An Upstanding Tradition

Although standing rib roast is a traditional Christmas dinner entree, few people prepare it at other times of the year. This impressive cut of meat warrants optimum roasting and carving, so if it’s going to be your meal’s piece de resistance , it might behoove you to check your memory against the following guidelines.

To cook properly, a standing rib roast needs to weigh at least five pounds and be two ribs wide. Estimate the weight needed by figuring 3/4-pound per serving. When purchasing the roast, make certain the butcher has removed the thick chine bone at the base of the ribs.

Place the roast, fat side up, in a shallow roasting pan. It isn’t necessary to use a roasting rack--the ribs perform the function of keeping the meat above the drippings.

Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest portion of the meat, making certain it doesn’t touch any bone. Roast at 325 degrees to the desired degree of doneness--135 to 140 degrees for rare, 155 to 160 degrees for medium, 165 to 170 degrees for well done. Keep in mind the roast will continue cooking as much as five degrees after being removed from the oven.

Cover the roast with a tent of foil and allow it to stand 20 minutes for the juices to set (Step 1). Next place the roast, larger end down, on a carving board or platter.

If right-handed, position the roast with the ribs to the left (the opposite direction for left-handed people). Snip the string closest to the top with scissors and remove (Step 2).

Insert a carving fork into the porous, wedge-shaped end of the top rib bone. Cut the meat horizontally across the grain from the fatty side toward the bone (Step 3), then make a vertical cut along the inside edge of the first rib bone to free the slice. Place the meat on a serving dish before beginning the next cut.

Once you have sliced the meat off below the first rib, cut along the bottom edge of the bone (Step 4), remove it and set aside. Continue carving the meat into 1/4- to 1/2-inch slices, removing the string and bones as needed.

STANDING RIB ROAST

1 (3-rib, 6 1/2- to 7-pound) beef roast

Place beef roast, fat side up, in shallow roasting pan. Insert meat thermometer into center of meat, not touching bone. Roast at 325 degrees to desired degree of doneness:

Rare, 17 to 19 minutes per pound, 135 to 140 degrees internal temperature

Medium rare, 20 to 22 minutes per pound, 145 to 150 degrees internal temperature

Medium, 23 to 25 minutes per pound, 155 to 160 degrees internal temperature

Well done, 27 to 30 minutes per pound, 165 to 170 degrees internal temperature

Allow roast to stand 20 minutes before carving. Makes 6 to 8 servings.