Deep Fried Prime Rib

Today folks, we’re coming to you with a new holiday tradition. Pitchfork prime rib and it’s deep-fried.

This is a great way to switch up a traditional dish that a lot of y’all may serve up for the holidays, but instead of sticking it in the oven we’re going to put it on a pitchfork and deep fry it so we get a good crust and maximum flavor!

We fried our prime rib in a large cast iron fry pot but you can also do this in a turkey fryer or cast iron wash pot. We also used a peanut oil but you can use any high temperature oil.

Step 1:

First of all, you want to start with a prime rib with the ribs detached. You can cut these off yourself or have your butcher do it. The reason for this is the roast will have a more even cooking and we’ll get that good crust all the way around. But we’ll also fry up those ribs separately as a little appetizer!

You’ll also want to lightly trim the roast to remove any excessive fat before seasoning.

Step 2:

Take a small sharp knife, or paring knife and pierce deeps holes all around the roast. Then, take about 6 large garlic cloves and cut them in half. Stuff each half inside the holes.

Step 3:

Next, take some coarse ground pepper and coarse ground salt, and generously salt all around the roast and ribs. This is a big piece of meat, so you want to make sure you get it coated well.

Step 4:

Take some butcher’s twine and tie all the way down the roast about 2 inches between each tie (see video below). This will help hold the roast together when frying.

Tip: Be sure to take the roast out of the refrigerator about 45 minutes before frying to ensure a more even cooking.

Step 5:

Now, we need to pitchfork it!

If you’re using an older pitchfork, make sure to clean it. Get it hot and give it a little steel wool. Also, give it a greasing with some cooking oil before piercing the roast.

Place the pitchfork in the center of the roast and pierce through it, be careful of your hand! You want the tines to poke through the opposite side about 2 inches, so the roast wont’ be touching the bottom of your vessel when frying.

How to Fry it Right!

Tip: Get yourself a good temperature gauge to put in the roast while frying like here.

Step 6:

An important thing to monitor throughout this frying process is your temperature! Typically, when deep frying you’d start your oil at at 350 F degrees. But this is a large piece of meat and when you add it to the oil it’s going to dramatically cool that oil off. So heat the oil at the beginning to 375 degrees F. before adding the meat.

Tip: When adding the meat to the oil do it slowly! Do not do this in the house. Do it outdoors, preferably on concrete.

Step 7:

Once you have the roast submerged in the oil, make sure the roast is not touching the sides of the frying vessel and is suspended by the pitchfork. For rare, we are going to cook this roast so the internal temperature is about 85 to 90 degrees F.

Important! You need to keep an eye on the oil temperature. You want to keep the oil around 325 degrees F as it cooks. To do so, you may need to turn out the burner and allow the oil temperature to cool a bit. We also removed the roast from the oil while the oil cooled down. We did this a few times during the cooking process.

Our total cooking time was about 30 to 35 minutes. However, this didn’t include the time when we removed the roast from the oil, while the oil cooled down to 325 degrees F. Don’t be too particular on the timing of the cooking, but you’re wanting to watch that internal temperature so it’s best if you can find a good temperature gauge like HERE.

Step 8:

As you reach the right internal temperature, take the prime rib out and place on a cutting board. Then cover it lightly with foil for about 20 to 25 minutes. Leave your temperature gauge in the roast because as that roast sets the internal temperature will climb and for a rare cooking we’re looking for around 120 degrees F.

Tip: Now keep in mind this is for a rare cook. If you like your roast a little more done. Deep fry the roast until the internal temperature is about 95 to 100 degrees F. and then remove it from the oil. Foil it and let it rest about 20 minutes until the internal temperature is 130 to 135 degrees for a more medium cook.

Step 9:

While that roast is resting, go ahead and throw the ribs in the fryer and let them go about 10 minutes or until cooked through and the meat pulls slightly from the bone. These make a great snack!

Prime Rib can be a little intimidating, but just watch your oil temperature and the internal temperature of the roast and you’ll be good to go. We also invite you to check this recipe out in action and watch the full cooking video below.

Remember, it’s all about getting the family and friends together. So whether you’re sharing this over the holidays or any day we hope you enjoy and wish you and yours many blessings… and good beef!