Grill Roasted Rib Roast

Roasting a standing rib roast over an open fire is spectacular all by itself, and it will graciously share its high status with you, even though it requires little effort on your part. In this boss-coming-tor-dinner-worthy presentation, we’re serving two accompaniments: savory-sweet bruschetta of caramelized onions and dollops of sweet-tart-pungent-fruity horseradish.

Heat the grill for medium indirect heat (300°-350° F/150°-l80°C), placing a drip pan under the grill grate away from the fire. Ask your butcher to cut the meat from the bone along the ribs but leave it attached at its widest end, or do this yourself. This will make the roast much easier to carve.

In a small bowl, combine the garlic, 2 tablespoons of the oil, and½ teaspoon each of the salt and pepper and mix well. Rub the mixture evenly over the meat, including on the underside where it is sitting on the bones.

Brush the grill grate and coat with oil. Put the Grill Roasted Rib Roast. bone side down, on the grate away from the heat (over the drip pan), cover the grill, and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers about 130° F for medium-rare, about 2 hours. If your grill has a temperature gauge, it should stay around 350° F. If you are using charcoal, you will need to replenish the coals after the first hour.

About 30 minutes before the Grill Roasted Rib Roast is scheduled to be done, coat the onion and apple slices with 1 tablespoon of the oil. Put them on the grill grate directly over the fire keeping the onions and apple slices separated from one another, and cook, turning once, until all of the slices are deeply grill marked, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the apple slices to a plate and the onion slices to a large piece of aluminum foil. Season the onions with the remaining½ teaspoon each salt and pepper and the sugar and then separate the slices into rings. Fold the foil over the onions, crimp and seal the foil, and put the packet next to the beef away from the fire. Cook for 15-20 minutes.

Meanwhile, chop the apple finely and transfer to a small bowl. Add the horseradish, mustard, and honey and mix well. Set aside.

Transfer the Grill Roasted Rib Roast to a large cutting board and let rest for 10-15 minutes. While the roast is resting, brush the baguette slices with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Put the baguette slices on the grill grate directly over the fire just long enough to toast. about 40 seconds per side. Put a small mound of grilled onions on each toast. Carve the roast and serve with the onion toasts and apple horseradish on the side.

Grill Roasted Rib Roast Makes 6 Servings
3-bone standing rib roast of beef
5 tablespoons (2½ fl oz/ 60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt, preferably sel gris
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 large sweet onions, sliced ¼ inch (6 mm) thick
I large tart apple such as Granny Smith, peeled, halved, cored, and cut into slices ¼ inch (6 mm) thick
1 teaspoon sugar
1/3 cup prepared white horseradish
teaspoons brown mustard
4 teaspoons honey
12 slices baguette