Blue Cheese Crusted Prime Rib

Prime Rib is a staple Christmas meal at the Benedict household. It’s served either for Christmas Eve at my Aunt Mary’s house or at Christmas dinner on my mom’s dinner table. This year my dad bought a four-pound roast for the two of us. After an exhausting 14-hour day in the kitchen the day before, I didn’t much feel like doing it over again today. I planned on making Paula Deen’s Fool Proof Standing Rib Roast out of laziness (my mom makes one similar).

Then the thought occurred to me … what would Prime Rib taste like crusted in blue cheese (a la a filet mignon)? I found a great recipe at Rick Rodgers’ website. It was, in fact, the perfect recipe. I loved the addition of the blue cheese on top, though I found my cheese didn’t want to stick all that well. No matter. The cheese that fell into the pan during the roasting still went on my plate after the roast was sliced and on my plate.

ingredients.

kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 T. Dijon mustard
2/3 c. fresh bread crumbs
1/2 c. crumbled blue cheese

directions.

Everyone says to trim excess fat from the surface of the roast. I don’t do this for three reasons. One, I’m lazy. Two, fat makes everything taste better. Three, I trust that my butcher has already done this. Let the roast stand at room temperature for at least 1 and up to 2 hours. Season the roast all over with the salt and pepper.
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 450°F. Stand the roast, bone side down, in a roasting pan. Roast for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F. Continue roasting for 1 hour more.
Remove the roast in the pan from the oven. Spread the mustard over the top of the roast. Mix the bread crumbs and blue cheese together in a small bowl. Press the crumb mixture in a layer over the mustard.
Return to the oven and roast until the crust is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of the meat registers 125°F, about 25 minutes longer. (If the crust has browned before the roast is cooked to the desired temperature, tent the roast with aluminum foil and continue cooking.)
Remove the roast from the oven and tent for 15 to 20 minutes (allow the roast to reach 130°F, for medium rare).
Carefully transfer the roast to a carving board. Carve the roast and serve hot.