The Best Prime Rib Recipe (2024)

ByCorey CreatedDecember 10, 2019December 10, 2019

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The Best Prime Rib Recipe

OK, I realize a recipe for prime rib looks a bit out of place in 2020. These days, most people are cutting down on the amount of meat they eat, especially beef. Some are doing it for health reasons, others because they’re worried about cow burps and global warming. And all that makes sense.

But to me, this means that when you do eat beef, you should make it count. Instead of wasting your one indulgence, you should treat yourself to the very best piece of beef money can buy. And that means prime rib.

A well-cooked prime rib is amazingly tender, juicy, and flavorful. And by well-cooked, I definitely don’t mean well-done. It has to be perfectly medium-rare – browned on the outside, pink in the middle. To really get it right, you need to use a meat thermometer to get the roast out of the oven at just the right moment.

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If this sounds a little complicated, don’t worry. I’m here to teach you exactly how to cook the perfect prime rib, from seasoning through resting the roast after it comes out of the oven. Because if beef is a rare indulgence for you, it should also be a rare delicacy.

TIPS FOR THE BEST PRIME RIB RECIPE:

Which cut of meat is prime rib?

It’s the standing rib roast – the meat right along the back and ribs of the steer. It’s also known as eye of rib roast if it’s boneless, but you don’t want that – get it with the bones still in.

Why does it need the bones left in? Doesn’t that make it harder to carve?

It does, but it’s much more flavorful if you leave the ribs attached. They also provide a built-in roasting rack. However, you should ask the butcher to remove the backbone.

Why does the fatty side need to be facing up?

That way, the melting fat runs over the meat as it cooks. Basically, it bastes itself with no help from you.

Why does it need to sit after it comes out of the oven?

That gives the juices time to soak back into the center of the roast. If you carve it right away, it will lose too much moisture. The meat also continues to heat slightly while it’s resting, which is why you pull it out when it’s only at 120.

Can you freeze prime rib?

Yes! After you roast has cooked and completely cooled, place your roast in freezer container. Store in your freezer for up to a month. When you are ready to use your prime rib, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then heat it up in the oven for about 10-15 minutes.

How To Make The Best Prime Rib

Ingredients you will need:

bone in prime rib (you can use boneless if needed)
garlic
Olive Oil
salt
black pepper
dried thyme

Start by bringing your prime rib to room temperature, about 30/40 mins. Pat dry with a paper towel to remove any extra moisture. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. In a small bowl, mix together the garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper and thyme.
Place roast in a roasting pan, fatty side up. Spread the oil mixture over the fatty layer.
Cook roast at 450 degrees F for 20 minutes, and then reduce the temperature to 325. Continue roasting for 11 mins per pound, or until the internal temperature reaches 120 degrees. Once the meat thermometer reads 120, remove roast and tent with aluminum foil for 30 mins. While resting the internal temp will rise about 10 more degrees for the perfect medium rare of 130 degrees.
Slice and enjoy!

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TOOLS USED TO MAKE THE BEST PRIME RIB RECIPE

Roasting Pan:This pan comes with a roasting rack and is dishwasher safe. Bonus!
Carving Set: This set is perfect for all your roasted meats!

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How To Make the Best Prime Rib

This truly is the Best Prime Rib Recipe. It's amazingly tender and flavorful. It is the perfectly medium-rare – browned on the outside, pink in the middle.

Ingredients

▢ 4-5 pounds bone in prime rib
▢ 5 cloves of garlic minced
▢ 3 TB Olive Oil
▢ 2 teaspoons salt
▢ 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
▢ 2 teaspoons dried thyme

Instructions

Start by bringing your prime rib to room temperature, about 30/40 mins. Pat dry with a paper towel to remove any extra moisture.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. In a small bowl, mix together the garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper and thyme.
Place roast in a roasting pan, fatty side up. Spread the oil mixture over the fatty layer.
Cook roast at 450 degrees F for 20 minutes, and then reduce the temperature to 325. Continue roasting for 11 mins per pound, or until the internal temperature reaches 120 degrees. Once the meat thermometer reads 120, remove roast and tent with aluminum foil for 30 mins. While resting the internal temp will rise about 10 more degrees for the perfect medium rare of 130 degrees.

Video

Notes

Can you freeze prime rib?

Yes! After you roast has cooked and completely cooled, place your roast in freezer container. Store in your freezer for up to a month.
When you are ready to use your prime rib, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then heat it up in the oven for about 10-15 minutes.

Nutrition

Nutritional Disclaimer: Family Fresh Meals is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.

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WHAT SHOULD I SERVE WITH MY PRIME RIB?

