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This is the perfect Prime Rib recipe that is cooked in the oven with a secret trick that gives you the most tender meat ever!
At most of our big dinners, especially holidays, we include a meaty main dish like Turkey, Ham, or Roast Chicken. Prime rib is another option for “fancy” holiday dinners.
We Love Prime Rib!
This prime rib recipe is delicious, and perfect for special occasions or holidays like Christmas or Easter!
Why we love it:
- Easy. With Just a 5 minutes prep, It’s a cinch to make!
- Flavor. It is generously seasoned with herbs for a delicious crust.
- Show stopper. Prime rib makes a beautiful center for your holiday meal, especially Christmas Dinner.
Our favorite side dishes to serve with this roast beef are: Roasted red potatoes, Roasted Vegetables, Dinner Rolls and Mashed Potatoes.
Ingredients
- prime rib roast – Plan to serve ½ -¾ pound per person.
- garlic
- olive oil
- kosher salt & black pepper
- dried thyme (or fresh thyme) – Or add fresh rosemary, oregano, or paprika.
Purchasing Tips
- Purchase a bone-in prime rib roast or a boneless prime rib roast cut of beef (eye of the rib roast or ribeye roast).
- Look for meat with good marbling.
- Consider having the butcher tie the rib bones to create a rack for the meat to stand on when cooking.
How to Cook Prime Rib
- PREP. Place the roast in a large roasting pan with the fatty side up.
- In a small bowl, mix the minced garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, and thyme. Spread the mixture over the fatty layer of the roast.
- Allow the roast to rest on the counter for about an hour until it comes to room temperature.
- When ready to roast the prime rib, preheat your oven to 450–500°F.
- COOK. Cook prime rib for 15–20 minutes to sear, then reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.
- Continue to roast until the internal temperature reaches 5–10 degrees less than your desired internal temperature, depending on the desired doneness (see Recipe Tips).
- REST. Loosely tent aluminum foil over the roast and allow it to rest for 10 minutes, then remove foil, carve into slices and serve. The internal temperature will continue to rise while resting, leaving you with a perfectly cooked prime rib roast.
Recipe Tips
Use these tips for the perfect prime rib recipe.
- The cook. The easiest and most precise way to cook prime rib is to use a meat thermometer, but a timer and be pretty accurate. Medium rare prime rib is the most popular cook.
- For a quick reference total time for a medium cook at 325°F:
- 2 ribs (4 to 5 pounds): 55-70 minutes
- 3 ribs (7 to 8.5 pounds): 1½-1¾ hours
- 4 ribs (9 to 10.5 pounds): 1¾-2¼ hours
- 5 ribs (11 to 15 pounds): 2¼-3 hours
- 6 ribs (15 to 16 pounds): 3-3¼ hours
- 7 ribs (16 to 18.5 pounds): 3¼-4 hours
- Sauces + dips. Horseradish sauce is a popular choice. You can also make a nice gravy or au jus with the meat juices.
Storing Tips
- Store raw roast.
- Refrigerated: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days before cooking. Rub on the herb mixture a day or two in advance giving it ample time to infuse the crust with flavor.
- Frozen: Wrap the roast in plastic wrap and again with foil. Label and freeze for about 6 months. Thaw in the fridge.
- Store leftovers.
- Refrigerator. Place leftovers in an airtight container and include any excess drippings to help keep it flavorful and moist. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezer. Wrap the roast in plastic wrap and again with foil. Label and freeze for about 6 months. Thaw in the fridge.
- Thaw a frozen prime rib. Thaw in the refrigerator at 4-7 hours per pound. Speed up the process by placing the roast in an airtight bag and then into a bowl of cool water. Change the water every 30 minutes. A 3-4 pound roast will take about 2-3 hours using this method.
For More Meaty Main Dishes:
Prime Rib Recipe
Want to know how to cook prime rib perfectly? This recipe is cooked in the oven with a secret trick that gives you the most tender meat ever!
Ingredients
- 1 (10-pound) prime rib roast
- 10 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
Instructions
- Place the roast in a large roasting pan with the fatty side up.
- In a small bowl, mix the minced garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, and thyme. Spread the mixture over the fatty layer of the roast.
- Allow the roast to rest on the counter for 1–2 hours until it comes to room temperature.
- When ready to roast the prime rib, preheat your oven to 450–500°F.
- Cook prime rib for 15–20 minutes to sear, then reduce the oven temperature to 325°F. Continue to roast until the internal temperature reaches 5–10 degrees less than your desired internal temperature, depending on the desired doneness (see Recipe Tips).
- Loosely tent aluminum foil over the roast and allow it to rest for 10 minutes before carving and serving. The internal temperature will continue to rise while resting, leaving you with a perfectly cooked prime rib roast.
Video
Notes
Doneness guide. Roast prime rib according to the following guidelines, using a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature:
- Rare: internal temp of 120-125°F or 10-12 mins per pound for rare prime rib. The center is bright red then fades to pink.
- Medium: internal temp of 140-145°F or 13-14 mins per pound for medium cook. The center has a band of pink and fades to brown towards the outer portion. This cook is the perfect choice when serving a crowd as it will please the majority of dinner guests.
- Medium Well: internal temp of 150°F or 14-15 mins per pound. The center may have a light pink band but is primarily brown throughout.
Nutrition
Serving: 1lb, Calories: 31kcal, Carbohydrates: 1g, Protein: 0.3g, Fat: 3g, Saturated Fat: 0.4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 0.1mg, Sodium: 466mg, Potassium: 19mg, Fiber: 0.2g, Sugar: 0.04g, Vitamin A: 10IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 11mg, Iron: 0.4mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Wow, my family loved this prime rib! It turned out perfect and the flavors were incredible, thank you!
I have always loved the idea of making prime rib, but was always too scared, but your recipe helped me overcome my fears and try making this dish for the first time
Amazing! I made this for Christmas dinner and the whole family loved it! Thank you for all the instructions from prepping to cooking. I followed the instructions step by step. I was not sure what this step exactly meant “remove the roast 5-10° under the desired cook temperature….” . I lowered the heat and cooked an additional 10 mins. and it came out perfect but curious if that was the right thing to do there?. We served it with a horseradish sauce. Thanks again!
Yay! I’m so glad that you all enjoyed the prime rib!! It just means to pull the meat out when the internal temperature is 5-10 less than what you are wanting. For example, if you wanted the prime rib to be cooked “medium” (that’s about 130 degrees), then you’d pull it out when the meat thermometer reads 125 and let it rest. But I’m so glad that yours turned out just right!! The horseradish sauce addition sounds amazing. 🙂
Wow! The prime rib recipe sounds so good. It’s my favorite by far. I will certainly try it sometime soon. Thank you, Chere!!
Impressive dish accomplished with strait-forward instructions. I like that there were a lot of options rir making the seasoning to my family’s taste and even suggestions for sides. A winner!
So wonderful! What a great lookin’ meal!
I can’t wait to try this!
I tried this in the smoker it was delicious
Delicious! Tender and flavorful!