Dimitri wrote:

> A friend suggested the following:
>
> 200 degrees "forever" or until the meat reaches 125 to 130 degrees.
> Take the roast out and let it rest.
> Then put it back into a 500 degree oven for 10 minutes to crust.
>
> He says the roast is a delightful pink except for the 1/4 inch crust.
>
> Has anyone ever tried tins method?

As already mentioned, that's Alton Brown's method. I used it for a standing
rib roast on Thanksgiving, and it worked beautifully. Only thing is, you
take the roast out when the meat reaches *118*, and carryover will raise the
internal temperature further. Here's the recipe from foodnetwork.com:

Dry Aged Standing Rib Roast with Sage Jus

Aging time: 3 days
Prep Time: 35 minutes Cook Time: 4 hours
Inactive Prep Time: 3 minutes Yield: 10 servings

1 (4-bone-in) standing rib roast, preferably from the loin end
Canola oil, to coat roast
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to cover entire roast
1 cup water
1 cup red wine
4 fresh sage leaves

Remove any plastic wrapping or butcher's paper from the roast. Place the
standing rib roast upright onto a half sheet pan fitted with a rack. The
rack is essential for drainage. Place dry towels loosely on top of the
roast. This will help to draw moisture away from the meat. Place into a
refrigerator at approximately 50 to 60 percent humidity and between 34 and
38 degrees F. You can measure both with a refrigerator thermometer. Change
the towels daily for 3 days.

Place a 16-inch round azalea terra cotta planter into a cold oven. Invert
the planter to become a lid over a pizza stone or the bottom of the planter.
The oven should be cold to start, to avoid any cracking in the terra cotta
pieces. Turn the oven to 250 degrees F.

Remove the roast from the refrigerator and rub with canola oil. Remember to
rub the bones with oil, as well. Once the roast is completely coated with
oil cover the roast with kosher salt, about half a teaspoon per bone. Next,
rub with freshly ground pepper to coat the surface. Place the roast over a
glass bake-ware dish slightly smaller than the length of the roast. This
will catch the drippings needed for the sauce. Finally, place a probe
thermometer into the center of the roast and set for 118 degrees. Put the
roast and the bake-ware dish onto the pizza stone, cover with the terra
cotta pot, and return to the oven. Turn the oven down to 200 degrees F and
roast until internal temperature is achieved.

Remove the roast and turn oven up to 500 degrees F. Remove the terra cotta
lid and recover with heavy-duty foil. Allow the roast to rest until an
internal temperature of 130 degrees F. is reached. Place the roast back into
the preheated 500 degree F oven for about 10 minutes or until you've
achieved your desired crust. Remove and transfer roast to a cutting board.
Keep covered with foil until ready to serve.

Degrease the juices in the glass pan. Place the pan over low heat and
deglaze with 1 cup of water. Add the wine and reduce by half. Roll the sage
leaves in between your fingers to release the flavors and aroma. Add to the
sauce and cook for 1 minute. Strain and serve on the side.

NOTE: I didn't use the planter, but it came out fine just roasted in the
oven. The jus seemed strong on the wine; next time I'll think about reducing
or omitting the wine and adding some other liquid.

Bob