Easy Killer Prime Rib

     I can hardly be original with this best known method of making Prime Rib.  I'm including it in my blog because it is a great and foolproof way to make the same great Prime Rib you get in a fine restaurant.  Though any good cook knows how to make "the king of meats," most people won't tackle this meat.  If you have never made a prime rib, then you are going to be shocked by how easy it is to make. I can tell you it will be one of the best meals you have ever had.

     The spice rub is only a  guideline, but the timing and temperature of this meal must be followed "to the letter" for great results.  This method is made for meat lovers as it produces a medium-rare to rare meat that melts in your mouth!  I think the hands-off method used in this blog scares a number of timid  cooks, and that's why you can look like a hero when you boldly cook what others won't.  Then, to top it off, it tastes like it came from a Texas Steakhouse!  Trust me, this is the easiest thing you have made and it will WOW the crowd.  You will forever be remembered for your prime rib.

     Ingredients-

Prime rib, bone on- 4 or more pounds (about 1 lb per serving)

Butter 1/4 lb per every 4 lbs of meat

Black pepper

Kosher salt 

Powdered garlic 

Basil 

Rosemary 

Thyme 

Whatever spices you like 

     Here is the first step that many cooks don't want to do.  You must let the prime rib warm up to room temperature.  That scares away any timid cook giving you an edge.  You need to let it set out at room temperature for a good 6-7 hours!  Bold yes? 

     I salt and pepper all sides of the meat then wrap it in aluminum foil.  Place it on a plate on the counter at room temperature for 6-7 hours.  This method will not work if the meat is not at room temperature. Take notice of the prime rib's weight, this is important as the cooking time depends on it.  Also, at this time, set the butter out to warm.  While you wait, enjoy a few beers but not enough to ruin 50 or 100 dollars worth of meat!

 

    After the meat is warm, preheat the oven to 500 degrees, and make a buttery rub.  This is up to you.  Use whatever flavors you want as you are not going to ruin this prime rib. I gave you a few ideas here.  I might suggest you pick a theme for your guests like- "My Rosemary Garlic Prime Rib."  Don't use too many spices as it will often muddle the flavors.  What is important is to use lots of salt and pepper in whatever themed rub you use.  Honestly, it's the liberal use of salt and pepper that flavor the meat.

     After you have mixed the rub, take the foil off your prime rib and pat it dry.  Place it ribs down in a roasting pan.   Rub all sides with the butter mixture, excluding the underside. 

     Wait until the oven is at 500 degrees then pop it in the oven.  Let the meat cook in the oven for 5 minutes per pound plus 2 minutes.  For example- a 6.2 lb prime rib stays at 500 degrees for (6.2x5) +2=33 minutes.  After the timer runs out, turn off the heat (leave the prime rib in the oven) and wait at least 2 hours. The heat in your oven will perfectly cook the meat.  Do no open your oven at any time or this method will fail miserably.  After 2 hours, open your oven and serve! You don't have to let the meat rest as it already has.  Also, at this point, the meat can wait in the oven for another 1/2 hour or so to stay warm if need be.  That's your prep window for the rest of your meal - 2 to 2 1/2 hours. 

 

     If you'd like, and I strongly suggest that you do, you can make an easy dipping sauce.  Simply put the pan drippings into a fry pan and add a bit of red wine.  Reduce the mix over medium heat.  You don't need to add any salt or pepper as the drippings are full of flavor!  You can thicken a bit with flour if you like, but you don't have to.  It's all up to you!  The taste is intense.  Serve it in a tiny dish to the side of the meat.  I didn't show the sauce, any sides, not even a beer!  I wanted you to look at that great Prime Rib!

    This prime rib will not disappoint you!  Enjoy!

Chicken Riggies

     How do I start this post?  Simply put, I make the best Chicken Riggies in North America.  Yours will not be as good no matter how hard you try.  That said, I will hold nothing back and I will share the real recipe, including technique.  The recipe is actually quite simple to make and your friends will put you on a "culinary pedestal."

     Chicken Riggies are a taste treat that is wonderfully unknown to most of the country.  It's my favorite meal to serve when friends are in from outside of our area.  Most people have never even heard of them, and they are blown away!  Once you have mastered them, Riggies are likely to be your "go to" meal with a gathering.  You'll know how good they are when your are invited to a party on the condition that you bring your Riggies.  Trust me, it will happen.

     If you're not from our area, by now you must be wondering, "What the hell are Chicken Riggies!?"  Basically they are just what the name implies, chicken and rigatoni.  How you present the two is what makes this a local classic.  People in the Rome-Utica area have evolved to intuitively know how Riggies should look and taste.  Though the dish has numerous variations, all Riggies have a sauce that gives it flavor and brings it together.  For me, the sauce is everything.  Sometimes thick, sometimes thin, sometimes red,  sometimes white, you'll see it all.  Some Riggies include a hearty mix of onions and peppers with a sauce in the background.  While others tout the sauce to showcase the chicken and rigatoni.  My Riggies (which are really a modified knockoff of my neighbor's) have a classic thick pink sauce and is rich with peppers, onions, and mushrooms.

