This is Not a Turkey
Because we already have our turkeys figured out, right??
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A few years back, when working at Bon Appétit, we did a story on the extremely famous and coveted prime rib from Angie Mar’s Beatrice Inn.
Mar’s roast is a show-stopper: decadent, spice-crusted, beautifully cooked. But when we were cross-testing the recipe in the test kitchen, I got to talking about its shortcomings with a fellow staffer (who we’ll call Pat, to protect their identity). For us both, the fanciness of the roast was a drawback: so spendy. The presentation is luxe, but that also increases the anxiety of the cook making it. And while the spice crust tasted great if you nibbled your way around the outer perimeter, when you got to the middle of a slice, it was just: beef. Unseasoned beef.
I’m a self-professed lover of the “endy.” The outside edges are the best: it’s where all the seasonings are concentrated and it’s where the fat renders to the surface to crisp the meat. I do appreciate the rib bones that come with a prime rib (aka rib roast), but there are not enough of them to go around, creating an edible game of musical chairs in which half your guests will go ribless. Not only that, but unless you’re serving a table of Paleo vikings who each get a 2-inch steak on the bone, the first thing you do when carving a rib roast is cut the meat away from the ribs. That reveals yet another not-crispy, underseasoned side. This is not how I want to spend my money.
Instead, I give you the strip loin roast. This is a boneless cut (where New York Strip steaks come from), which means all 6 sides are exposed to seasoning and to the dry heat of the oven. You get browning all around, and the spice rub has more opportunities to infuse into the flesh. The shape of the strip loin is more of a long rectangle than a giant round, and that helps with our inside-to-outside ratio. The strip is less expensive than the rib roast, and I think it tastes better, too. More chew and even marbling, less giant fat deposits.
I want you to think ahead with this one. The spice rub—with my all-stars fennel and black pepper in the mix—has transformative powers if you let it sit for 2 to 3 days. You don’t have to leave it uncovered, so it takes up less room in the fridge. Wrap it tightly in plastic or put it in a reusable zip-top bag, and you can store it on it’s side or perch it on top of your yogurt tub and condiment jars.
With the proper cut well seasoned, you can rest easy as far as the method goes. Rather than browning the meat first, then roasting it to temperature, this roast is cooked at a low temperature until the target temperature of 125°F is reached, 3-ish hours. You are napping! You’re making your side dishes! You’re on the phone! You’re at the gym! Wherever you are, you are not stressing it. Low, even, steady heat means the interior of the roast will be one temperature from end to end.
The roast will be very brown and pretty crisp when it comes out. You can rest it for 30 minutes and then slice it crosswise into tasty little steaks, or you can rest it for up to 90 minutes before crisping the outside edges in a 10-inch skillet. That only takes about a minute per side, and I think it’s worth it, but I also understand the appeal of keeping your nice shirt free of grease splatter and your kitchen smoke-free. All of my shirts are already stained and if I open all the windows and turn on the fan, maybe I won’t be sweaty right before serving dinner.
I can’t even get into the romesco-inspired roasted red pepper sauce that goes with this; who wants to read all that! It’s in the recipe: sweet peppers that cook alongside the beef, turning into juicy silky concentrated versions of themselves before being blitzed with vinegar and salty things. At the end, I fold in toasted bread crumbs to give body and texture to the sauce. Well I guess I did write about it after all.
If you are doing an alt-protein for the Thanksgiving holidays, this is a good one. And the sandwiches you’ll make with the leftovers are bananas. Seriously. If not, bookmark this preparation for December; it’s perfect for open house parties, New Year’s celebrations, and all the major holidays in between.
xoCLM
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