Perfect Prime Rib Recipe (2024)

Ourdelicious Prime Ribrecipe is simple to make with step-by-step instructions to roast it to perfection! Use simple ingredients and tips for the best prime rib you’ll love to serve for special events and holidays!

Looking for more simple yet delicious main dishes? Try this Easy Roast Turkey, Simple Roast Chicken, Baked Ham, Baked Salmon with Parmesan Crust, or Lasagna!

Perfect Prime Rib Recipe (1)

Prime rib is one of those dishes that always takes center stage when you serve it. This salt and pepper-crusted prime rib is so easy to make and always tender, juicy, delicious, and full of amazing flavor. It’s a special treat to serve my slow-roasted prime rib throughout the holidays or when I am having a celebratory meal, especially at Christmas. It is a dish that my whole family and guests always love.

Prime rib, a large standing rib roast, is a more costly cut of meat. However, it is more cost-effective to serve it at home than to eat it in a restaurant. But there’s no need to be intimidated about making prime rib at home. Just follow my recipe, time-tested tips, and step-by-step instructions.

Table of Contents

  • Why You’ll Love This Recipe
  • What Cut of Meat is Prime Rib?
  • How to BuyPrime Rib
  • Why Marbling Impacts the Taste and Grade of Prime Rib
  • How to Roast the Perfect Prime Rib
  • Ingredients
  • Step-by-Step Instructions
  • Storage Tips for Leftover Prime Rib
  • What to Serve with Prime Rib
  • More Seasoning Options for Prime Rib
  • More Favorite Beef Main Dishes
  • Perfect Prime Rib Recipe

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Easy recipe. This recipe involves more helpful tips and a temperature chart to make it simple for everyone to make. Even though prime rib is expensive, there’s no intimidation with this easy recipe.

Simple ingredients. The beef is the star here, and a few simple ingredients and preparation allow it to shine!

Tender beef with Incredible flavor. A bit of preparation, along with this simple recipe, allows this special cut of beef to taste absolutely incredible!

Perfect Prime Rib Recipe (2)

What Cut of Meat is Prime Rib?

Prime rib roast, also known as standing rib roast, is the cut of beef from the back of the upper ribs portion of the cow. This cut comes from the same primal rib section of the cow that arib-eyesteak does. To be considered arib-eyesteak, the meat must be cut before the rib roast is cooked. Prime rib is a larger cut of meat that typically includes the bone.

The full-cut prime rib is made up of seven ribs, will generally weigh from 16 to 18 pounds, and feeds about fourteen guests.

How to BuyPrime Rib

When buying prime rib from the grocery store, you’ll want to ask the butcher for a standing rib roast and let them know how many people you will be serving. A quick way to determine the size you need to purchase is generally two servings per bone, depending on the thickness you plan to serve. If serving as the main entree, generally, a thicker cut is desired. If as part of a buffet, thinly carved pieces are usually fine.

I prefer to buy a bone-in prime rib or standing rib roast, as the bones serve as a natural rack for the meat when baking, insulate the meat while cooking, and make for a juicier, more tender prime rib when cooked.

Ask the butcher to prep the meat for you by cutting away the bones from the bottom of the meat. But do ask them to go ahead and tie the bones back onto the meat for you. This way, you have the benefit of cooking the beef with the bones for a tender prime rib while still being able to cut away the tied bones easily to make carving for serving easier.

Why Marbling Impacts the Taste and Grade of Prime Rib

Marbling, or intramuscular fat, lends flavor and tenderness to beef. The more marbling, the more tender the cut of beef.

Marbling also affects the grade of the beef. The grade of most prime rib available at grocers is USDA Choice Grade. This is the second-best grade with a large degree of marbling. USDA Prime Grade is the beef with the heaviest marbling. However, the prime grade is not common to find, many times requiring a special order, and is substantially more expensive.

