Leftover Prime Rib Roast Beef Stew
Now that Christmas is over, many of us have leftover prime rib sitting in the refrigerator. What to do with the leftover meat slices is easy… you can make french dip sandwiches, or just reheat and serve another meal of prime rib. But what about the rib bones and meat in-between (the rib plate that is cut away from the roast)? These rib bones have amazing flavor and are a great ingredient to use for another tasty meal! You can make a wonderful beef soup with these bones and meat… but the leftover ribs are also a great base for making beef stew!
The best part of this stew is that you can also use up your leftover au jus and wine, and serve the stew with a dollop of leftover creamy horseradish! You can also customize the recipe by adding whatever veggies you have on hand or prefer to use. I like to keep it simple with beef stew by just using onions, carrots, and potatoes… but leftover celery (from a crudite platter) and other veggies (mushrooms, zucchini, tomatoes, etc.) can also work well. If you have more delicate veggies to add, don’t add them to the crock pot until the last 30 minutes of cooking. Hardier veggies (root vegetables like onions, potatoes, carrots, parsnips, etc.) can be added in the beginning.
Suggestion: Use Reynolds Slow Cooker Liners for easy clean-up!
Leftover Prime Rib Roast Beef Stew (about 6 servings):
Use the leftover rib bones and meat/fat trimmings from a standing rib roast (a.k.a. "prime rib").
- 2-3 rib bones leftover from prime rib
- any meat scraps/fat trimmings leftover from prime rib
- 1/2 – 2 c. leftover au jus
- 1/2 to 1 c. leftover wine (red or white)
- 7-8 c. water
- 2 beef bouillon cubes
- 1 onion
- 4 medium sized potatoes
- 4 carrots
- 3-6 sprigs of thyme
- salt, pepper to taste
- 1/2 c. flour + 1 c. water
1. Save the ribs from a leftover standing rib roast (a.k.a. “prime rib”). Cut between the ribs to separate them into individual pieces of ribs (this makes it easier to fit in the pot, and also helps release more flavor from the ribs since more surface area is exposed to the cooking liquid.)
2. Place the ribs and any leftover meat scraps or fat trimmings into the bottom of a large crockpot/slow cooker. (I usually use Reynold’s slow cooker liners to save time on cleanup – just throw away the mess instead of scrubbing the crock!) Dump in any leftover au jus, plus any leftover wine. (Today I used leftover white wine… but I often will use red wine too. Leftover au jus will add a lot of flavor to the stew – so use it if you have it, but you can leave it out if you don’t have any.)
3. Peel the potatoes and carrots. Cut the potatoes, carrots, and onions into chunks.
4. Pour the water into the crockpot, add the bouillon cubes and the thyme. (If you have beef broth – you can substitute with that instead of water and bouillon cubes.)
5. Add the potatoes, carrots, and onions. Sprinkle with a 1/4 tsp. or so of black pepper and about 1/2 tsp. salt. Cover, and set to low for 8-10 hours, or high for 6 hours. (If you prefer to do this on the stove top – you can – just simmer the meat/bones with the liquid in a pot over mediun/low for about 1-2 hours, then add the veggies in the last hour of cooking.)
6. Remove the meat trimmings and rib bones from the stew and set aside to cool. Remove any “twigs” from the thyme if you find them.
Mix 1/2 c. flour + 1 c. water with the back of a spoon until smooth to make a slurry. Stir the slurry into the stew, re-cover, and continue cooking on high about 20-30 minutes (this will help thicken the stew).
7. Meanwhile, when the meat and rib bones are cool, separate the meat from the bones/fat. Discard the bones and fat, add the meat back into the pot.
8. Once the stew has thickened, taste and correct the seasonings with additional salt/pepper if needed. Serve with a side of steamed rice or leftover garlic bread/dinner rolls, add a dollop of leftover creamy horseradish (if you like), and enjoy!
FAQs
Cooked food should be reheated on the stove, in a microwave, or in a conventional oven until it reaches 165 °F. Then the hot food can be placed in a preheated slow cooker to keep it hot for serving—at least 140 °F as measured with a food thermometer.
