Bacon and Spinach-Stuffed Rib-Eye Roast

By mahto

Ingredients

• Stuffing:
• 1 pound sliced applewood-smoked bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2" pieces
• 1/2 cup finely chopped celery
• 1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 1/2 cups cooked (or three 10-ounce bags frozen, thawed) spinach, squeezed dry, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup crème fraîche or sour cream
• 2 cups coarse fresh breadcrumbs made from day-old white bread
• 1/2 cup finely chopped scallions
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, preferably freshly grated
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 large eggs, whisked to blend
• Roast:
• 1 5-bone standing beef rib-eye roast (10–13 pounds), chine bone removed, fat trimmed to 1/4" thickness
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh thyme

Details

Servings 8
Adapted from epicurious.com

Preparation

Step 1

Makes 8-–10 servings

For stuffing:
Pulse bacon several times in
a food processor to coarsely chop. Scrape
into a large skillet; cook over medium
heat, stirring often, until bacon is browned
but not crisp, about 10 minutes. Transfer
to a paper towel–lined plate to drain. Pour
off and reserve 2 tablespoons bacon drippings for
another use. Return pan to medium heat.
Add celery, shallots, and garlic; cover and
cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables
are soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in spinach and
crème fraîche; cook, stirring occasionally,
2–3 minutes longer. Scrape mixture into
a medium bowl.

Stir breadcrumbs, scallions, sage, thyme,
and nutmeg into stuffing mixture. Season to
taste with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD:Stir in eggs. Spread
stuffing out on a rimmed baking sheet;
cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate
until stuffing is firm, about 1 hour.

For roast:
Arrange a rack in lower third of oven and
preheat to 450°F. Set a V-shaped rack inside
a large roasting pan. Place roast on a work
surface with bones standing straight
up. Using a knife, cut along bones so only
1" of meat is attached at base of bones.

Pull bones away from meat to create
a 3"–4"-wide pocket at the top. Lightly pack
stuffing into pocket. Starting at one end,
tie kitchen twine horizontally around the
bones to keep them in place and secure the
stuffing. Tie the roast vertically between
each bone.

Season the roast (including the bones)
generously with salt and pepper, rub with
oil, and sprinkle with thyme. Place roast,
bones facing up, in prepared pan; wrap
bone tips in foil to prevent burning.

Roast beef for 20 minutes. Reduce heat
to 350°F and continue roasting for about
3 hours—beginning to probe center of roast
at the 2-hour mark—until an instant-read
thermometer inserted into the thickest part
of roast registers 110°F–115°F for rare and
120°F–125°F for medium-rare.

Carving option 1: Cut between the ribs
to make 5 large bone-in steaks to be
shared.

Carving option 2: Spoon stuffing into
a serving bowl. Slice off rib rack by cutting
through strip of meat at base of bones. Slice
between bones and transfer ribs to a platter.
Place meat on a work surface; cut into
1/4"–1/2"-thick slices. Transfer slices to platter
with ribs and serve with small spoonfuls of
stuffing on the side.