Special occasions call for special meals and a Standing Beef Roast, often referred to as Prime Rib, is definitely a special meal. Whether you purchase a choice or prime-grade roast, it’s essential to get the cooking right so you achieve the exact degree of doneness you prefer.
Boneless vs Bone-In Roast
The first decision to be made is whether to purchase a boneless or bone-in roast. Cooking meat on the bone does add more flavor and can also affect the texture of the meat, and of course, the bones can be used to make a flavorful bone broth. However, if dealing with a lot of big bones does not appeal to you then stick with your comfort level, the important thing is to get the cooking right.
Preparing a Rib Roast for Roasting in Convection
Very little needs to be done to prepare a beef rib roast for roasting, but for even cooking the key is letting it sit outside of the refrigerator in a cool spot in the kitchen for at least 2 - 3 hours before cooking. While the roast is coming to room temperature, you can rub it all over with some Kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper and rub a mixture of softened butter mixed with a little vegetable oil and some dried Italian seasoning all over the surface.
If you plan to use the pan drippings to make a sauce, then adding some quartered peeled onions and a few smashed garlic cloves and a sprig or two of fresh thyme to the roasting pan will add flavor to the sauce. The recipe How to Cook a Rib Roast in Convection will guide you through the process. If you are planning to cook your rib roast in the Steam oven, the How to Cook Prime Rib in the Steam Oven recipe will guide to outstanding results.
How Does Convection Ensure Great Results?
Remember the main characteristic of Convection cooking is moisture retention, while the main characteristic of Radiant heat is dryness. Convection circulates heat around the oven cooking the meat from the edge to the center. For best results, the meat is best roasted on a rack in a shallow pan so the heat can penetrate evenly into the meat.
If you are roasting a bone-in roast, the bones actually create the rack so an additional rack is not required because the meat will not be sitting directly on the pan.
Lower Temperatures are Best for Even Cooking
For best results, the bulk of the cooking should be done at moderate to low temperatures, this ensures the meat remains pink throughout rather than have a gradation of colors.
You can begin the cooking with high heat for 15 minutes to render the fat and begin browning the surface or you can use the reverse sear method and finish the cooking with high heat for 15 minutes. Definitely Use the Oven Meat Probe, Wireless Meat Probe or an good quality thermometer to get the best results.
Large roasts cooked in Convection cook faster than the stated recipe time so using a meat probe to monitor the internal temperature will ensure the roast does not get overcooked.
When you program the meat probe it is best to reduce the target internal temperature by 5 degrees because the internal temperature will continue to rise as the meat rests. Also, it’s important not to keep opening the oven door when roasting as each time you open the door the oven temperature can drop by as much as 50 degrees.
Cooking Side Dishes at the Same Time
If you plan to cook some oven-side dishes at the same time then you will need to create a cooking plan so that the side dishes can be cooked at the same temperature. For example, a potato gratin can be cooked at a moderate temperature together with the roast because it also needs to settle for 10 - 15 minutes prior to serving.
Overall, cooking a beef rib roast in Convection is straightforward all it takes is a little planning so you can easily orchestrate the cooking of the entire meal. In my next post, I will cover how to cook a Bone-In Pork Loin Roast, another spectacular dish that is perfect for holiday entertaining.
Larissa, Your Convection Enthusiast