This Prime Rib Roast Recipe is elegant, tasty, easy to make and perfect for the holidays! This Herb Crusted Prime Rib Roast is tender, juicy and cooked to perfection! Plus, I will share with you everything you need to know about buying and cooking Prime Rib!
Prime Rib Roast
This amazingly tender Prime Rib Roast is definitely a show stopper! Rosy pink in the center (unless you want to cook it longer) with a savory deep golden herb crust full of flavor. This Prime Rib Roast recipe is my go-to recipe when I want to impress my guests on special occasions or during the holidays.
People think cooking a Prime Rib is difficult, I get it. It is an impressive dish after all. However, making this beef roast is easier than you think. Let’s talk about everything Prime Rib!
What is Prime Rib?
Prime Rib also known as “Standing Rib Roast” or Beef Rib Roast is a tender and flavorful cut of beef coming from the rib area of the steer. Specifically ribs 6 through 12 (Ribs 1 to 5 are in the chuck area). This area comes from the loin muscle which is not heavily used by the animal – this is the reason why it is incredibly tender. This is the same muscle from which Rib Eye steaks and New York steaks are cut from.
Prime Rib Roast has a large eye of meat in the center and is perfectly marbled with fat, which makes for a very juicy and tasty cut of meat.
Is Prime Rib a “Prime Grade” Cut of Beef?
No. The USDA has a grading system that has nothing to do with the name given to one of the best cuts of beef. As a matter of fact, most Prime Rib Roasts sold at supermarkets are graded “choice” by the USDA. You can purchase Prime Ribs graded both “Prime” or “Choice”.
You can read more about USDA Beef Grading here
How To Shop for the Perfect Prime Rib?
A whole 7-rib Prime Rib Roast is a very large piece of meat and it can weigh more than 25 pounds. Butchers usually cut the Prime Rib Roast into 2 smaller roasts that are more manageable and will fit into anyone’s oven.
- First Cut, also known as small end or loin end consists of ribs 10 through 12. This is the area closer to the loin. It is usually the “preferred” cut as it is meatier and has less fat although still well marbled.
- Second Cut, also known as the large end or chuck end consists of ribs 6 through 9. This cut contains more fat. Think of fat as “more flavor”.
Should I buy a Bone-In Prime Rib or a Boneless Rib Roast?
I prefer Bone-In Prime Rib Roasts. Roasting meat on the bone produces a tastier dish in my opinion. I also think that cutting off the bone before slicing the roast is quite an easy task. If you are not sure, you can always ask your butcher to cut the meat off the bone and tie the bone back with kitchen twine or simply get a boneless rib roast.
How Much Prime Rib Do I Need Per Person?
You need about 1 pound of raw bone-in prime rib per person. This translate into about 8 ounces of cooked prime rib per guest.
How Long To Cook a Prime Rib Roast Per Pound?
Cooking a Standing Rib Roast is not difficult at all. However, I like to keep a watchful eye and check the temperature a few times to make sure I don’t over cook this perfect and expensive cut of meat.
As a rule, estimate about 15 minutes of cooking time per pound of prime rib.
I always start cooking the roast at a higher temperature – 450 degrees Fahrenheit, for 30 minutes. Then I lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and cook it until the instant read thermometer reaches 110 degrees for rare (read more about temperatures below).
How To Know When the Prime Rib is Done?
This is all about your desire doneness. Take a look at the specific temperatures below and check with an instant read thermometer for accuracy. Remember that after removing the roast from the oven, you will let it rest for 15 to 20 minutes. During this time, the meat temperature redistributes and rises about 5 to 10 degrees.
It is always wise to remove the prime rib roast from the oven when the temperature reaches your desire temperature minus 5 degrees. Remember, you can always cook it longer if needed – however if it’s overcook there’s no going back.
TEMPERATURES FOR BEEF:
- 120°F : RARE, The meat will look bright red and soft to the touch.