How to Roast the Perfect Prime Rib

Preparation, a few simple ingredients, and attention to these tips and instructions will result in a prime rib roast that is perfectly cooked. And all of this is incredibly easy with this recipe! Here’s how to make it.

Ingredients

Bone-In PrimeRib– Ask thebutcher for a standing rib roast.

Kosher Salt– Salt is important to prepare the beef to be its most tender.

Pepper– You’ll use this for a beautiful pepper-crusted finish.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Prep for the Most Tender Prime Rib

  • Salt. Besides the bones making for a juicy prime rib, using salt on the standing rib roast makes for the most tender meat. You’ll want to salt it about four to five days before you cook it. The salt, when left on the meat for an extended period (from about an hour to days), seeps into the meat and provides for better seasoned, juicy meat. This is adry brining method.

If, for some reason, you can’t salt it that far in advance, do so at least an hour before roasting. Anything shorter than an hour will work against you and result in a tougher exterior to your meat.

  • Wrap and Refrigerate. Once you’ve salted the roast, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator until an hour before cooking.
  • Place on Roasting Pan. Remove your beef from the fridge an hour before cooking, then unwrap and place, bone side down, on a roasting pan fitted with a roasting rack and allow to reach room temperature.
  • Season. At this point, add any additional seasonings you want to use. I like to serve it pepper-encrusted for extra flair, but you can use a blend of herbs in garlic butter for another amazing option. These optional seasonings are included below so that you can use them based on your preference.

Roast the Length of Time for Desired Doneness

The amount of time that you cook the beef depends on how well done you prefer your roast.

  • Preheat. Preheat your oven to 475º F for about 15 minutes.
  • Roast. Then roast for 15 minutes and then reduce to 325º until it reaches the desired internal temperature, usually about 11 – 12 minutes per pound for rare prime rib, 12 – 13 minutes for medium-rare prime rib, and 14 – 15 minutes for medium well prime rib.

Note: You’ll need to probe with aninternal meat thermometerto ensure it’s cooked to the desired temperature. You will also want to allow for anycarryover cooking, meaning you’ll want to remove from the oven about 2-4 degrees less than the temperature you desire.

Allow Prime Rib to Roast until Internal Temperature Reaches Desired Doneness

You will want to roast your prime rib until the meat thermometer registers the following:

  • 115º F – 120º F forrare
  • 125º F – 130º F formedium rare
  • 135º F – 140º F formedium
  • 145º F – 150º F formedium well

To roast your prime rib for medium rare, you will want to remove it from the oven when the temperature reaches 125º F and let itrestfor about 20 to 30 minutes before slicing.

Note: Allow beef torestfor about 20 minutes. This allows for the most tender, juicy prime rib! Then, move to the carving board for slicing and serving.

Tip: Be sure to use ameat thermometerto make certain that the roast has reached the desired temperature. You will want to check various areas of the meat with the meat thermometer to be certain that you have cooked it perfectly. The worst thing is overcooking.

Serve at the Perfect Temperature

For guests who prefer a morewell-doneslice of beef, I normally have a rimmed roasting pan standing by to place the beef on and return to the oven for a few minutes to cook it to their desired temperature. That way, everyone can have their prime rib as they prefer it!

Storage Tips for Leftover Prime Rib

If you have any leftover prime rib (and that’s a major if!), you can easily save it for later serving.

To refrigerate: Wrap well and store in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.

To freeze: Wrap well and store in an airtight freezer container for up to 6 months.

To reheat: Allow frozen prime rib to thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Leftover prime rib is delicious cold, but if you desire to reheat it, do so carefully at a low oven temperature of 250 degrees with a bit of broth or au jus in the dish to preserve the tenderness.

It is amazing witheasy buttermilk biscuitsand a honey mustardsauce as an appetizer! You’ll be glad that you sliced your roast as you served it so that the meat is easier to reheat without losing any of the tenderness and juiciness you took such care to get!

