Prime Rib is a special cut of meat that is the highlight of many holiday meals.
Prime Rib, also known as Standing Rib Roast, is a tender cut of meat that is very flavorful and often served during the holidays. It is more expensive than other cuts of meat, so that is why it is sometimes saved for a special day of the year. You can get prime rib bone-in or boneless. I ended up using a boneless cut of meat for this recipe.
PRIME RIB RECIPE
With prime rib costing a little more, you want to make sure it is cooked just right! When you ask for prime rib at the store, it is actually a rib roast. If you are getting bone-in rib roast, ask the butcher to cut the bones off and tie them back on. In my case, the bones were already out, so I did not have the option to have them tied on.
Ingredients:
- Salt
- Ribeye roast
- Butter
- Garlic
- Rosemary
- Thyme
- Pepper
- Flour
- Beef stock
HOW TO MAKE PRIME RIB
There are plenty of experts out there letting you know exactly what to do (and what not to do) when cooking prime rib. I think people get picky because it is an expensive cut of meat, and usually it is being served to a lot of guests! This recipe is not very complicated and you will also have a gravy to go with the prime rib once it’s cooked.
First, salt your cut of meat and let it sit for at least 30 minutes before cooking. Preheat the oven to 500°F at this time. ALWAYS let your prime rib come to room temperature before you start cooking it. This will allow the meat to cook the most evenly throughout.
In a medium bowl, mix together the butter, garlic, rosemary, thyme, and pepper. Spread this evenly over the ribeye roast.
Bake the roast for 25 minutes. Then, turn off the oven, leaving the ribeye roast in the oven (don’t open the oven door). Cook for another 2 hours, but start to check the internal temperature of the meat after about an hour to get as close to your desired temperature as you can. I have listed a guide to follow to help you determine how ‘done’ you want your prime rib.
PRIME RIB INTERNAL TEMPERATURES
Always trust your meat thermometer when checking if your prime rib is cooked to your liking. Since you are not opening the oven door, be sure to use a meat thermometer that has an external wire probe that allows you to see the temperature of the meat throughout the cooking process. These numbers I am giving you are just a guide…you should be checking the temperature regularly so the prime rib won’t be overcooked.
Rare = 120°F to 125°F (bright red center)
Medium Rare = 130°F to 135°F (very pink center, but starting to brown towards the outer edge)
Medium = 140°F to 145°F (pink center with a brown edge)
Medium Well = 150°F to 155°F (no pink)
Well Done = 160°F and higher
PRO TIP: After you take the prime rib out of the oven (once it’s at your desired doneness), cover it loosely with aluminum foil for about 15-20 minutes before cutting into it. This will keep the juices in, but remember that the internal temperature will go up about 5 degrees while it is resting. In addition, begin checking the temperature of the meat about 1 hour into cooking.
HOW MUCH PRIME RIB WILL I NEED?
Generally, you should estimate about one pound of prime rib per person, especially if you are not serving any other main course. I set this recipe as 1/2 pound of prime rib per person. That is plenty if it is part of a large meal with lots of sides and other goodies. Serve it with Skins on Mashed Potatoes and Roasted Carrots.
HOW TO MAKE THE GRAVY
After you have transferred the Prime Rib to a cutting board (waiting about 15 minutes before cutting into it), make the gravy using the pan drippings. In a medium saucepan, heat the drippings over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and beef stock, continuously whisking until it thickens up. Slice the prime rib and have the gravy available to pour over the meat. Pair the Prime Rib with Roasted Parmesan Green Beans and Burgundy mushrooms for an impressive presentation!
HOW TO CUT PRIME RIB ROAST
If the bones have already been removed, as in this recipe, it’s pretty simple to slice prime rib. It is up to you if you decide to trim the fat. I don’t bother with that since some people actually prefer eating the fat. If your guests don’t want the fat, they can easily cut it off their piece. Anyway, when slicing the roast, try not to ‘saw’ through the meat. Just a few clean slices should do it, and you will have beautiful slices of prime rib to serve! Oh, and don’t cut all the pieces at once. Leaving part of the roast intact will keep it warm longer.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 5 pounds boneless ribeye roast, trimmed
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 7 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups beef stock
Instructions
Coat the prime rib with salt, and let it rest for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 500°F.
In a medium bowl, mix together the butter, garlic, rosemary, thyme, and pepper.
Spread the butter mixture evenly over the ribeye roast.
Bake for 25 minutes.
Turn off the oven heat, but leave the ribeye roast in the oven for 2 hours. Be sure to leave the oven door shut so that no heat can escape. I recommend beginning to check the internal temperature after about an hour.
Remove the roast from the oven. Transfer it to a carving board, covering it loosely with aluminum foil for about 20 minutes before cutting into it, and pour the pan drippings into a medium saucepan to make the gravy.
Heat the drippings over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and beef stock until thickened.
Remove from the heat and strain out any clumps.
Slice the prime rib and serve with gravy.
