I first learned to appreciate a good red wine several years ago at a downtown Chicago steak house.

It was my mother’s birthday and, after several years of consecutive lackluster celebrations, we decided to splurge: couple bottles of Merlot, and prime rib for myself. I was a Miller Lite guy till then (and still am, for the most part), but when I sipped that merlot between bites of aged, medium-rare prime rib, I was transformed. I was a new man, henceforth. 

When I recently tried my hand at roasting prime rib, it only made sense to me to include something that pairs so well with this cut. 

Prime rib is often called the king of beef. From the rib primal cut, prime rib is a tender slab of steer heavily marbled and layered with fat. It this generous marbling and fatty layers that create a very flavorful and juicy final product when cooked correctly. 

Sometimes called a standing rib roast because it is roasted by leaning the meat on the bones, this cut can come with the bones removed, as it was when I purchased it from my butcher in Derby, Kansas. Given the choice, I probably would choose to keep the rib bones in, as they exude flavor, but nevertheless, bone-in or bone-out, prime rib is a very simple piece of meat to turn into an amazing treat for your family, assuming you follow these simple suggestions. 

PLEASE NOTE: Be mindful of where you purchase your wood. Make sure it’s natural, preferably locally cut, something that won’t burn black. Quality wood should burn cleanly with white smoke. Should you ever see black smoke, pull that wood safely and immediately.