A recent issue of Cooks Illustrated talked about some crazy ass method for cooking prime rib that entails 18 hours of roasting at 120° F (I know, 120 sounded crazy low to me too). There are enzymes in beef (calpains and cathepsins) that are extra active at that temperature, so they make the meat extremely tender (much in the same way aging the beef would).

But first, a simple kosher salt rub and 24 hours of drying in the fridge to allow for the best pan searing…

Salt + 24 hours + Fridge. Easy.

I was drinking while I did this, so I definitely forgot to take pictures of the next step, but if you can burn something then congratulations! you can pan sear meat too… Heat up a tablespoon of olive oil until its just smoking, and hit each side of the roast for 1-2 minutes, until it has a nice browned crust on it…

Now, I am not some crazy chef and I don’t have an oven that can go that low, but my oven could definitely go lower than the 200° / 4 hour “home chef” version that Cooks came up with, so 7 hours at 180° it was…

Roast for 7 hours at 180° F

After 7 hours, pull the prime rib out, and let it rest for 30 minutes or so, then hit it with the broiler for 6-8 minutes to get it nice and crispy…

The results were… Spectacular, to say the least…

Perfectly medium rare...

With Latkes, Steamed Broccoli and a Homemade Aged Red Wine Vinaigrette