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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, I have never made prime rib because I thought it would be really difficult. You made this look really easy and now I’m going to make this!! Thank you.
I really like to cook on the grill. This is my hobby. Therefore, I want to make your recipe in the oven as a barbecue. And the smell will be thought. Super
I like grilling too! I hope you try this & like it!
My husband prefers prime rib over turkey Or ham so its a special holiday treat at our house. This recipe was definitly a hit. Thanks for posting.
Prime rib is A special cut of meat in our home. This is a great recipe to try. Tender and very flaVorful.
Such a savory and robust recipe! This will be perfect for our Christmas dinner this year!
prime rib is my favorite cut of beef but this seasoning on this one was really something special! Excellent recipe!
Need to try your recipe! Looks super easy to follow and absolutely delicious!
My hubby couldn’t get enough of this prime rib!! He loved the sauce over it! It came out tender & juicy!
mmmm…this looks incredibly delicious!!
Garlic Butter Herb Prime Rib is melt in my mouth tender and juicy prime rib that is cooked to medium rare perfection and marbled with fat.
Thank you for sharing that 🙂
This recipe sounds super easy and delicious. Can’t wait to try it for Christmas. I love all your recipes. I haven’t had a failure yet .
Thank You for sharing !