REVERSE SEAR RIB-EYE ROAST WITH FENNEL AND ROSEMARY

Reverse Sear Rib-Eye Roast With Fennel and Rosemary image

Cutting the meat into two smaller pieces reduces cooking time, but it's the roast first, brown later "reverse sear" that's game-changing in this recipe.

Provided by Andy Baraghani

Categories Bon Appétit Beef Beef Rib Roast Rosemary Bacon Butter Shallot Christmas Christmas Eve Dinner Entertaining Wheat/Gluten-Free Winter

Yield Serves 12

Number Of Ingredients 12

Ingredients

3/4 cup rosemary leaves
3 tablespoons fennel pollen, or 2 fennel seeds, finely ground
1 (6-bone) standing beef rib-eye roast (10-13 pounds), preferably dry-aged, chine bone removed, fat trimmed to 1/4-inch thick
6 garlic cloves, finely grated
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
4 ounces bacon, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, 1 cup cut into pieces, 1/2 cup room temperature
1 large shallot, finely chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped chives
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Special Equipment
A spice mill or mortar and pestle

Steps:

Working in 2 batches, scatter rosemary over a paper towel-lined plate. Top with another sheet of paper towel and microwave on high 1 minute. Check rosemary and continue to microwave in 20-second intervals, until dry and crisp. Grind rosemary in spice mill or with mortar and pestle to a powder. Transfer to a small bowl and mix in fennel pollen.
Place roast, fat side down, on a cutting board with a long side facing you. Using a sharp slicing knife and long strokes, cut roast into two 3-bone roasts. French rib bones 1 1/2" from tip of bones, if desired. Score fat cap in a crosshatch pattern, spacing cuts 1" apart. Rub roasts all over with garlic, then coat with rosemary mixture. Season generously with salt and pepper. Place, fat cap up, on a rack, set inside a roasting pan. Chill, uncovered, at least 8 hours and up to 1 day.
Let roasts sit at room temperature 2 hours for even roasting.
Place a rack in lower third of oven; preheat to 225°F. Roast meat, rotating pan once, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of roasts registers 125°F for medium-rare, or 130°F for medium, 3 ½-4 hours. Remove from oven, tent with foil, and let rest 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook bacon in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until brown and crisp, 8-10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a small bowl; reserve for another use (it's the fat you're after). Add butter pieces to drippings in pan and cook, stirring often, until mixture foams, then browns, 5-8 minutes. Strain into a medium nonreactive bowl. Immediately stir in shallot; let cool (butter will have set up but will still be soft). Using an electric mixer on medium-high, add room-temperature butter to bacon fat mixture and beat until light and fluffy. Mix in chives and vinegar; season bacon butter with salt. Chill, stirring occasionally, at least 20 minutes (butter should be a little more firm but still light and fluffy).
Move rack to upper third of oven; increase oven temperature to 500°F. Roast meat until deep brown and exterior is crisp, 8-10 minutes. Serve rib-eye roast with bacon butter.
Do Ahead
Bacon butter mixture (without chives and vinegar) can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and keep chilled. Let soften slightly before adding chives and vinegar.