“Pull up a chair. Take a taste. Come join us. Life is so endlessly delicious.” — Ruth Reichl

Hi there,

For many people, Christmas dinner wouldn’t be complete without roasted beef. My friend, Russ Ahrens, over at, mydrunkenchef.com, sent me this delightful story and recipe.

As a kid in elementary school, I always looked forward to dinner on Christmas. It was one of a few times when my mother, sister, and both brothers would all get together as one big family. I guess, as siblings get married they drift off to live their own lives. However, back then we were a very tight-knit group, and every year even after my oldest brother got married and had kids, we invaded my sister-in-laws house for Thanksgiving and Christmas. I can still remember the 20-minute drive there and seeing all the deserted stores in the strip malls as we passed. They were all closed because it was a holiday. Nobody shopped on Thanksgiving Day or Christmas Day. We all spent time, for good or bad, with our families. I don’t know if the same can be said for today, but it seems like the retail stores never close anymore and people don’t spend holidays together.

Back in the eighties, my family ate an entire 23-pound turkey with all the trimmings on both Thanksgiving and Christmas. The turkey was big, inexpensive and there was still plenty of leftovers for all of us but we did more drinking than actually eating back then. It wasn’t until I was in my late twenties when my one brother told me he hated turkey, even though he was the one who was always asked to carve it! He confided in me that he would much rather be eating something like Italian food on Christmas Day. He loved things like lasagna or spaghetti and meatballs rather than turkey. I guess that is why he married a beautiful woman with an Italian family history, but I’m just guessing.

I, being the last of the clan, attended family dinners at both my mother’s and brother’s houses every year. It wasn’t until we lost my oldest brother and my son was born that I started hosting the big family Christmas dinner at our house. Knowing how my brother disliked turkey, I decided to make the first Prime Rib Roast for a different and new holiday experience.

There was still more beer than anyone could drink; shrimp cocktail, mashed potatoes and gravy, and the same old vegetables. The only things that were new were the beef, and one new vegetable, asparagus with hollandaise sauce. My brother was not a vegetable eater but he loves his meat and potatoes. I watched as my brother ate every bite of a nice thick slice of prime rib. It was cooked just the way he liked it, rare. His piece of meat was so big I don’t think he could even fit a single vegetable on his plate as the rest of it was filled with potatoes and gravy. My wife and sister-in-law (the Italian one) ate both the ends between them. They liked their beef well done. There was a piece of medium for my mother and medium rare for both my sister and myself.

Everyone loved the Prime Rib of Beef and we now serve it every year, and it is now a Christmas dinner tradition. In light of how my family loves this meal and looks forward to it every year, I am sharing my recipe below with all of you so you can join us in this amazing entrée: Standing Rib Roast also called Prime Rib. Enjoy and Merry Christmas!

Standing Rib Roast (Prime Rib)

SPECIAL GADGETS:
Instant read thermometer

INGREDIENTS:

Prime Rib – 5 to 7 ribs 10 to 14 people
4 cloves of Crushed Garlic
2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive oil
½ tsp coarse Salt
½ tsp fresh ground Pepper
½ tsp Onion Powder

DIRECTIONS:

When you order the beef you can have your butcher separate the meat from the ribs and tie it back on. This makes slicing it easier later on.
Pat the meat dry using paper towels. Place the meat in a large shallow pan. I use my largest broiler pan.
Mix together in a small bowl- crushed garlic and two tablespoons of olive oil. Rub this mixture all over the roast using your hand to coat it evenly with garlic and oil. Sprinkle on salt, fresh ground pepper, and onion powder on top of the oil, and garlic on top of the mixture. Let the beef stand out on a large plate for two hours, until it is at room temperature.
Preheat oven to 300°.
After the beef has sat for two hours stick in the thermometer probe and Cook in a 300° oven for 3 to 4 hours until the meat thermometer reads 140° – Rare. Remove the beef from the oven. Cover with tin foil and let rest/stand for at least 20 minutes. The meat will continue to cook and rise in temperature for another 5° to 10°.
After 20 minutes carve one inch thick and serve.

NOTES: Serve with Mashed Potatoes and Pan Gravy.

If you enjoy this recipe and would like the others including gravy, you can find me at mydrunckenchef.com or on INSTAGRAM: DRUNKENCHEF82

The Drunken Chef (Rus

I hope you enjoyed meeting Russ and thank you Russ for this wonderful story and great recipe.