I love this time of year. You're out shopping, and somehow the wallet feels just a little bit looser, a little more generous.Don't get me wrong. We are having a very Scroogey Christmas. We neither need nor want junky gifts. Most of what we buy for the holiday is a joint decision. Then we scamper off on our separate paths and buy trinkets for the stockings.
It is a tradition to meet up after our stealth retail forays at the Italian restaurant in the mall. That's where I found Cranky drinking a Bloody Mary, after he had placed our annual Christmas order for an aged standing rib roast. I joined him, sucking down a mellow Zinfandel (and being deftly chided by a total stranger for "workin' it" so early in the day — it was P.M., for godssake! OK, barely).
Cranky told me about a cut of meat the butcher was preparing, something completely new to me. If you know about this, please fill me in. It's called the Rib Cap, and the butcher carves it off the roast in a single "sheet," and then rolls and ties it. It is heavily marbled with tender fat, and it is USDA Prime. It roasts in under an hour.
I said to Cranky, "Why didn't you buy it?"
"Uh, it's a little pricey?" said Cranky.
"Hell, dude, I'll pop for it," said I.
Has anyone ever eaten a roasted angel? Because I think this is what one would taste like.
Posts
29 comments:
Cookiecrumb You just hit two of my hot buttons!One, that meat looks so good and tender. Two, is it me or does everyone in Southern Marin feel empowered to grace you with their philosphy of correctness? I have run into a lot of that down here lately.Bloody Mary's are appropriate anytime after eight in the morning! I have spoken!:)
Oh, thank you, Greg. I hereby appoint you my guardian angel. But I won't roast you or eat you.
It's the cap of the ribeye, which, when I have time, I like to trim off and cook separately from the rest. It does make a killer roulade.
(Though I'm surprised you even noticed, because you're obviously a raging alcoholic.) A GLASS OF WINE? In public? Have you no shame? It's people like you (and Teh Gays, of course) who are ruining this country.
MMMM Roasted Angel, now you're talking!
Now a menu of roasted angel with Bloody Mary's could get everyone's feathers ruffled...
Lordy, that beef sounds bodaciously divine. I want to hear all about it. Different names for different cuts in different parts of the country (and those from other languages) are bloody confusing. Betcha you were at I.F., and I want to know what you had for lunch after shocking the populace by drinking Zin.
Peter: I still don't know where to look for it on the beef body. I am just happy to have been introduced to it.
Roulade. Correct. Proper word.
Yeah, we Californians are the fooz. We wreck the worldz.
Maya: Picnic chez mois! C'mon over.
Kudzu: I know. It could be called anything anywhere else. Yes, it was I.F. And we did not have lunch there.
Ah, so Zin was the lunch! Just talked with a very learn-ed friend who agreed that cap is angel (this is beginning to sound like code) and says it's really incredible.
Someone actually said something about your having a glass of wine??? Really?
That stuns me, shocks me, that would NEVER happen down this end of the world, especially at this time of the year. But then, everyone knows all Australians are practically alcoholics!
As for the beef, I think our butcher does something like this, but with lamb, mmmmmmm.
Cranky is very lucky to have you 'pop' for a pricey roast.
As for you 'workin it' so early in the day, maybe you should become a Light Beer drinker, like myself. Is it light out yet?
That roast looks delicious and a pox upon the stranger that tells you not to have that glass of wine. Have two or three - on me!
Now, where is it you live again and what day are you serving the roast?
Hell, I'm taking a half day tomorrow and will be quaffing a glass or 2 by 12:15 I suspect - a pox on the wowsers.
cc,
That's gorgeous!
I was just debating what sort of roast to serve at our family Christmas, and rib roast was one of them (eye of round was another). I never knew you could get it like this! How was the fat to meat ratio? I like prime rib, but some are so fatty, it gets overwhelming to me. But this roast looks perfect!
Kudzu: How clever of you to do a little research. I am edified.
Morgan: OMG, this would be *insane* in lamb-flavor. Buy two; it would be small.
ChileBrown: My new motto. Is it light out yet?
Nancy: I'm sorry to tell you a good portion of that little roast already ended up in sandwiches yesterday.
I'm considering going without WINE for a few weeks so we can afford another roast! ;)
Morgan: Cheers, dear.
Kevin: Ah, an appreciative remark from the master. Yes, it is gorgeous.
Leena: Good question. When it's warm from the oven, you don't much notice the fat (well, your mouth knows it's there). But chilled, the next day, you can really see loads of little fat speckles. No more than (outrageous guess here) 15-20%.
Wow, and it roasts under an hour? Hmm, maybe we could all collectively chip in to buy the rib cap. As long as I get a taste, I am contributing!
Email me; I lost yours and there's something I want to send you.
I've only heard rumors, and glimpsed a few. Mebbe is I sell a few cameras?
Biggles
PE: Truth is, if you're employed and don't have debts, you can afford this. It's under $50 for well over a pound (maybe two), and remember, this was at the Marin butcher, where everything costs twice as much.
Peter: It's on its way, and thanks for letting me know my profile didn't contain my email link. I fixed that.
Biggles: Cranky and I have decided to cancel our rib roast order and get another one of these. You won't need to sell a camera.
beautiful beef...
made me want a slice
I can't believe you didn't flip off the person who commented on your daylight drinking. Or puke on his/her shoes. That's what I'dve done
I've got an order in for a coworker's pig, and the person I'm splitting it with hasn't even heard of caul fat or leaf lard. It's all mine! Squee!
ceFret: I'm not even all that into meat, but when I heard about this -- and the fact that the butcher sends most of them to restaurants -- I had to have it.
Heather: You get all the caul fat and leaf lard? What a sneaky deal!! Whoo.
Roasted angel? Sounds heavenly. Positively devine, actually.
Spiteful: Even better. It's HOLY.
It is only 8 am here and now I want to eat that cut of meat!!!
MODman: I can't WAIT to have this again.
Julia Child: "Under the thick outer layer of fat [of the shoulder end - ribs 6,7,8, & 9 - of a rib roast] lie two thinnish pieces, called 'cap meat,' which though sometimes left on should be removed since they are for pot-roasting ... Note also the cap of meat under the top layer of fat; you are paying roast beef prices for stew meat here."
Anonymous: If Ms. Child and I are talking about the same cut of beef, she is insane. This is pure angel. I'm just sorry about all the roasts I've bought and incinerated without separating the cap and *treating it nice*!!!
Thanks for the research. I love this stuff.
I'm visiting Marin and want to buy a nice standing rib (prime) - what's the name / address of a good butcher?
Thanks!
Zip: We're shopping at Bryan's Fine Foods in the Town Center in Corte Madera. Pleeeeze order as soon as you can. Happy meal to you!
Post a Comment