cold water for about an hour because it could be an irritant for people with allergies or kidney disease.

I know that lasagna is usually  made with Ricotta cheese but I don't care much about its texture, that's why I prefer cottage cheese. However if you prefer Ricotta, use the one you like best. Also, the Marinara sauce I used, was made from scratch but if you don't have time to prepare it, use a store bought one. I usually make the sauce while the eggplant is soaking in the cold water.

So lets start ! And here is what you need:

Ingredients:

For the Marinara Sauce

Tomato Puree 

1 Onion chopped finely 

3-4 Garlic cloves smashed and chopped

2 Tbsp. Basil 

Olive oil 

Sea salt and Pepper to taste. 

Combine all ingredients, bring to boil, reduce heat and let it simmer, until sauce is done. Stir it occasionally.

For the Lasagna

1 Eggplant sliced

1 lb Ground Beef

1 cup Cottage Cheese
2-3 Tbsp. Italian Seasoning
1-2 Tbsp. Sea Salt
1 -2 Tbsp. Gr. Black Pepper
1 Tbsp. Garlic Powder.
2 Cups shredded Monterrey Jack cheese

In a bowl mix the ground beef, cottage cheese, spices and seasonings. On the bottom of a pan pour some of the marinara sauce and lay a few slices of the eggplant. Spread evenly meat mixture and sprinkle some shredded cheese. Lay on top more eggplant slices just like when you make lasagna with regular dough/noodles. The last layer should be eggplant slices and sauce that covers the whole dish. Cover with aluminum foil , make a few holes in the foil and bake it on 400F for about an hour. Uncover and bake for another 15-20 min. Just before done add the rest of Monterrey jack and bake until cheese melts. 

Spinach Puree (vegan)

As a child my grand ma used to make puree out of nettles or spinach. In Colorado I haven't seen nettles yet. Probably I am not looking for it at the right place. Spinach though tastes similar.  I modified the recipe a little because: 1. I love coconut milk and coconut oil ; 2. I wanted it to be vegan friendly. 

However , if you prefer animal fats you can use butter and heavy cream instead. 

The puree is a good side dish but also a good entree if you feel like eating something light but nutritious. 

Ingredients 

1 big bunch spinach 

1 cup coconut milk (the one in a can)

1-2 Tbsp. extra virgin coconut oil

2-3 fresh garlic cloves chopped finely

sea salt to taste

Chop spinach leaves and stems and place it in a double boiler. Steam until stems are soft but not too soft (approx 5 min) . Remove from heat, discard water and place spinach in a blender or food processor.Add coconut milk, puree. 

In a skillet melt coconut oil, add puree and garlic,  and cook for 8-10 min on medium heat. When done, salt and serve . Yields 1-2 servings , depends on how big the bunch is. 

Gluten Free Crepes

My son, in general is a good eater. There are times though when he goes through faces and you can't quite please him unless he can indulge himself with bread. I don't like the idea of him eating carbs in excess. I know there are healthy carbs but at the end they turn into sugar and can create an emotional havoc in a person. 

The recipe I developed contains carbs, but the grains I use are also full proteins. Especially quinoa which contains all amino acids and it's considered a full protein. I also like to add a little almond meal for extra protein. The recipe is gluten free because I can't eat gluten and I like crepes a lot. Second, the grains I use have more nutrients than the whole wheat flour and how I mentioned , have a lot of proteins 

Serve with fruits, fruit spreads, ample syrup , honey, cheese etc. My son eats them plain and I like them with crumbled feta cheese.

Ingredients:

3 eggs

1 can coconut milk 

2/3 cup quinoa flour 

1/3 cup garbanzo bean flour 

1 cup arrow root 

2 Tbsp. Almond meal 

1 Tsp. raw unfiltered honey (optional) 

2 Tbsp. extra virgin coconut oil 

Beat the eggs in a bowl with a whisk. Add coconut milk . Add flours, arrow root , almond meal, honey and mix well until  you have a homogeneous batter. If it's too thick you can add some more liquid and if you think it's too  runny add a spoon or two quinoa flour. 

In a skillet, melt coconut oil. Once when it melted return to a cup. With a dipper, spread batter evenly on the skillet. After few seconds to a minute flip the crepe and bake on the other site. Repeat the same procedure until there isn't any batter left. 

Lentils Garbanzo Beans Soup

For this soup, as a busy mom, I used organic and BPA free canned lentils and garbanzo beans . Also this last fall I manged to buy tomatoes from the farmers market and canned my own whole tomatoes and tomato puree. Needless to say that I am very proud of myself :))) . The rest of the ingredients are fresh and organic. This soup is vegan and gluten free. You can adjust the amount of the spices to your own preference . We like our food well seasoned and this blend might be a little too strong for you. But also it may not be strong enough . Therefore change the amount according to your taste.

I know that some people won't eat anything without meat . If that's your case , you can cut in small pieces chicken breast and cook it with the rest of the ingredients. This will give an additional flavor to the soup. 

Serve the soup with freshly chopped cilantro . If you don't have fresh you can use dried like I did today. And please don't pay attention at the blue color in the picture. I took this photo in the dark and  my try to modify it in Picasa wasn't very successful . Soup though, still tastes fantastic ! 

Ingredients 

1 can organic lentils 

1/2 can organic garbanzo beans 

1 cup whole canned tomatoes cut in quarters 

1 carrot , sliced 

1 1/2 celery stalk cut in small pieces 

1 small onion chopped finely

1 quart water 

1 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil 

1/2 Tbsp. paprika powder 

2 Tsp. Curry powder 

1/2 Tsp. Ground Coriander 

1/2 Tsp. Ground Cinnamon 

2-3 Bay leaves 

Sea salt 

Cilantro to garnish the soup. 

In a pot combine lentils and garbanzo beans. Add water, carrots , celery, onion, bay leaves and olive oil. Cooking on a medium heat until carrots and celery are cooked but careful not to overcook them. Add tomatoes and cook until some of the water evaporated. Add paprika powder, curry, coriander, cinnamon and salt. Serve with some chopped fresh cilantro. Yields 4 servings.