A group of us involved in a small reunion have undertaken the recreation of
a dinner served to us in 1957. Fortunately, unlike some earlier eras (a)
home cooking in the 50s Southwest US was pretty simple, and (b) the
ingredients represent no challenge to assemble.

My responsibility is the entree, Bone in Prime Rib of Beef cooked in Rock
Salt (mounded over the roast and "cemented" by the first wave of escaping
moisture, not leaving an especially salty taste when removed).

In this part of the world the dish was, if I'm remembering correctly,
first popularized in the 50s by a Dallas-based
"gourmet"/journalist/promoter, David Wade, whose version featured his own
commercial product, a dry "powdered" version of Worcestshire Sauce (which
it wasn't, but still for mthe time, a decent condiment blend, the same sort
of flavored amalgam that has enabled the Cavender Seasoning folks to
produce and sell their "Greek" seasoning for decades.

Having prepared it before, I can manage most of it, but need to search for
the cooking times and temps which are substantially different than the
usual. The search is no problem, a matter of moments I need to spend.

My real question here involves the history and methodology of the method
and where it first emerges. If anyone recalls the time & temp equation,
throw it in. The "secret" was quick cooking then allowing the roast to
"rest" in its salt crust.

Like the small turkey cooked in the brown paper grocery bag, an amzing
improvement (especially for the then scarce wild turkey, a far piece from
today's birds) back in the days before turkeys were routinely "basted by
massive post mortem injections", the rock salt venture could always be
counted upon to impress visitors fro the North and abroad.

TMO

<snip>

See Ed Behr's "The Art of Eating", with a full explanation about
"properly" cooking Prime Rib.

<snip>

See Ed Behr's "The Art of Eating", with a full explanation about
"properly" cooking Prime Rib.

<snip>

See Ed Behr's "The Art of Eating", with a full explanation about
"properly" cooking Prime Rib.