Recipe: Pepper-Crusted Prime Rib with Green Peppercorn Cream

Pepper-Crusted Prime Rib with Green Peppercorn Cream

Brined fresh green peppercorns are plump and soft compared to their dried counterparts; they add a unique dimension to a quick sauce for traditional pepper-crusted prime rib, roasted in the oven using the simplest method imaginable.

Ingredients

1 bone-in standing prime rib roast (adjust recipe proportionately depending on how many bones in your roast)
Sea salt
¼ cup multicoloured whole peppercorns

Green Peppercorn Cream
1 tbsp butter
1 small shallot, finely chopped
1 cup beef stock
1 tbsp green peppercorns in brine, drained
¾ cup heavy (whipping) cream

Take meat from fridge and sprinkle with salt. Coarsely grind peppercorns in a spice mill or with a mortar and pestle and sprinkle all over the meat, pressing to help adhere. Let roast sit at room temperature for 30 minutes while you preheat oven to 500 °F.

Set roast fat side up and bones down in a cast iron skillet. Place in oven and roast for 30 minutes for a 2-bone, 45 for a 3-bone, or 1 hour for a 4-bone. Turn oven off, leaving the door closed, and cook for exactly 2 hours longer without opening the oven door.

When ready to serve, transfer roast to a carving board and set skillet over medium-high heat. Add butter and shallot to the pan and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until soft. Add stock and bring to a simmer, scraping to loosen any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, and cook until reduced by about half. Add peppercorns and crush lightly with a fork. Stir in cream and bring to a simmer; cook for a minute, then serve with prime rib. Serves 6 to 12.

Recipe by Julie van Rosendaal
Photographs and styling by Gabriel Cabrera

Originally published February 4, 2021