Cookin’ With Hoss

It seems that the holiday season has been in full swing for quite some time. I was audibly assaulted the week before Halloween by Christmas music while shopping at the grocery store. I must confess that I am not a fan of anything Christmas before Thanksgiving and, although I do like Christmas carols, I can do without hearing them until mid-December at the earliest.

That’s not to say I’m a curmudgeon by any means, but there is a time and a place for everything. One aspect of the holiday season that is undeniable and most welcome is entertaining guests. Whether you are hosting family or friends, the level of culinary delights on your table is bound to be much higher than at celebrations at other times throughout the year.

There is no doubt that the centerpiece of your celebration will be the main dish. For many, that will be the ubiquitous turkey, a perennial favorite because of flavor and relative economy for a large group. However, there are a few who prefer something a bit more extravagant, and for the many years that we had the market, I would count myself in that group.  Some years we would prepare upwards of one hundred turkeys for pickup, and by the time Thanksgiving itself came around I’d be turkeyed out and would have prime rib for dinner!

My boys would cry heresy, but they would suffer through it. We also had a number of customers who wanted prime rib, but would be hesitant to prepare it themselves because it’s an expensive piece of meat to ruin by overcooking.  If you have a hankering for some delicious roasted beef this year, here’s a fail-safe recipe to prepare prime rib in your home oven.  

Prime rib with horseradish whip

1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees.  Place a cast iron skillet or heavy-bottomed roasting pan in the oven.
2. Prime rib roast, either bone-in or boneless (if bone-in, allow approx. 1 lb. per person raw weight; if boneless, approx. 12 oz. per person).
3. Season liberally with Hoss’s Steak Seasoning and freshly ground pepper.  For an extra flavor boost, pierce the roast with a paring knife and insert garlic cloves in the roast every few inches.
4. Place the roast in the skillet or roasting pan and place in the oven. Wait 15 minutes, then reduce the temp to 225-250 degrees. Allow 30-40 minutes per pound, check the roast halfway through the estimated time, and adjust time accordingly. 
5. Remove from oven when interior temp is 120 degrees for rare, 125 degrees for medium rare, 130-135 degrees for medium. Note: If you desire more doneness, say a prayer and pass the ketchup!  

Horseradish Whip

• 1 c. sour cream
• ½ c. prepared horseradish (drained)
• 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp. Hoss’s Steak seasoning 

Mix all ingredients together and enjoy!

Jim “Hoss” Koetting is a retired restaurateur/chef who enjoys gardening, good food, good bourbon, and good friends.