Some family members would not be around for Easter so we had our Easter Dinner on Palm Sunday. Sharon had said that a rib roast would be better than the usual Ham or Turkey, so I sent for one on-line. Finding one around here is hit and miss, but I found a six pound roast online, on sale, for 170 bucks,with free shipping.
Oddly I bought it out of Western Meats in Colorado, but the butcher tag on showed it was cut up in Wisconsin.
I decided it wanted it singed over an open fire, and finished in an oven, so I looked on line the best way to do so. Different sites had different styles so I adapted and and made my own.
I had twigs and wood from an old whiskey barrel sitting in the closed grill all winter, so I got up a little before Eight O'Clock and found an old wax and wood chip log of fire starter that had been around for long time. Cut it into slivers and put it under the wood, poured alcohol over the wood and lit it,, I was amazed at how quickly I had a raging fire. I added a couple more pieces of wood sitting near the cooker and went it to get the roast.
I had gotten the roast four days before, frozen solid, but let it sit till the outside was slightly softened . I scored the one side with thick fat and then coated it, heavily, with X number of spices I grabbed willy-nilly including one I had, had, for decades, just for such cooking, and never used.
I put coarse salt from the Dead Sea in Israel on all sides and pounded, with my hand the seasoning and salt in on every side,
I covered it with aluminum foil, and put it in a zip lock bag and set in in the unheated porch for several days, then Saturday, got it out and set it in the kitchen all Saturday till Sunday morning.
I had set the cast iron grills on top the fire to get real hot and when the wood had burnt down till the grills were level, I went in and got the roast and set it on the grill with still very tall flames.
I set it on the scored fat side first and as soon as it hit the grill I heard the sizzling popping sound of frying; do not know how long I let it sit, but grabbed some large tongs and flipped it over. The fat was actually on fire in spots , so I patted the fire out on the roast with a large grill fork.
I closed the lid and smoke poured out of every hole and crack on the grill; not sure how long I let it be but when I opened the grill I was greeted by a full fire again, this time I stuck the fork into the most solid spot, and held the roast in place as I singed every side till it looked good, but I did give the fat side one more shot and once again it started on fire in spots.
I had pre-heated the oven in the house to 325, so I put the roast in an oval roasting pan and slid it into the oven at a little after Nine O'Clock.
Sharon could not go to church, but I told here to pull the roast out of the oven at Eleven Thirty, and start the potatoes , at around Eleven O'Clock as as I had peeled and cut them already Saturday night , put them in very cold water with vinegar and salt and set them out in the unheated porch, so when I brought them out Sunday morning the water was very cold.
I left for church at a little after Ten, and had decided to go to a genuine country church about seven miles out of town. It was an old school Missouri Synod Lutheran Church. It was a very good service and I sadly found out that they had a free fish fry after the service but I had go.
I got home just before Noon and Sharon had pulled the roast out and had started mashing the large pot of potatoes with cream cheese and lot of butter and milk.
I sliced up the roast and covered it with aluminum foil. She had already removed some of the burnt fat from the one side. She had already also cooked the mushrooms and heated up the corn, and gravy plus cut up a Charcuterie boa
The first guest had arrived just as I was finishing washing the cooking utensils, so it was close but timing worked out well.
There were six of us and every one said the roast was excellent as were the mashed potatoes, mushrooms, and corn. We finished off two bottle of wine and a few beers.
It was one of the best Easter Season dinners and get together we have had for quite a long time.
I had literally , repeatedly, prayed to Jesus not to let me screw this up.