     Riggies are offered in many of our local restaurants, and many of them boast to offer the "best" or "award winning" Riggies.  Sad!  Now, thanks to me, you know better than that.  So how should your Chicken Riggies look and taste?  I'm going to share my recipe with you as "Cookingguidelines", just like the blog name suggests.  It's up to you to make them your Riggies.  They'll be just great!

     Ingredients-

3-  Boneless chicken breast

1 1/2 lbs Rigatoni 

2-  Large yellow onions 

3-  Bell Peppers (multi color is nice)

6-  Cherry hot peppers (optional)

4-  Garlic lobes

8oz Sliced mushrooms 

1-  Small can sliced black olives

1-  Cup good tomato sauce 

1-  Pint heavy cream

2-  Sticks salted Butter

Creole seasoning 

Chicken bouillon 

Kosher salt 

Black pepper

3-  Cups water

2-  Tablespoons flour 

     I start this dish with a beer in my hand.  Trust me, nothing goes better with Riggies than a beer, and you'll love making these babies for a party while pre-gaming for that party!

     Prep the food first, before you drink too much.  I chop the bell peppers in bit size pieces.  If you're using the cherry peppers adjust the numbers for the heat you want.  I like those in rings so they are easy to see and they look great.  The onions I cut on halves and then cut them in semi rings for appearance & to release flavor.  How you cut the vegetables can actually change the flavors because of the surface area exposed to sauce, cooking, and tasting.  Mince the garlic.  Finally, I cut the chicken into bit size pieces.  Simple yes?

     Now put a pot of salted water on the stove over medium heat so it's ready for the rigatoni when we are.

     By now, I'm well into my second beer, remember that this is often a party dish.  I make Riggies in a large deep electric fry pan.  So warm that baby up to medium heat and toss in a stick of butter.  When it melts- add the peppers, onions and mushrooms.  Toss them together with a generous amount of kosher salt and pepper.  I simmer the vegetables with a cover on about half of the simmering time- the other half of the time I take the cover off. It is an off cover/on cover process. I know you don't hear that everyday, but I do.  I cover it for a few minutes to wilt the top veggies, then I uncover it, toss them around with my wooded spoon, and then let the steam out for a few minutes.  After a couple of those cycles, I add the garlic.  I continue the cooking cycle while occasionally tasting a pepper until the peppers are soft, but not quite done as much as I like.  That's when I remove all the vegetables from the pan.

     While the vegetables were cooking, I tossed the chicken with creole seasoning so it was ready to sauté.  As a side note, do not remove any of the juices when you remove the vegetables from your pan as these will flavor your chicken.  Dump the seasoned chicken in your buttery juices. Over medium heat sauté the chicken for just a few minutes. We want to cook the chicken through- but don't over cook the chicken as it will get tough!  These details of keeping your chicken tender and leaving your vegetables with some integrity will make the difference between good Riggies and great Riggies.

     I'm always multitasking while I cook.  While I sauté the chicken, I drink beer, and I mix 3 cups of water with a heaping tablespoon of chicken bouillon.  Warm the bouillon water mix a few minutes in the microwave.  When the chicken is just cooked through, I return the vegetables, add the bouillon water, and my sliced olives.  Bring it to a low simmer for just a few minutes.   I'm seeing the bottom of my third beer by now, how are you doing?  By the way, that boiling water on the stove is looking for rigatoni now.  Add the reggatoni and don't forget to check on it occasionally while we finish up the sauce.

     Lower the heat to stop the simmer, then add a pint of heavy cream and a cup of tomato sauce.  Bring the pan back to a slow simmer while stirring.  YOU HAVE BEEN STIRRING, RIGHT!  I didn't tell you to, but of course we are occasionally mixing and checking the bottom of our pan with the spoon to make certain nothing is sticking.  Granted, this is not pudding, but mix and monitor your dish.  Also, check the seasoning as you progress.  The creole seasoning brings a lot of spice to the mixture so be careful not to overdo.  That said, adding salt or pepper at the plate is not our objective.  We want it seasoned during the process for the best flavor.  I usually find that the salt and pepper added to my vegetables in step one, combined with the creole from the chicken is perfect, but I do taste as I go.  That's the only way to be sure.

     

     Now we need to finish the sauce by thickening it.  Remember you don't stop and do this, everything is happening at once!  While the sauce was coming back to a simmer I mixed 2 heaping tablespoons of flour with a cup of water, checked my boiling rigatoni, and opened my fourth beer.  Now we're cooking and I love making Riggies!  Broadcast the water flour mix over the sauce and sir it in.  You'll need to let it simmer a few minutes to fully thicken.

     Now let's talk about the rigatoni noodles.  This is another detail that can make or break your Riggies.  It's simple math folks, bad noodles equals bad Riggies.  You want you noodles al dente.  If you leave just a slight bite to the rigatoni, the sauce will finish it perfectly.  Never rinse pasta, never! When you watched your mom rinse pasta, you watched her take off the starch that makes the sauce stick to it.  A big mistake!

     Finally, we will assemble this culinary delight.  Add the sauce to your award winning serving dish, if you don't have one you haven't earned it yet.  Next, add the strained (not rinsed) reggatoni and toss.

     That's it!  You're done!  You just made the second best Riggies in the world!  

     This is me with one of my best friends -Dave.  We just completed a batch of my Reggies!!