WHo'S YouR DaDDY!

Today I got an absolute deal on an eye of rib roast. This boneless version of a rib roast was on the menu before I even left the store :o) I love prime rib, it's my absolute favorite steak dinner, beef tenderloin coming in as a close second. I am always playing with different cooking methods for this cut of meat and believe me...there are many recipes for this!

An interesting site that I often find myself browsing different recipes for this is an engineer's take on the rib roast. These guys really get into it but I find their input very interesting :o) Well worth a mention! It has an Alton Brown-ish style about it, maybe even more so than the man himself! http://www.cookingforengineers.com/recipe/38/Prime-Rib-or-Standing-Rib-Roast Check it out, see what you think :o)

For roasted meat I always use Hawaiian Sea Salt. This was introduced to me by Pina and I am ETERNALLY grateful :o) The difference is night and day. I also used a little thyme and some freshly cracked peppercorns to help form a flavorful crust.

First things first, you must bring the roast to room temperature. If you skip this step it will not cook as evenly. I would leave it out for at least 45 min. After it has been coming to room temperature, preheat the oven to 450 deg. and roasted the meat for 25 min. then dropped the temperature to 325 deg. until the internal temperature is 130 deg. The meat will continue to cook as you let it rest and REST IT MUST! Do not start carving into this baby or you will regret it. All the juices will flow out and it will be quite dry and then you have wasted a pretty penny on the better cut of meat. I also believe, if you overcook it, you may as well have just bought a round roast instead and saved your money!

I usually make yorkshire puddings and today was no exception. I'm not going to include a recipe for this as there are as many as the day is long and the differences are few. As I was baking the roast, I prepared a couple of sweet potatoes for baking and baked them alongside the roast in the oven. They were perfect 2 hours later. Sprinkle a little brown sugar and a dollop or two of butter and it's like dessert!

I hope you try to make this roast, cheaper than dining out and much tastier imho. To reheat any remaining roast I use my GE Advantium oven on 'warm/moist' but there are many other recommendations for reheating prime rib and if you google it you'll see what I mean :o) The key here is SLOOOOOOWWWW!

KaLua PiG... MiNuS aLL THe WoRK :o)

I came across this recipe on allrecipes a while back and have made it several times. I've never had a complaint and rarely have leftovers! Quite a feat considering that I usually use a roast upwards of 8 pounds :o)

I think it's an outstanding recipe, perfect for company coming or your next 'non'cookout. This is one of those recipes that people will think you spent a long time slaving over the stove and it just comes down to having a few key ingredients.

Hawaiian Sea Salt is a great salt for roasting any meats. I absolutely LOVE it for PRiMe RiB! It does a great job adding to the flavor of this simple recipe. I love recipes that call for liquid smoke, I got the Pecan version from my soul sista, K and I have to say, it's my FaVoRiTe. I also like hickory flavored liquid smoke on occasion and find that I tend to use mesquite the least. I think mesquite leaves a slight aftertaste in the mouth(imho), something I'm not fond of.



I also recommend a nice crockpot :o) It's all about the tools and having the right tools for the job. Pina is always testifying to that effect, although for her it is mostly skill. She does have a 'magic pot' that does a fine job of cooking anything that touches it :o) It just may be magic after all. My hubby got me this crockpot a year or so ago 'JuST BeCauSe ' (just because he loves good food). :o) He bought it at another store that is in my Top 10, really really close to number one actually...Williams Sonoma. This crockpot is not only an amazing 6.5 quart capacity (perfect for entertaining or large families or families with GROWING CHILDREN.)... anyway, I digress...it also can be set up for long periods of time. Another great feature of this is the High/Low/Warm temperature settings and it's ability to switch from high or low to warm automatically. That makes it sooooo worth it in my book :o) The insert is a black ceramic, easy to clean and looks beautiful on any table. Any crockpot can be used, but this really puts the 'set it and forget it' into cooking this dish.


Here is the recipe, compliments of Kay:

Kalua Pig in a Slow Cooker
"This is a simple way of making traditional Hawaiian kalua pig without having to dig a hole in your back yard."

Original recipe yield:
12 servings

PREP TIME 10 Min
COOK TIME 20 Hrs
READY IN 20 Hrs 10 Min


INGREDIENTS
1 (6 pound) pork butt roast
1 1/2 tablespoons Hawaiian sea salt
1 tablespoon liquid smoke flavoring
DIRECTIONS
Pierce pork all over with a carving fork. Rub salt then liquid smoke over meat. Place roast in a slow cooker.
Cover, and cook on Low for 16 to 20 hours, turning once during cooking time.
Remove meat from slow cooker, and shred, adding drippings as needed to moisten.


I'm including some photos of the before and will be posting the delicious results tomorrow :O). I hope you try this one. I like to serve this pork with King's Hawaiian Sweet Rolls. They now make a sandwich size (which I was unable to locate), ergo I bought the dinner roll size version. I would use the smaller ones for a potluck or for entertaining.

Now I ask you...Could there be a more perfect recipe for 'MAN' night???



Last year when we had our roof replaced, I made this along with lumpia and supplied endless water for the laborers. I think they did a fine job on our roof and totally appreciated the effort. When I look at my roof, I remember how hot it was that day and the unlikely smiles on their faces while doing such a labor intensive job.

Relax and create your OWN memories (with a little help from your crockpot). :o)