Pepper-Crusted Rib Roast with Hazelnut Pesto

Ta-da! From our latest cookbook, Weber's Greatest Hits, behold the magnificent roast that family and friends will cheer. The hardest part of this recipe will be shelling out big money for the meat. The hazelnuts give the pesto sauce a distinctive flavor that is in line with the extravagance of this meal. To toast and skin the nuts, bake them on a sheet pan at 350°F for 10 minutes. Transfer to a kitchen towel and rub to remove the skins.

Pepper-Crusted Rib Roast with Hazelnut Pesto
By Jamie Purviance                            

Prep time: 30 minutes
Grilling time: about 2 1/4 hours
Serves: 6 to 8

Ingredients

2 tablespoons coarsely crushed black peppercorns
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 three-bone prime rib roast, about 7 1/4 pounds
1 tablespoon canola oil

PESTO
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh Italian parsley leaves
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh oregano leaves
1/4 cup hazelnuts, toasted and skins removed
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
3 to 5 medium garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1) In a small bowl mix together the peppercorns and salt. Coat the roast on all sides with the canola oil and season with the peppercorn mixture. Let the roast stand at room temperature for 1 hour before grilling.

2) Soak 2 large handfuls apple or oak wood chips in water for at least 30 minutes.

3) In a food processor or blender combine the cilantro, parsley, oregano, hazelnuts, vinegar, garlic, and pepper flakes and process until finely chopped. Then, with the motor running, slowly add the oil and process until a thin paste forms. Season with salt and pepper, pour into a serving bowl, cover, and let stand at room temperature while the roast cooks.

4) Prepare the grill for indirect cooking over medium-low heat (about 350°F).

5) Brush the cooking grates clean. Drain 1 handful of the wood chips and add to the charcoal or to the smoker box of a gas grill, then close the lid. When smoke appears, place the roast, bone side down, over indirect medium-low heat and cook, with the lid closed, until the internal temperature reaches 120° to 125°F for medium rare, about 2 ¼ hours. After the first hour of cooking, drain the remaining wood chips and add to the charcoal or smoker box. Remove the roast from the grill and let rest for about 20 minutes (the internal temperature will rise 5 to 10 degrees during this time). Cut the roast across the grain into thick slices. Serve warm with the pesto.

Before you fire up the grill, be sure to check out our top 10 ways to add flavor to a rib roast. 

©2017 Weber-Stephen Products LLC. Recipe from Weber’s Greatest Hits™ by Jamie Purviance. Used with permission