- 130°F : MEDIUM-RARE, the meat is turning a pinkish color and slightly firm to the touch.
- 140°F: MEDIUM, Rosy pink and quite firm to the touch.
- 150°F: MEDIUM-WELL, has a pink hue but it’s turning grayish in color and is very firm to the touch. Almost looking a bit dry.
- 160°F: WELL-DONE, there’s nothing pink about it! Your meat will be on the dry side and extra firm.
How To Carve your Bone-In Prime Rib Roast?
After resting the Standing Rib Roast, remove the bones with a sharp knife. Just cut around the contour of the bones getting between the bones and the meat. This way you will remove them all in one piece. Now your roast is ready to be sliced. Although some restaurants serve thick 1-inch slices of Prime Rib per person, I like to slice my roast in about 1/2-inch thick slices.
How To Make This Prime Rib Roast Recipe
If possible, season your standing rib roast the night before you will be cooking it. This is not required, but it helps developing some extra flavor.
- With a sharp utility knife, cut 6 small slits all over the prime rib. Insert the garlic cloves into the slits.
- In a small bowl mix the olive oil, chopped rosemary, chopped thyme, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
- Although the herb/oil rub contains salt and pepper, I like to sprinkle a little extra salt and pepper right on the meat. We are cooking a very large piece of meat so I think a little extra seasoning is always a must. If you are sensitive to salt, you can skip this step.
- Rub the herb/oil mixture all over the roast.
- If seasoning ahead, refrigerate the roast uncovered until ready to bake.
- Take the rib roast from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before cooking. This will bring the meat to room temperature so it cooks more evenly.
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Place the rib roast bone-side down in a roasting pan.
- Place in the 450 degrees oven and cook for 30 minutes.
- Lower the oven temperature to 325 and cook until the internal temperature of the meat is 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Make sure the thermometer is exactly in the center of the roast.
- Remove the rib roast from the oven and transfer it to a cutting board. Cover it tightly with aluminum foil and allow the meat to rest for 15 minutes.
- Remove the bones and slice.
What To Serve with this Prime Rib Roast Recipe?
Creamy Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
Sauteed Mushrooms with Balsamic Garlic Butter
Maple Oven Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Garlic and Herb Cheesy Smashed Potatoes
Best Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes
Prime Rib Roast Recipe with Garlic and Herbs
Ingredients
- 6 – 10 pounds standing rib roast (bone-in prime rib)
- 6 garlic cloves (whole)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons sea salt or Kosher salt (plus more as needed)
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Additional salt and ground black pepper to taste (optional)
Instructions
- With a sharp knife, cut 6 small slits all over the prime rib. Insert the garlic cloves into the slits.
- In a small bowl, mix the olive oil, fresh rosemary, fresh thyme, garlic powder, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon of ground black pepper.
- I like to sprinkle the roast lightly with salt and ground black pepper before rubbing the herb/oil mixture. This is optional, however since we are cooking a large piece of meat I think a little extra seasoning is always a must. If you are sensitive to salt, you can skip this step.
- Rub the herb/oil mixture all over the roast. At this point, if you are seasoning your roast hours ahead or overnight, refrigerate the roast uncovered until ready to bake.
- If refrigerated, take the rib roast from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before cooking. This will bring the meat to room temperature so it cooks more evenly.
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Place the rib roast bone-side down in a roasting pan and place it in the pre-heated oven. Bake for 30 minutes.
- Lower the oven temperature to 325 and cook until the internal temperature of the meat is 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Make sure the thermometer is exactly in the center of the roast.
- Remove the rib roast from the oven and transfer it to a cutting board. Cover it tightly with aluminum foil and allow the meat to rest for 15 minutes.
Remove the bones and slice.
Recipe Notes
- Cooking time is approximately and based on a 6 pound roast. Exact time will vary depending on the weight of your roast.
- Time does not include any marinating/resting time in the refrigerator as this is optional but highly recommended.
- Nutrition facts are just an approximate and will vary depending on the weight of your roast
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