The short answer to this question is: yes, you can cook prime rib in a cast-iron casserole pan. The perfect prime rib recipe is a simple one because it’s an expensive joint of meat and you don’t want to risk overcomplicating it.
You want the prime rib to be tender and juicy, not hard and dry, so cooking it to perfection is crucial. Whether you’re cooking prime rib for a family occasion such as a birthday dinner or are simply preparing one for the holidays, it’s the perfect centerpiece for any dinner table.
So, let’s get started.
Ingredients
14 pound standing rib roast (aged prime)
2 cloves of garlic, sliced (optional)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Equipment that you’ll need
A sharp knife
Cast-iron casserole pan
A chopping board
Instructions
Bring the meat to room temperature
You’re going to need to start this recipe by getting the meat out of the refrigerator and letting it sit for at least one hour, preferably three. This brings the meat to room temperature before you begin cooking.
Preheat the oven
Once the meat has been sat for 50 minutes or so, preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Place the meat in the casserole pan
In the cast-iron casserole pan, place the meat fat side up. Do not cover the meat, or add any water to the pan.
Season the meat with salt and cracked black pepper
Next, you’re going to want to generously season the meat with salt and cracked black pepper. Make sure that the seasoning is well distributed over the meat.
Slice the garlic
If you have opted to use garlic, grab the garlic cloves and slice them finely before adding them on top of the rib joint.
Cook the meat
Next, you will need to add the cast-iron casserole pan to the preheated oven. Cook for approximately one hour.
Turn off the heat
After the meat has had one hour of cooking time in the oven, you’re going to want to turn the oven off. However, the key here is to not open the door until you are ready to serve the prime rib.
Turn the oven on again and cook for another 30 to 40 minutes
Regardless of how long the meat has been in the oven, 30 or 40 minutes before serving you will need to turn the oven on again. Make sure that you set the temperature to 375 degrees Fahrenheit as you did in the beginning.
Continue to cook the meat for another 30 to 40 minutes depending on how you like your meat cooked. If you like your meat on the rarer side, cooking it for 30 minutes will leave the meat rare to medium. However, if you prefer your meat to be more cooked than that, 40 minutes will leave some medium-rare, but the majority will be well done.
Open the oven
When you are ready to serve the meat, open the door and remove the meat to let it rest on a chopping board for around 20 to 25 minutes.
Carve and serve
Once you have allowed the meat to rest for long enough, carve and serve to your hungry guests!
Tips when cooking prime rib
Allow your meat to come to room temperature
Cooking cold meat is one of the biggest cooking mistakes there is when it comes to cooking prime rib. This is because chilled meat needs to spend more time exposed to the heat, causing the outer parts of it to overcook. No matter which method you are using to cook your prime rib if your meat goes into the oven when it is too cold it will ruin the results.
Allow your prime rib to sit at room temperature before you attempt to cook it to avoid overcooking the meat.
Allow your prime rib to rest once it is cooked
You need to allow your prime rib to rest once it is cooked. Allowing the joint of meat to rest helps to ensure that it will be as juicy as possible. When you roast a piece of meat in a hot oven, the juices from the outer regions move toward the center of the roast. The heat causes the proteins in the meat to contract, which in turn squeezes the juices out of the cells. That being said, it’s important to know that slicing into the meat after it comes out of the hot oven will cause all of the juices to spill out onto your chopping board.
To avoid losing the juice from the meat, allow it to rest. Trust me, the wait will be worth it and all of your patience will be rewarded.
Do not overcook prime rib
Prime rib is incredibly expensive and tender, so making sure that you don’t overcook it is important to get your money’s worth out of this cut of meat.
That being said, prime rib is best served rare to medium-rare. Cooking it beyond this can ruin the tender meat, and can render it tough. Bearing this in mind, if you prefer your meat well done, you might want to consider another piece of meat that is less expensive!
Don’t mess with it too much
When you invest in a good piece of beef, you don’t need to do too much to it! Don’t overcomplicate your recipe with a tonne of different flavors, as the point in investing in such a good quality piece of meat is to celebrate just that: the meat.
That being said, if you want to do more than just add salt and cracked pepper to it, still try to opt for a simple recipe. You could always add a mixture of butter, garlic, and salt, and pepper, as this will help you celebrate the meat without overpowering it with too much flavor.
If you’re unsure about flavor profiles, it’s best to look up a few common ones that work well with the meat in question.
