CHEF JEFF: Roast could be better option for holiday meal

• Chef Jeff

Chef Jeff
• Crown rack of pork

This Christmas Santa missed out on the cookies but he will be more than happy to dive into this luxurious crown rack of pork accompanied by brussel sprouts. Crown roast of pork is the uncut rib chops formed into a circle, or crown, and tied by the butcher into a glorious roast. It's a great roast for a crowd, because it costs only about $3 to $4 a pound in local stores, compared to about $6 a pound for prime rib of beef. (MCT)

Talk about it

What meat are you preparing for your main holiday meal this year?

That’s a decision that’s pretty easy for a lot of people. In fact, almost two-thirds of you already know the answer to that question. A survey that I recently saw reported that’s how many people plan on having ham or turkey in the starring role. (And believe it or not, almost 15 percent of Americans will celebrate with only sandwiches.)

But there are other tasty options available to the cook who wants to make something that will impress family and friends. A lot of people I’ve talked to have plans to make some kind of roast.

And that’s what I just might do, too. In fact, I might cook two roasts together just like my Grandma Menard used to do when my mom was growing up.

Grandma would buy a pair of roasts — veal and pork — at Erickson’s Meat Market in Crookston and cook them in tandem. One of the reasons was because the gravy made from the drippings was outstanding, at least in the opinion of my mom.

My choice of roasts probably would be pork and bison, the latter a bit leaner than the former, which will make for a little healthier presentation.

But the options are numerous.

Premium beef roasts such as rib-eye, rib and tenderloin are very popular at holiday time. And for those who are concerned about the higher cost, there are more economical roast choices, too, including round tip, top sirloin and eye round, which also are delicious, especially when enhanced with herbs and spices. There’s also pork, venison and bison roasts, which aren’t as costly.

Healthy choices

Nutritionally, all of the above roasts are fairly healthy — their only drawback is that they are high in cholesterol because of being of animal origin — according to Jennifer Haugen, licensed registered clinical dietitian with Altru Health System.

“They all are low in sodium and are excellent sources of protein (important for growth and repair of tissue),” Haugen said.

The red meat roasts such as beef, bison and venison also are very good sources of B12 (plays a key role in the formation of red blood cells and the central nervous system) and zinc (important for immune function, wound healing and a number of other biological functions within the body). Pork is a very good source of thiamin (helps the body convert carbohydrates to energy and plays a key role in the function of muscle, heart and nervous system), she added.

Here are a few more healthy tips about roasts from Haugen:

• If you’re shopping for a lean, low-fat roast, look for the words “loin” or “round.”

• Using high-fat cooking methods can defeat the purpose of purchasing a lean roast. Try using more herbs and spices to season meat versus fat.

• A roast can be a great item to cook (on low) in a slow cooker when you are at work. It’s great for on-the-go families

• Cook leaner cuts of meat at lower temperatures for a longer time and incorporate moisture to keep tender.

• Roasts should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145 degrees or higher for three minutes to kill bacteria. It is important to use a food thermometer to ensure food is done rather than relying on color alone.

Perfect prime rib

One reason some people shy away from more expensive cuts such as the prime rib roast is that they are intimidated by the thought of ruining their meal. Often, though, a butcher can tell you how to cook and carve these.

A friend, Lillian Elsinga, told me about her sure-fire way to fix prime rib, the centerpiece of her Christmas Day meal. She said to cook the meat in a 550-degree oven for five minutes per pound if you want rare meat, six minutes for medium and seven minutes for well-done. You then turn off the oven — keeping it shut — and let the prime rib to sit for two hours. The meat, she says, is still warm when it’s taken out of the oven and is very east to slice.

Lillian said she likes to season her prime rib with salt, pepper and some Old Bay Seasoning.

That sounds so easy and yummy to me that I might just try that instead.

Roast nutrition

Here is some nutritional information about some popular types of roasts (per 3 ounces):

• Tri-tip beef loin roast: 155 calories, 23 grams protein, no carbohydrates, 7 grams fat (3 grams saturated).

• Pork loin roast: 180 calories, 25 grams protein, no carbohydrates, 8 grams fat (3 grams saturated).

• Venison roast: 162 calories, 31 grams protein, no carbohydrates, 3 grams fat (2 grams saturated).

• Bison roast: 122 caloires, 24 grams protein, no carbohydrates, 2 grams fat (1 gram saturated).

Source: nutritiondata.com.

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