pavane wrote:

> "Curt Nelson" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>>I still fail to understand why anyone would cook a standing rib roast with
>>any method other than simply measuring the internal temperature.

There are several variables that will affect the finished result that
just measuring the temp won't address. If the meat went in very cold,
it will take a longer time for the center to get to temp. That means
that the outside will be more cooked than if the meat were warmer to
begin with. If the meat is cooked at a low temperature, the outside
will be less cooked and more moist when the center is to temp. Cooking
the meat at high temp means that the outside will be more cooked and
more of the juices in the center will migrate to the surface and end
up evaporating from the surface with the excess dripping into the pan.

>>There really isn't a need (that I can see) to use esoteric calculations
>> when all you need to do is stick a thermometer in it.

I agree about the esoteric calculations, but not about *just* relying
on the thermometer without taking into account anything else.

> Because the slower methods turn out variably-done meat,
> from well done on the outsides and edges to more rare on
> the inside.
>
> The high temp method (500 degree oven, 5 minutes
> per pound) yields a uniformly medium rare roast from about
> one-quarter inch inside the edges to the center. That's why.

Well, sorta. Slow-cook methods will provide that medium-rare roast as
well with rather a greater yield. Medium-rare is defined as having a
browned outside and a cool red center. Medium is brown outside and
warm pink center.

In my restaurants, we roasted in convection and conventional ovens as
well as roaster-holders. We tested a wide variety of temperature
combinations beginning with the temp of the meat going in and fixed as
well as varying temperatures during the cook.

We found the best results (pretty much what you describe above) coming
from a consistent low temp roast, varying with the ovens used. We
cooked at 220F in the roaster-holders to a center temp of 120F (rare)
and switched to 142F to hold and finish over several hours.
Conventional ovens were set to different temps depending on whether we
used a 109 (bone-in) or 112 (boneless) rib. We cooked between 220 and
250 to 120 center. Convections were set to 205.

We tried to let our ribs sit at room temp for 2 hours before cooking,
but that wasn't always possible. Of all the methods we tested, the
constant low-temp gave us the best yield; a much higher ratio of
finished to raw material and the least pan juice. Both of those
indices mean that more moisture remains in the meat.

Pastorio