Here, at the Colorado Railroad Museum, the holiday season is in full swing with THE POLAR EXPRESS™ Train Ride! Therefore, it seems like the perfect time to feature a holiday recipe, so this month we’ve chosen one especially suitable for the colder weather: prime rib of beef au jus, sometimes referred to as “prime ribs of beef.” We will also feature a little bit of railroad holiday history.

Dining cars were known year-round for their quality of food and service, but during the holidays especially, the railroads increased their efforts to provide excellent meals. Travel by rail in the late 19th through mid-20th centuries was not just a method to get from point A to point B, but rather an entire experience that was meant to be enjoyed. In his book Dining By Rail, James D. Porterfield includes a poem called “Thanksgiving on the Dining Car” which describes the joy the author felt at traveling by rail during the holiday, despite missing his family.

I gaze upon the passing scene,
Which like a moving picture glides
The while I dine, and all serene
A festal air of joy presides,
I’ll say the dinner sure is prime,
And so I thank each lucky star
I’m here this blest Thanksgiving time
And dining on the dining car.

Porterfield also notes that at Christmas, railroads offered passengers a special menu of holiday fare, in addition to the regular menu.

Figure 1 Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe (AT&SF) dinner menu featuring prime ribs of beef, November 1899.

Before we share this month’s recipe, let’s talk about the history of prime rib of beef au jus. Prime rib of beef comes from the primal rib section of a cow. It is considered one of the best cuts of beef, and is known for being tender and marbled with fat. Baking the prime rib in its own juices is where the “au jus” comes from. It’s hard to trace the exact origin of the dish, but it first became popular in America during the Industrial Revolution. After World War II, its popularity increased as beef was no longer being rationed, and was even linked to ideas of freedom and masculinity in the United States.

Figure 2 Diagram of cuts of beef.

Prime rib of beef became a popular menu option during holidays, particularly Christmas. Though it is hard to track down the exact origin of the tradition, it is one that has spanned several continents—including Europe and North America—and one that persists today.

Our recipe comes from Union Pacific’s Dining Car Cook Book and Service Instructions. The book was published in the late 1940s or early 1950s, and is divided into sections of different types of food with great care taken to describe how each dish should be prepared. The goal in providing the book was to allow Union Pacific employees “ready information to enable you to increase your knowledge of the job at hand in your daily efforts to achieve perfection in the art of food preparation.” The book also notes that by following the recipes and service instructions, employees would be “preparing your dishes by a proven method that has given the Union Pacific the enviable reputation of finely prepared food and service that is unsurpassed.”

Figure 3 Union Pacific Dining Car Cook Book and Service Instructions in the Colorado Railroad Museum’s collection.

Each section begins with general instructions on preparing a specific type of food. The section on beef breaks down the preparation by method of cooking. The railroad’s instructions on roasting are below:

“Always roast meats in hot oven at first to sear the outside and retain their juices. Temperature may be reduced later and finished in medium oven. Never puncture with fork while cooking. Turn over by placing fork underneath and lifting up. Always make gravy in pan in which meat is roasted. When placing roast in oven, cover with a bouquet of cut vegetables composed of carrots, celery, onions and parsley stems.”

We hope you enjoyed our brief history of Prime Rib Beef of Au Jus and as always, let us know if you try the recipe!

Roast Prime Rib of Beef, Au Jus
Remove short ribs and chine bone, using meat saw for this purpose. Also remove the shoulder blade and meat covering up to the third rib, which can be utilized securely with heavy twine before roasting. Place in pan, season with salt, add a bouquet of vegetables consisting of onions, carrots and celery, then roast, allowing 15 mins to the pound or until medium rare. Never cook well done. Prepare the au jus in pan in which roasting by removing all surplus fat and adding clear beef stock to pan. Place on top of range. Season with Worcestershire sauce, salt and white pepper and strain through a cloth.

Au Jus to be placed on side and not over beef. Worcestershire Sauce and A-1 Sauce to accompany.

Figure 4 Denver & Rio Grande Western menu featuring prime rib of beef, au jus, 1941.

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