Can you reheat prime rib in a crock pot? ›
Slow cooker or crockpot
To reheat your prime rib in a slow cooker, you need to add the meat and some liquid (such as beef broth) to your slow cooker, cover it with a lid, set the temperature of the device on low heat since you want it hot enough without cooking too fast.
What can I do with leftover overcooked roast beef? ›
A simple fix for overcooked meat is to dump it in your food processor with some olive oil, purée it, and use it as a stuffing for everything from hand pies and empanadas to dumplings and ravioli.
How do you keep beef from drying out in a slow cooker? ›
To keep a pot roast from drying out, your slow cooker needs liquid to create a moist environment, and that can include meat or vegetable stock, wine or water. This doesn't mean the meat should be submerged; a cup or two of liquid will be enough, since the cooker is covered and liquids stay trapped inside.
What happens if you leave beef in slow cooker too long? ›
That being said, however, it's not a good idea to leave food in a slow cooker for days at a time. The food will not only stain the cooker's interior, but it will also be soggy and overcooked and be left open to bacteria.
How do you reheat leftover prime rib roast? ›
Place the leftover roast in a pan and cover with foil.
To retain the succulent quality of the meat, add a little au jus from the previous day, or add 1/4 cup of low-sodium beef stock. Place in an oven preheated to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) for approximately 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the size of the piece.
How long to reheat roast beef in crock pot? ›
Place the Crock-Pot lid on the cooker and allow the roast to reheat for approximately 2 to 4 hours.
How do you reheat a fully cooked prime rib roast? ›
Wrap your roast in foil with a 1/4 cup of beef stock added to help retain the prime rib's juicy flavor, and place it in the oven once it has been preheated to 300°F. Check on your meat in 10 minute intervals until it reaches a 165°F internal temperature.
Can prime rib be cooked well? ›
Prime rib is best cooked to rare or medium rare, so I aim for about 120 to 125 degrees. 125 to 130 degrees will get you to medium doneness. Don't go beyond that or it'll end up dry and tough.
How do restaurants cook prime rib? ›
How do restaurants make prime rib so tender? The secret to restaurant-style prime rib is cooking the meat super slow at low temperatures. I recommend cooking prime rib at no higher than 200 degrees F. This cooks the meat very slowly, turning the fat into butter and rendering the proteins juicy and soft.
Bones have a higher thermal resistance than meat, meaning the meat around the bones will cook slower than the rest of the roast, leaving those sections extra-tender and juicy. To make carving easier, you can remove the bones from the raw beef and tie them back on if you'd like.
Why is beef tough in slow cooker? ›
If you overcook meat, it becomes dry and tough. Often people using a slow cooker and don't check when the food is actually done. If a recipe says cook for 8 hours on low, people may not check the food for 8 hours.
How do you make leftover beef tender? ›
Reheat with a liquid: One way to add moisture back into the beef is to reheat it in a liquid such as broth or gravy. You can do this by placing the beef in a pot or slow cooker with the liquid and heating it until it's heated through and tender.
How do you moisten leftover roast beef? ›
Pour some hot beef stock, or hot water, onto the meat, cover it tightly with foil and shoot it into a hot oven for about 10 minutes.
Can you cook already cooked meat? ›
A warming beef or chicken casserole is a delicious way to use up your leftover meat. Traditionally, a casserole will need a few hours for the flavours to develop, but as your beef or chicken is already cooked, it can be done a lot quicker.
Can I slow cook beef twice? ›
It is not recommended to stop slow cooking and start again, otherwise you risk falling into what the USDA calls the “danger zone” for food, which is 40-140 degrees Fahrenheit.
Do I have to brown beef before putting in slow cooker? ›
Browning Is Better
And if you dredge the meat in flour before you brown it, your sauce will thicken up to make a gravy. You should always brown ground beef or any ground meat in a skillet before adding it to your slow cooker to prevent the meat from clumping up or from adding excess grease to your cooked dish.
Can you tenderize cooked meat in a slow cooker? ›
Both slow cookers and pressure cookers do a good job of tenderizing tough meat, but each makes meat more edible in a different way.
