One of the most important relationships you need in life is with a butcher (unless you‘re vegan or vegetarian).
Ralph has two, and they are farmers as well. One is at our local Friday Bargteheide farmers’ market with Ralf Stoffers (we call him the ‘Lamb Guy’), and the other is with Günter Feddern, who had a stand at the Ahrensburg Saturday market a few villages away—unfortunately, he’s no longer there.
One day, Ralph went to the market and asked Herr Feddern (can’t call Germans by their first name until you mutually agree it’s OK 🤷♀️) what he had left good for grilling.
Because Herr Feddern knows Ralph by the meat he buys, he replied, “I’ve got something special for you!” Reaching into his meat display, he pulled out a sealed bag with a cut of boneless prime rib hidden under the other pieces. It was about 4 kg, but he cut it in half, giving Ralph a 1.5–2 kg piece.
His only condition: “Don’t overcook it—look, I can put my finger straight through. I hung it for two weeks; it’s so tender!” Herr Feddern takes immense pride in his meat and also makes Aufschnitt (cold cuts) without preservatives, which we buy from him too. Ralph just smiled and said, “You know I would never overcook it!”
It was a beautiful summer evening, so Ralph made this on our charcoal grill. We enjoyed this roast al fresco with grilled onions and fresh corn on the cob from our lamb guy — a real treat as it’s hard to find in Germany!
The next time Ralph was at the market, he showed Herr Feddern a picture of the finished roast. Herr Feddern grinned from ear to ear, proudly showing it to his son—also a German-trained butcher—and to the other customers in line, exclaiming, “This is what happens when a good butcher and a good cook come together!”
Roasted Prime Rib Low & Slow
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Bring the prime rib roast to room temperature, about 2 hours.
- Rub olive oil and seasoning into the roast on all sides.
- Heat the coals on one side of the charcoal grill. When hot, sear the roast on all sides above the charcoal, then move it to the other side for indirect heat.
- Keep the coals burning, adding charcoal as needed and mesquite for an extra layer of flavour.
- Cover and let smoke/roast for about 2 hours until it reaches 125–130 °F for medium-rare. Ralph doesn’t use a thermometer; he can “feel” when it’s done.