Melting Potatoes – melting your mouth good
Bacon Wrapped Green Bean Bundles – not only do these taste yummy, they look super cool too!
Honey Bacon Brussels Sprouts– my absolute go to Brussels sprout recipe.
Creamy Ranch Crockpot Mashed Potatoes– my kid’s favorite side dish!

FAQs

How do restaurants make prime rib so tender? ›

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.

What is the best way to get prime rib cooked? ›

Brown the roast at high temperature: Brown the roast at 500°F (or as high as your oven will go) for 15 minutes. Lower the oven to 325°F to finish roasting: Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F. Roast in the oven until the thermometer registers 115°F for rare or 120° for medium rare, and 130°F for medium.

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How many hours does it take to cook a prime rib? ›

Place the seasoned rib roast on a greased roasting rack in a roasting tray. Cook for 4 to 5 hours or until the internal temperature in the thickest part of the roast is 125-130°F for medium-rare prime rib, or 135-140°F for medium. Take out the roast and tent it with foil.

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Should you salt prime rib the night before? ›

Salt the Prime Rib Overnight

First and foremost, overnight salting is the most important step for prime rib. Others may try to fool you into thinking it's the resting stage, which is up there for sure, but it's not number 1. Rub a good quality kosher salt all over the meat the day before you want to cook it.

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Do you cook prime rib covered or uncovered? ›

Do you cover prime rib roast when cooking? You can cover rib roast when cooking after searing it to help it retain some of its moisture, but it's not necessary. For the best results, leave the roast uncovered until you remove it from the oven or grill and place it at room temperature for resting.

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Is prime rib better cooked slow or fast? ›

You'll cook the prime rib low and slow in the oven, then crank up the heat at the end to achieve a crisp outside. This method has several advantages: the prime rib loses less juice to the bottom of the roasting pan and it cooks evenly all the way through.

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Why is my prime rib always tough? ›

Overcooking the Prime Rib

That's why prime rib is so expensive: it's a huge piece of extremely good beef. Therefore, it's important not to cook it beyond medium-rare. Going past that temperature means the roast will no longer be tender.

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How long to cook prime rib at 250 degrees? ›

Cook the prime rib low and slow at 250°F until the internal temperature reaches 120°F, about 3 hours, depending on its size. Take the roast off the heat. Crank the heat up to 450°F or 500°F, then return the meat to the grill to crisp the exterior of the roast.

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What is the most important thing to do before roasting a prime rib roast? ›

Bring meat to room temperature: Remove prime rib from the refrigerator one hour before cooking. Season it on all sides with salt and cover it loosely with plastic wrap as it comes to room temperature. Prime rib roast will cook better and more evenly when it's at room temperature.

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What is the best pan to cook a prime rib in? ›

Absolutely! While a roasting pan is perfect for cooking prime rib, it can also be used for other types of meat, such as whole chicken, turkey, or pork roast. The even heat distribution and high sides of the pan help to retain moisture and ensure even cooking, resulting in tender and juicy meats.

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What's the best pan to cook prime rib in? ›

Rimmed baking sheet. casserole dish (like a Pyrex 9x12. pie dish - if it's a small roast. stainless steel frying pan.

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Is it better to cook prime rib at 325 or 350? ›

Cooking prime rib per pound can vary based on different factors such as desired doneness, oven temperature, and the specific cut of meat. As a general guideline: - For rare: Cook at 325°F (163°C) for about 15-20 minutes per pound.

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How long should prime rib sit out before roasting? ›

Preparing the Prime Rib Roast

Pull the rib roast out of the fridge and let temper on the counter for three hours. USDA guidelines requires food not be held above 33°F (1°C) for more than 4 hours. A three-hour rest on the counter is well within time constraints.

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What's a good price for prime rib? ›

Prime-grade prime rib costs about $17 a pound, while Choice-grade prime rib goes for about $13 a pound. Additionally, some butchers offer dry-aged prime rib--Prime-grade rib roasts that have been aged for up to a month to tenderize the meat and concentrate its flavors. Dry-aging adds another $2 to $3 to per pound.

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What gives prime rib its flavor? ›

Marbling is the streaks of intramuscular fat that run through the meat. The more marbled your meat, the juicier, more flavorful, and tender it'll be. Buying "Prime" graded beef is a good guarantee of this fat content, though it's possible to find ungraded beef with plenty of marbling as well.

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What is the rule for prime rib? ›

A good rule of thumb for purchasing bone-in prime rib is to buy one pound per person. A bone-in standing rib roast will feed about two people per bone. But if the roast is part of a bigger spread with plenty of other food, you can plan on 1/2 to 3/4 pound of prime rib per person.