Cooking Q&A's, Videos, and Customized Recipes
with the Chefs of ChefsLine.
with the Chefs of ChefsLine.
I want to buy my prime rib today for Christmas Eve which is 5 days away. Normally I would freeze it, but I will be out of town until the 23rd. Will I have enough time to thaw completely to room temperature before cooking it on the 24th? Thank you
You could probably expect a small prime rib (standing rib roast) to thaw in a day or two, but I wouldn’t recommend freezing it at all.
Prime rib benefits from dry aging - you can leave it in the refrigerator for a up to a week, uncovered, so that the enzymes in the meat break down proteins and make the meat more tender. You will need to trim off and discard the dried and oxidized parts, however.
If you are not ready to try your hand at dry aging, or if the meat has already undergone a period of aging, you can cover it and keep it in the refrigerator.
If you are concerned that the meat will be too old by the time you are ready to cook it, try putting it in the freezer first, then letting it thaw slowly in the refrigerator until you are able to get back to it.