Looking for that classic oven roasted prime rib roast recipe? This is the iconic beef recipe known for its tender, juicy meat that practically melts in your mouth. With a garlicky-herb crust and perfect medium-rare center, this is a dish that everyone should master.
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There’s something about a rib roast that seems so intimidating. It’s often left as a treat as a special at the finest steakhouses. But really, it’s a beef roast, like any other, and not as hard to cook as it looks. The most important thing is getting the internal temperature correct and knowing that cooking time will vary depending on the size of your bone-in roast.
With no tricky techniques needed, this prime rib recipe will give you a juicy, flavorful standing rib roast with a savory garlic-herb crust and rosy, tender meat throughout. We’re breaking down just how simple the holiday favorite standing rib roast can be. If you want to take things outside, there’s always the option for smoked prime rib, or simply a grilled prime rib. Or, if you want to get scientific, we find sous vide prime rib to be the way to get an even cook from edge to edge. But if you just want a down-home delicious rib roast, this is the method we’ve been using for years. And it never disappoints.
🥩 The Cut: What is a standing rib roast?
Often reserved for Christmas Dinner, the New Year’s feast, or for special occasions, the standing rib roast is a bone-in prime rib. Also known as a beef rib roast, this expensive cut of beef is a bigger, meatier cut of ribeye steak. You will see them at your local grocery store stocked for the holidays, or you can save pennies by trimming whole rib roast yourself.
We stock up on a few for the year when they go on sale around Christmas and use our vacuum sealer to freeze them for the next six months. If you want a particular grade, choice vs prime, or even more decadent wagyu, you may need to source it from our favorite online butcher shops.
Ingredients
We combine the prime rib ingredients with ingredients for an au jus. If you don’t want the au jus recipe, ignore everything from beef broth on.
- Bone-in standing rib roast
- Dijon mustard
- Garlic
- Fresh Rosemary
- Kosher Salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Beef broth – want to feel super fancy? Use homemade beef broth.
- Shallot
- Red Wine
- Worcestershire
- Thyme
How to cook a standing rib Roast in the oven
Take any fear you have about making the perfect bone-in rib roast recipe and toss it out the window. This recipe is so simple you are going to feel like a master chef in your kitchen when you slice into it.
- Start your prime rib 24 to 48 hours in advance for the best results. Remove it from the package and pat it very dry with paper towels. Using a sharp knife, carefully cut along the curve of the rib bones to slice the roast off of the bones. This will make slicing the roast easier when ready to serve. Score the fat cap on the top of the roast, using caution not to cut too deep into the meat.
- Then, coat the standing rib roast liberally on all sides with kosher salt, being sure to season the bones as well. Using butcher’s twine, secure the ribs back along the rib roast. Place it on a wire rack over a baking sheet, and let it air dry in the fridge overnight.
- When ready to cook, mash the garlic cloves in a small bowl with the tines of a fork. Then mix it into the mustard with the rosemary to make a paste. Rub the paste all over the entire surface area of the roast and let the prime rib stand at room temperature for one hour.
- Adjust the oven racks the middle-low position to make it easier to slide the roasting pan in and out of the oven, then preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Nestle the rib roast on a wire rack in a roasting pan, bone side down. If making au jus, add the shallots, head of garlic, thyme, and beef broth to the pan bottom of the pan.
- Place the roasting pan in the oven and cook for 20 minutes. Without opening the door, reduce the oven temperature to 315 degrees F. Allow the rib roast to cook for another 45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours, depending on how large the roast is. After 45 minutes, check the internal temperature doneness with a digital meat thermometer. Continue cooking and checking the internal temp every 10 – 15 minutes until the prime rib reaches your desired doneness, or 130 degrees F for medium rare. Remember, the internal temperature will continue to rise 5 to 10 degrees as the roast rests.
- Carefully remove the roasting pan from the oven and transfer the wire rack with the standing rib roast to a cutting board. Tent with foil and allow the roast to rest for 15 to 20 minutes before slicing into it.
- If making the au jus, while the rib rests, place the roasting pan lengthwise over two burners set to medium-high heat. Add the red wine and using a wooden spoon, scrape up any browned bits. Add in the remaining beef broth and allow it to simmer for 5 to 7 minutes. Then, add in the Worcestershire sauce and reduce the heat to medium-low, allowing the sauce to simmer gently. Right before serving, use a slotted spoon to scoop out the shallot, garlic, and thyme—season with a pinch of black pepper.
- Snip the kitchen twine and remove the bones (save them to make homemade beef broth). Then slice the prime rib into individual slices. The outer edges will be more done than the center, so serve according to everyone’s preferences. Serve with the au just for dipping in individual ramekins and season with a pinch of salt and a sprinkle of minced fresh parsley for garnish.
🔪 Girl Carnivore Expert Recipe Tip
The most important thing you can do for the best prime rib recipe is use an instant-read thermometer. That will help you guarantee perfect results. Time is less important than the temperature of the meat.
We love fresh herbs for their flavor but find that dried rosemary is perfect for getting a good herb crust on the outside of the prime rib.
Where we love a medium-rare steak temperature, we find that prime rib is best at medium, after rested, for the perfect center. This may mean that the outer slices are a little more medium-well, but this cut of beef stays juicy, and it gives the fat time to render. We find if cooked to medium-rare, the center can be a little blue.
Save and freeze the bones to make roasted bone broth later.
What to serve with Prime Rib?
