Reviving Traditions with Mario Batali's Porcini-Rubbed Prime Rib Roast

The Chew, starring Mario Batali, Michael Symon, Carla Hall, Clinton Kelly and Daphne Oz, celebrates and explores life through food -- from cooking and home entertaining to food trends, restaurants, holidays and more. It is broadcast live, weekdays, from New York City. In California, it airs at noon, so I've only been able to catch it a few times.

My mom happened to see the "Christmas Spectacular" episode, and told me about Mario Batali's Prime Rib Roast. Our Christmas Eve traditional dinner used to be prime rib, but we've celebrated at friends' homes the past several years. On Christmas morning, we realized we didn't have a plan for dinner. Mom reminded me again of Mario's Porcini-Rubbed 3-Rib Roast. I watched the video clip from The Chew, and couldn't get to the store fast enough! Thankfully, the butcher was able to accommodate our last-minute request, and I already had the ingredients for the rub. I came home, prepared the rub, slathered it all over the roast, and e-mailed a teaser photo to mom. 

Mario describes prime rib as America's greatest gift to the world - our beef is something special and we should celebrate it as the true centerpiece of the holiday table.  In Mario's recipe, the porcini mushroom powder makes the rub rich and delicious, equal parts of salt and sugar help create the wonderful caramelized crust, and the red pepper flakes provide a bit of spice.

The standing rib roast emerged from the oven smelling heavenly, with a beautiful, caramelized, spicy porcini-peppery crust, and perfectly pink throughout. Thank you, Mario, for reviving our Christmas tradition.

Mario Batali's Porcini-Rubbed Three-Bone Rib Roast
From The Chew, Christmas Spectacular Episode

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons Kosher salt
2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon hot red pepper flakes
¼ cup Porcini mushroom powder*
5 garlic cloves (minced)
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
5-6 pound 3-rib standing rib roast (preferably cut from the loin or small-end)

*If you can’t find Porcini mushroom powder, simply grind dried Porcini mushrooms (about 3/4 ounces) in a coffee or spice grinder until they are powder.

Grind dried Porcini Mushrooms in a Coffee or Spice Grinder for powder

The ingredients for an amazing rub

In a small bowl, combine the sugar, salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, mushroom powder, garlic, and olive oil. Stir well to form a thick paste.

Mix it up, and slather it on!

Rub the paste all over the roast, coating it evenly.

Now that's a nice piece of meat!

Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 12 hours (ours only managed about 5 hours). Remove the roast from the refrigerator, unwrap it, and let it stand at room temperature for about an hour before roasting.

Meanwhile, position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Place the roast on a rack in a roasting pan, rib side down and fat side up, and insert a meat thermometer in a thick part. Roast for 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F and continue to cook until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 125 degrees F (our 5 1/4 lb. roast took about another hour).  Remove the roast from the oven and allow to rest for 30 minutes before carving. During resting, the meat will continue to cook and will reach a final temperature of 135 degrees F (medium-rare).

Let it rest 30 minutes to allow the juices to distribute and the meat to finish cooking 

Using a long, sharp slicing knife or chef’s knife, cut the meat from the rib bones in one piece, following the contour of the bones.  Slice the meat across the grain into whatever thickness you prefer. 

See this Fine Cooking article, How to Buy and Carve a Prime Rib Roast.

Today, we thinly sliced the leftovers for sandwiches, with Swiss cheese, caramelized onions, and horseradish-mayo, and Dooley spent the afternoon happily feasting on prime rib bones.