What to Serve with Prime Rib

We love to serve our prime with a bit ofHorseradish Sauceon the side. The sauce is creamy and a bit spicy and goes perfectly with the beef! As side dishes, I love to servebaked potatoes or twice-baked potatoes. You can’t go wrong with either of those! And for a salad, we always love myApple Pear Salad with Pomegranate Dressing. If you are serving your standing rib roast throughout the holidays, you absolutely need to make Bart’sCinnamon Rolls. They are perfection!

These recipes, along with others, are all included in myMake-Ahead Christmas Dinner Menu, which I think you’ll also love!

More Seasoning Options for Prime Rib

Herb and Garlic Prime Rib Recipe

Mix 4 tablespoons softened butter, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary, 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, and 4 large minced garlic cloves. Spread generously on the outside of the standing rib roast before cooking for an herb-flavored crust. Spoon the pan juices over the roast before serving.

Pepper Encrusted Prime Rib Recipe

Press 3 tablespoons of crushed black pepper onto the outside of the roast before cooking.

Coffee Encrusted Prime Rib Recipe

Mix 2 tablespoons ground coffee, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, and ¼ teaspoon cayenne. Spread generously on the outside of the standing rib roast before cooking for a deliciously impressive crust. Spoon the pan juices over the roast before serving.

More Favorite Beef Main Dishes

Skillet Ribeye Steaks,

Beef Tenderloin

Classic Pot Roast

Beef Bourguignon

Swedish Meatballs

Here’s my Perfect Prime Rib recipe. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Perfect Prime Rib Recipe

Robyn Stone

5 from 27 votes

Ourdelicious Prime Ribrecipe is simple to make with step-by-step instructions to roast it to perfection! Use simple ingredients and tips for the best prime rib you'll love to serve for special events and holidays!

Prep Time: 1 hour hour

Cook Time: 2 hours hours

Resting Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 3 hours hours

Servings: 6 adults

Ingredients

  • 1 (3 – 4 bone) bone-in prime rib
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons ground black pepper

Instructions

  • Salt prime rib from one hour to up to five days prior to cooking and serving your prime rib. Once salted, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until an hour prior to cooking.

  • An hour prior to cooking, remove prime rib from refrigerator, unwrap and place, bone side down, on a roasting pan and allow to reach room temperature. If cooking a boneless roast, place onto a roasting rack inside the roasting pan. At this point add pepper or other seasonings, if using.

  • Preheat oven to 475º F. Then, roast your prime rib for 15 minutes and reduce to 325º F until your prime rib reaches the desired internal temperature, usually 11 – 12 minutes per pound, about 1 hour and 50 minutes. Using an internal meat thermometer, remove your prime rib from the oven about 2 – 4 degrees less than the desired serving final temperature you desire.

    The temperature of the prime rib will continue to rise due to carryover cooking. Tent prime rib with foil and allow to rest for 20 minutes.

    Note: Here are the temperatures you'll allow to reach depending on the doneness desired:

    115º F – 120º F forrare

    125º F – 130º F formedium rare

    135º F – 140º F formedium

    145º F – 150º F formedium well

  • Place on a carving board for slicing and serve.

Notes

Storage Instructions for Leftover Prime Rib

If you have any leftover prime rib, you can easily save it for later serving.

To refrigerate: Wrap well and store in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.

To freeze: Wrap well and store in an airtight freezer container for up to 6 months.

To reheat: Allow the frozen prime rib to thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Leftover prime rib is delicious cold, but if you desire to reheat it, do so carefully at a low oven temperature of 250 degrees with a bit of broth or au jus in the dish as well to preserve the tenderness.

Nutrition

Serving: 3ounces | Calories: 340kcal | Protein: 19g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 55mg | Potassium: 258mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Join today & start saving your favorite recipes

Create an account to easily save your favorite recipes.

Save recipe

Enjoy!
Robyn xo

Perfect Prime Rib Recipe (4)

From the Add a Pinch recipe archives. Originally published 2014.

