The No-Tool Hack For Roasting Prime Rib Without A Rack

There are meals fit for royalty or at least when you want to treat guests sitting around your dining room table as such, and a properly roasted prime rib is a fine example. This standing rib roast is different from a rib roast in that it is cut from the primal rib section of a cow, consists of six ribs if you are roasting a whole prime rib, and has the perfect amount of marbling to create a juicy, succulent bite when cooked properly. It is served in thick slices with some beef jus ladled over it. But if you are a bit of a newbie when it comes to roasting this meat and don't have a roasting rack, don't freak out. You can use those bones holding your meat together as a makeshift rack.

The rib bones of a prime rib roast are going to naturally elevate this meat so air can circulate as it cooks. You want to place the fat side of the roast facing up, while the bones are on the bottom. This way the meat itself is not touching the bottom of your pan. It will still give you the even roast you get when you have a rack, but it works in a pinch and no one is the wiser. 

To go rackless, you should also ask the butcher to trim the fat and do a cut and tie technique. This means the butcher will cut the ribs away from the meat, but tie them up so you can still use them as a roasting rack. There are merits to doing it this way, as you'll have better access to otherwise hard to reach meat so you can easily season it. But you don't want to get rid of the bones altogether because they help with the even roast.

This hack works really well if you are doing a slow roast. However, when cooking prime rib avoid the mistake of searing first and then roasting. Instead, wait and do a reverse sear at the end of its cooking time. This way you still get that beautiful crust but your meat won't be at risk of overcooking. Just remember, even though you are not using a rack, you still need to place this meaty masterpiece in a deep pan to catch all the beautiful drippings as it roasts. You will use it to create your savory sauce to complete your meal.