This book has been sitting on my shelf for probably ten years. It's a gorgeous tome that has beautiful recipes and spectacular photos of the Smoky Mountains around the Blackberry Farm inn. I've had it as a coffee table and dreamt about visiting the bucolic farm. In ten years, I've never made a recipe.
Part of this might be because the recipes seem very involved and they utilize a lot of game and I can't bring myself to eat/cook rabbit, duck, or lamb. The recipe that I remember drawing me in originally was the sweet tea brined fried chicken, but I have swore off frying at home (the smell lingers well past the deliciousness)...maybe one day someone else will make it for me (hint hint to my frying friends)! I chose the Grilled Chili-Rubbed Rib Roast, but I'm nervous about grilling an expensive piece of meat so I'm riffing and doing my tried and true method in the oven. My butcher was very confused that I was cooking prime rib on a random Monday, but with this method it's just as easy as a weeknight meal (albeit more expensive).
Ingredients:
Chili Paste
12 chiles de arbol
12 serrano peppers, stemmed and seeded
12 cloves of garlic
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground cumin
3/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
Rib Roast
1 5-6lb first cut standing rib roast (about 3 bones)
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
To make the chili paste, place the chiles de arbol in a small bowl, cover with hot tap water, and let sit for about 30 minutes, until pliable and leathery. Drain the chiles, remove and discard the stems and seeds, and place them in a small saucepan along with the serranos, garlic, and half the oil. Bring this mixture to a simmer over medium heat, then drop heat to low and cook 20 minutes, until the garlic is soft.
Transfer the chili mixture to a food processor, add the coriander and cumin, and pulse until pureed. Drizzle in remaining oil and pulse to form a loose paste. Set aside to cool.
Remove the roast from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 45 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 500F (or as high as it will go - I took mine to 525F).
Prep the roast by sprinkling with salt and pepper. Set a heavy cast iron skillet over medium-high heat for a minute or two to warm it up; put the roast into the pan, schmear with the pepper paste and slide it into the oven. Multiply the weight of the roast by 5, and roast it for exactly that many minutes - for example, my 5lb roast x 5 = 25 minutes. After that time, turn the oven off and leave it inside for 2 hours.
Slice and serve the prime rib with horseradish cream sauce and garlic mashed potatoes. Serves about 3 per pound.
We are prime rib lovers here, but I usually go for a bit more herby/garlicky preparation. This chili rub seemed like it would be super spicy (especially after a taste), but on the meat it mellows, making a great crust with just a little kick. I am already planning for french dip sandwiches and prime rib nachos... At the very least, this will be making a comeback for Christmas dinner if not before!
This looks amazing!