Perfect Prime Rib Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the best temperature to cook a prime rib roast? ›

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.

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

Rule #7: Season Well, and Season in Advance. For best results, salt your prime rib on all surfaces with kosher salt at least 45 minutes before you start cooking it, and preferably the day before, leaving it in the fridge uncovered overnight. Initially, the salt will draw out some moisture and end up dissolving in it.

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

Cook the prime rib at 500 F for 20 minutes. Then, turn the heat down to 325 F and cook it for another 1.5 hours – or until the internal temperature reaches. Once it's done, allow it to cool for 40 minutes under a foil tent. Then, slice it, serve with your favorite mashed potatoes, and enjoy!

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.

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

Start by cooking your prime rib at 500°F for 15 minutes and then lower the oven temperature to 325° F and cook for 10-12 min per pound for rare, or 13-14 min per pound for medium rare, or 14-15 min per pound for medium well. A meat thermometer is essential to ensure you cook it perfectly!

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.

Should you put water in the bottom of the roasting pan when cooking prime rib? ›

Placing the oven rack too high up will cause your roast to brown too quickly and burn! After 30 minutes in the oven, add a ½ cup of water to the bottom of the roasting pan. The key is to allow the onions to brown and caramelize while roasting, but not to burn and smoke in the fat.

Should I sear the prime rib before roasting? ›

Searing is an important part of roasting a prime rib. Searing the roast first will kill the surface bacteria, which is a nice touch, especially when you are roasting at lower temperatures.

Do you season prime rib before cooking? ›

How to Season Prime Rib. A roast is a large cut of meat: it needs more seasoning than you might expect. Season it generously with kosher salt the day before roasting it and let it sit in the fridge uncovered overnight. When you take it out of the fridge before roasting, add pepper and any additional herbs.

Do you roast prime rib fat side up or down? ›

Cook the Rib

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Place the roast fat side up, bone side down, in a large roasting pan. Cook for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 325°F. This allows the heat to sear the roast, trapping the juicy flavors inside while the rest of the meat cooks.

Is it better to cook prime rib slow or fast? ›

The Benefits of Slow Roasting

First, slow roasting produces a Prime Rib that is tender, juicy, and has evenly cooked meat.

What is the secret to cooking prime rib? ›

It's no secret that roasts need to cook slow and slow, but for that killer crust on a prime rib the secret is to hit it with a lot of heat first. Like our other prime rib recipes, this rosemary-rubbed prime rib cooks at 450F for 20 minutes before cooking for another 60 to 90 minutes at 350F.

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

Heat the oven to 250°F with the rack in the lower middle position. 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.

How long do you leave prime rib out before cooking? ›

For the best results, leave your prime rib roast out on the counter to come up to room temperature for two to three hours before cooking. It's not advisable to leave it much longer than three hours to help prevent the development of bacteria.

What makes prime rib so delicious? ›

Prime rib has a large “eye” of meat in the center, which is juicy, tender, and marbled with fat. This eye has a fat-marbled muscle around it, and the whole thing is surrounded by a thick cap of fat. This means that prime rib is tender, juicy, and extremely flavorful because the muscles aren't heavily used.

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.

What is the rule for prime rib? ›

For a bone-in prime rib, figure two servings per rib, while a boneless roast will yield two servings per pound. When trying to figure out how much time you need to roast your prime rib, use this simple calculation: weight of the prime rib (in pounds) x 5 = total roasting time in minutes.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Van Hayes

Last Updated:

Views: 5407

Rating: 4.6 / 5 (66 voted)

Reviews: 89% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Van Hayes

Birthday: 1994-06-07

Address: 2004 Kling Rapid, New Destiny, MT 64658-2367

Phone: +512425013758

Job: National Farming Director

Hobby: Reading, Polo, Genealogy, amateur radio, Scouting, Stand-up comedy, Cryptography

Introduction: My name is Van Hayes, I am a thankful, friendly, smiling, calm, powerful, fine, enthusiastic person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.