When it comes to the king of cuts, the side dishes can elevate the whole dinner and make it a special occasion – no matter what time of year it is. We love pairing this with creamed leeks or our steakhouse creamed spinach, a classic baked potato, and some over-the-top indulgent smoked mac and cheese, and someday want to pair it with traditional Yorkshire pudding.
And to add even more flavor, we love serving this with our horseradish sauce.
Wine Pairing
Pair this perfectly cooked bone-in prime rib roast with a rich leggy red wine. Go with a robust Cabernet Sauvignon or a Petit Sirah.
Leftovers and Reheating
Wrap any leftover prime rib tightly in foil, with any reserved juices, and let it cool on the counter before storing it in the fridge for up to 4 days.
To reheat leftovers, preheat the oven to 325°F and place the foil-wrapped rib roast on a baking sheet. Cook in the oven until the roast is heated through. We recommend slicing off only what you need and reheating that to avoid overcooking the entire roast.
Use up leftover prime rib in any recipe that calls for slices of beef. We love it in stir-fries, in our breakfast burritos, egg scrambles, sandwiches, beef pho, beef enchiladas, steak tacos, and on top of salads.
More Prime RIb Recipes
Beef Recipes
Smoked Prime Rib on a Gas Grill
Beef Recipes
Sous Vide Prime Rib with Au Jus
Beef Recipes
Smoked Prime Rib
This is a timeless standing rib roast recipe that is the picture-perfect main dish for your holidays. Whether you’re hosting the Christmas feast or just making a romantic dinner for two, this is the one recipe every Meat Nerd should feel confident making. Roll up your sleeves and give it a try.
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Garlic Herb Prime Rib Roast in the Oven
Ingredients
For the roasted standing rib roast
- 7 lbs Bone-in standing rib roast
- 1 tbsp Kosher Salt
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 4 cloves Garlic minced
- 2 tbsp Rosemary chopped
For the Au Jus
- 1 1/2 cups Beef broth divided
- 1 head garlic
- 1 Shallot roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup Red Wine
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire
- 3 to 5 fresh Thyme sprigs
Instructions
Prep the prime rib
- Remove the rib roast from the package and pat dry with paper towels.7 lbs Bone-in standing rib roast
- Using a sharp knife, carefully cut along the curve of the rib bones to slice the roast off of the bones.
- Score the top of the fat cap with a the tip of a knife in a cross hatch pattern.
- Coat the standing rib roast liberally on all sides with kosher salt, being sure to season the bones as well.1 tbsp Kosher Salt
- Using butcher’s twine, secure the ribs back along the rib roast.
- Place it on a wire rack over a baking sheet, and let it air dry in the fridge overnight or up to 48 hours.
- In a small bowl, mash the garlic cloves in a small bowl with the tines of a fork.4 cloves Garlic
- Then mix it into the mustard with the rosemary to make a paste.2 tbsp Dijon mustard, 2 tbsp Rosemary
- Rub the paste all over the entire surface area of the roast.
- Let the prime rib stand at room temperature for one hour.
Cook the prime rib roast
- Adjust the oven racks the middle-low position.
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
- Nestle the rib roast on a wire rack in a roasting pan, bone side down.
- If making au jus, add the shallots, head of garlic, thyme, and 1/2 cup beef broth to the pan bottom of the pan.1 1/2 cups Beef broth, 1 head garlic, 1 Shallot, 3 to 5 fresh Thyme sprigs
- Place the roasting pan in the oven and cook for 20 minutes.
- Without opening the door, reduce the oven temperature to 315 degrees F.
- Allow the rib roast to cook for another 45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours, depending on how large the roast is.
- After 45 minutes, check the internal temperature doneness with a digital meat thermometer. Continue cooking and checking the internal temp every 10 – 15 minutes until the prime rib reaches your desired doneness, or 130 degrees F for medium rare. Remember, the internal temperature will continue to rise 5 to 10 degrees as the roast rests.
- Carefully remove the roasting pan from the oven and transfer the standing rib roast to a cutting board.
- Tent with foil and allow the roast to rest for 15 to 20 minutes before slicing into it.
Make the au jus
- While the rib rests, place the roasting pan, with the drippings lengthwise over two burners set to medium-high heat.
- Add in the red wine, and with a wooden spoon, scrape up any browned bits.1/2 cup Red Wine
- Add the the remaining beef broth and bring to a simmer for 5 to 7 minutes.1 1/2 cups Beef broth
- Add in the Worcestershire sauce.1 tbsp Worcestershire
- Reduce the heat to medium-low, allowing the sauce to simmer gently.
- Use a slotted spoon to scoop out the shallot, garlic, and thyme.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Carve the roast and serve
- Snip the kitchen twine and remove the bones.
- With a sharp knife, slice the prime rib into individual slices.
- Season with a pinch of salt and a sprinkle of minced fresh parsley for garnish.
- Serve with the au just for dipping in individual ramekins and enjoy immediately.
Notes
- The most important thing you can do for the best prime rib recipe is use an instant-read thermometer. That will help you guarantee perfect results. Time is less important than the temperature of the meat.
- We love fresh herbs for their flavor but find that dried rosemary is perfect for getting a good herb crust on the outside of the prime rib.
- Where we love a medium-rare steak temperature, we find that prime rib is best at medium, after rested, for the perfect center. This may mean that the outer slices are a little more medium-well, but this cut of beef stays juicy, and it gives the fat time to render. We find if cooked to medium-rare, the center can be a little blue.
- Save and freeze the bones to make roasted bone broth later.
Nutrition
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