Our Christmas dinner has taken a delicious turn this year, with a Prime Rib Roast stepping in as the new star, replacing the long-standing turkey and ham. How did we get here? It all began with an offhand comment that snowballed into my wife crafting a scheme worthy of Wile E. Coyote. Before I knew it, I was in charge of the entire meal.
Determined to rise to the challenge, I dove into research on rubs, oils, and herbs. Ultimately, we discovered that our favorite seasoning was delightfully simple—and it never fails to earn compliments.
What Exactly Is a Prime Rib Roast?
Contrary to what the name might suggest, “prime” rib doesn’t always mean it’s from prime-grade beef. The term refers to its origin on the animal—the “primal cut” from the 7-rib section (#6-#12). This includes the four longest ribs, often used for tomahawk steaks or bone-in roasts. The finest prime rib roasts, however, come from well-marbled, prime-grade beef. Buy your roast from a trusted butcher to ensure you get real, prime grade beef.
Prime rib is also called a standing rib roast, thanks to the way it’s cooked—with the ribs positioned underneath, serving as a natural roasting rack. This setup, combined with the fat cap on top, creates a self-basting effect that results in incredibly juicy, flavorful meat.
The New Tradition
Prime rib is the pinnacle of beef, majestic enough for any special occasion. It has become the centerpiece of our holiday table, a tradition we now eagerly anticipate each year.
Prime Rib Roast
Slow Roasted Standing Prime Rib Beef
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 65
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Ingredients
Order 8-12 oz per person
- 6 lb bone-in prime rib roast, using prime beef
- 4 whole garlic cloves
- 2 fresh rosemary sprigs – mince and reserve the leaves
- 4 additional whole, fresh rosemary sprigs
- 2 TBL salt
- 3 TBL fresh, coarsely ground black pepper
- Horseradish sauce on the side
Note: Buy a sprig of rosemary at your garden center and plant it in a large flower pot. It grows like a weed and can’t be killed unintentionally. It will last forever and you will have a constant supply of fresh rosemary!
Instructions
- Mix the minced rosemary, salt and pepper
- Divide it in half and coat the roast on all sides, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator overnight
- Remove from the fridge 4 hours before cooking and let it come to room temperature
- Pre heat the oven to 500 degrees
- Remove the wrap, pat the meat dry with paper towels and re-coat with the remaining salt, pepper and rosemary mix
- Spray your roasting pan with pam to ease the cleanup and place the roast bones down into the pan
- Smash the garlic and tuck it and the rosemary sprigs around the roast
- Flash bake for 30 minutes at 500 – there will be smoke!
- Reduce the oven temp to 320 and cook until the internal temp reaches 135, about 1-1/4 hours (12 minutes per pound) This yields medium well done end cuts, transitioning to medium rare in the center and please a wide range of guests. Adjust the temp up or down to your own preferences.
- Monitor the temperature. I use a remote probe that warns me when I’m near my target temperature and makes this almost foolproof. If you’re cooking too fast crack open the oven door to slow things down a bit.
- Remove the roast from the oven when you reach the target temperature and tent it under aluminum foil. Let it rest for 30 minutes and give the juices time to re-incorporate into the beef before carving
- Place on a cutting board, cut the ties with scissors and slice into 1/2″-3/4″ servings
- Serve with horseradish sauce on the side
Notes
Prime Rib Roasting Planner
To ensure dinner is on time I created this worksheet. Enter dinnertime at the bottom and work your way up to the start. Don’t forget to modify the cooking time for the actual weight of your roast!
Start Time __________ Remove from Fridge: 3 hours
____________ Preheat oven: 20 minutes
____________ Flash cook @ 500: 30 minutes
____________ Lower oven temp to 320: 12 minutes X _____ lbs
____________ Remove from oven to rest: 30 minutes
Dinnertime __________