USDA PRIME: the California Reserve Rib Cap Roasts are graded USDA Prime, the top tier of quality in the US.
HOLSTEIN CATTLE: The roasts are cut from Holstein Cattle, raised in California predominantly in the SE corner of the state. The Holstein breed have a slightly different shape to the muscles than Angus cattle, so these roasts will present a tad more narrow than the comparable roast coming from Angus or Wagyu cattle.
SHIP FROZEN: Flash frozen after being processed, these Rib Cap Roasts will be safe for an additional 6-7months in your freezer, or 4-5 days in your refrigerator once thawed
DRY AGED: These ribcaps were pulled from our 35-day dry aged Ribeye primals.
Where do I begin? This cut contains the absolute maximum amount of flavor that will physically fit into a roast. I know they say God rested on the 7th day, but I think that’s when He had time to work on the Rib Cap. It’s not a very common cut, and sometimes difficult to explain.
I stumbled onto it somewhat by accident; got my hands on a bunch of magnificent prime ribs out of Kansas that were perfect in every way but size….in some cases 10 pounds larger than my preferred 15 – 18 pound Prime Ribs. It dawned on me that this might be the time to try and produce the rib cap because it would leave a large enough steak left to sell. So off came the cap and the rest is history.
Option #1: Sear on ‘3’ sides first, then finish indirectly, either in a covered grill or a 350 degree oven. Timing here depends on length of sear. Assuming 3-4 mins per side, I would guess the indirect time at 20-25 minutes.
Option #2: Bake in preheated 400 degree oven the whole way (no sear), for 40-45 minutes.
The biggest difference between the two is that searing will give the meat a crust; both methods will give a nice dark look to the finished product. Irrespective of which method, you want to slightly overcook this cut to enable the texture to come alive. So while I usually cook for a 120 degree internal, for Ribcaps, I aim for 135 degrees internal. As an added note, with the gaining popularity of sous-vide machine, I would suggest against using those as a cooking method for Ribcaps. The texture on caps can be slightly spongy if not taken to medium-rare, and I’ve found that sous-viding caps doesn’t bring them to their full potential.
