10 1/2 lb Prime rib roast (4 bone)
1/4 c Black pepper
1/4 c Garlic powder
1/4 c Salt
2 Onions, thinly sliced
--------------------------SEASONING MIX (OPTIONAL--------------------------
1 tb Plus 1 tsp, salt
1 tb Plus 2 tsp, white pepper
1 tb Plus 2 tsp, fennel seeds
1 tb Plus 3/4 tsp, black pepper
2 1/2 ts Dry mustard
2 1/2 ts Ground cayenne pepper
Contributed to the echo by: Fred Towner Originally from: Paul Prudhomme's
Louisiana Kitchen Well, here it is Michelle. Don't say I didn't warn you.
This recipe produces a volume of smoke that would rival a tire dump fire,
but the aromas will drive everyone crazy. It's even worth having your
neighbors and landlord upset with you. ;-) Cajun Prime Rib - Blackened
Remove fat cap off top of meat (butcher can do this for you) and save.
Place the roast, standing on the rib bones, in a very large roasting pan.
Then with a knife make several dozen punctures through the silver skin so
seasoning can permeate meat. Pour a very generous, even layer of black
pepper over the top of the meat (the pepper should completely cover it);
repeat with the garlic powder, then the salt, totally covering the
preceding layer. Carefully arrange the onions in an even layer on top so as
not to knock off the seasoning. Place the fat cap back on top. Refrigerate
24 hours.
Bake ribs in a 550F oven until the fat is dark brown and crispy on top,
about 35 minutes. Remove from oven and cool slightly. Refrigerate until
well chilled, about 3 hours. (This is done so the juices will solidify and
the steaks can be cooked rare.) Remove fat cap and disgard. With the blade
of a large knife, scrape off the onions and as much of the seasonings as
possible and discard. Then with a long knife, slice between ribs into 6
steaks (4 will have bones); trim the cooked surface of meat from the 2
pieces that were on the outside of the roast. Season and cook in your
favorite way for steaks.
TO BLACKEN THE STEAKS: Combine the ingredients of the seasoning mix
thoroughly in a small bowl; you will have about 8 Tb. Sprinkle the steaks
generously and evenly on both sides with the mix. using about 4 ts on each
steak and pressing it in with your hands.
Heat a cast iron skillet over very high heat until it is beyond the smoking
stage and you see white ash on the skillet bottom--at least 10 minutes.
(The skillet cannot be too hot for this method.) Place one steak in the hot
skillet (cook only one side at a time) and cook over a very high heat until
the underside starts to develop a heavy, black crust, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Turn the steak over and cook until the underside is crusted like the first,
about 2 to 3 minutes more. Repeat with the remaining steaks. Serve each
steak while piping hot.
(*NOTE*: If you don't have a commercial hood vent over your stove, this
dish may smoke you out of the kitchen. It's worth it! But you can also cook
it outdoors on a gas grill; a charcoal fire doesn't get hot enough to
"blacken" the steak properly. (FHT-if you have a smoke detector in your
house, you will be able to determine if it is working correctly.) This is
NOT a dish to prepare in an apartment building with a central fire alarm
system wired into your smoke detector. It causes great excitement! Also,
you can be guaranteed you will meet your landlord.)
