Would it be sacrilegious to braise rib-eye roasts, low and slow, in lieu of a traditional pot roast cut?

I am cooking a beef roast for 16+ people this Christmas. We have young children, 90+ year olds and cancer patients in attendance, so serving rare/medium-rare beef will not be accepted well. I was thinking that braising roasts, in my Staub cocottes, may be a nice compromise. Our grocery is running a special on rib-eye roasts for <$3.00/lb (75% off), with the tougher cuts at $6.00+/lb (round/chuck/etc.). Would it be sacrilegious to braise these rib-eye roasts, low and slow, in lieu of a traditional pot roast cut? I am aiming for something similar to my favorite Braised Beef Short Rib recipe? (Alison Roman's Garlic Braised Short Ribs (NYT) - This is my husband's FAVORITE dish that I make.) For a 6.5~lb 3-4 rib roast, would 4-6 hrs at 250F make it fall off the bone? Is that a good thing? I cannot generally stand beef cooked beyond medium...with the exception of the referenced short ribs. Do you think I can achieve a similar flavor and mouth feel, in a larger quantity, with this approach? This is my first year hosting the in-laws, as a newlywed; failure is not an option... :/

Thanks so much!

Lindsay Lafley
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6 Comments

Emma L. December 19, 2019
Hi Lindsay! That's so generous that you're hosting such a big group—and I'm sure they'll love whatever you make. If I'm cooking for a lot of people, I either stick to a technique that I've practiced a bunch or a recipe that has a decent amount of positive feedback (vs experimenting with something new). Since ribeye roasts are usually served medium-rare to rare and that isn't an option for your group, it may be safest to stick to a more traditional braising cut. (In addition to beef, braised pork shoulder is fantastic.) Here are a few recipes that are popular with our community. Hope that helps and happy holidays!

https://food52.com/recipes/77935-pot-roast-with-40-cloves-of-garlic
https://food52.com/recipes/1747-cider-braised-pork-shoulder-with-caramelized-onion-and-apple-confit
https://food52.com/recipes/75878-milk-braised-brisket-with-potato-onion
https://food52.com/recipes/3909-matilda-maple-and-garlic-pork-shoulder-with-crispy-skin
https://food52.com/recipes/39733-andy-ward-jenny-rosenstrach-s-pork-shoulder-ragu
https://food52.com/recipes/36312-short-ribs-braised-in-red-wine-and-vanilla
https://food52.com/recipes/21975-betty-wason-s-basic-pot-roast
 
Nancy December 19, 2019
Emma- good approach...use recipes for a holiday meal that you and/or others have made reliably before.
 
Miss_Karen December 19, 2019
Yum! What time is dinner?😇
 
Lindsay L. December 19, 2019
<$3.00/lb (75% off), with the tougher cuts at $6.00+/lb (round/chuck/etc.). Would it be sacrilegious to braise these ribeye roasts, low and slow, in lieu of a traditional pot roast cut? I am aiming for something similar to my favorite Braised Beef Short Rib recipe? (Alison Roman's Garlic Braised Short Ribs (NYT) - This is my husband's FAVORITE dish that I make.) For a 6.5~lb 3-4 rib roast, would 4-6 hrs at 250F make it fall off the bone? Is that a good thing? I cannot generally stand beef cooked beyond medium...with the exception of the referenced short ribs. Do you think I can achieve a similar flavor and mouth feel, in a larger quantity, with this approach? This is my first year hosting the in-laws, as a newlywed; failure is not an option... :/
 
Lindsay L. December 19, 2019
My post got cut-off somehow; sorry! Please see below:

I am cooking a beef roast for 16+ people this Christmas. We have young children, 90+ year olds and cancer patients in attendance, so serving rare/medium-rare beef will not be accepted well. I was thinking that braising roasts, in my Staub cocottes, may be a nice compromise. Our grocery is running a special on rib-eye roasts for <$3.00/lb (75% off), with the tougher cuts at $6.00+/lb (round/chuck/etc.). Would it be sacrilegious to braise these rib-eye roasts, low and slow, in lieu of a traditional pot roast cut? I am aiming for something similar to my favorite Braised Beef Short Rib recipe? (Alison Roman's Garlic Braised Short Ribs (NYT) - This is my husband's FAVORITE dish that I make.) For a 6.5~lb 3-4 rib roast, would 4-6 hrs at 250F make it fall off the bone? Is that a good thing? I cannot generally stand beef cooked beyond medium...with the exception of the referenced short ribs. Do you think I can achieve a similar flavor and mouth feel, in a larger quantity, with this approach? This is my first year hosting the in-laws, as a newlywed; failure is not an option... :/

Thanks so much!
 
Lindsay L. December 19, 2019
$3.00/lb (75% off), with the tougher cuts at $6.00+/lb (round/chuck/etc.). Would it be sacrilegious to braise these ribeye roasts, low and slow, in lieu of a traditional pot roast cut? I am aiming for something similar to my favorite Braised Beef Short Rib recipe? (Alison Roman's Garlic Braised Short Ribs (NYT) - This is my husband's FAVORITE dish that I make.) For a 6.5~lb 3-4 rib roast, would 4-6 hrs at 250F make it fall off the bone? Is that a good thing? I cannot generally stand beef cooked beyond medium...with the exception of the referenced short ribs. Do you think I can achieve a similar flavor and mouth feel, in a larger quantity, with this approach?
 
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