A delicious and easy Prime rib recipe that is perfect for a holiday get together. Slathered in herbed butter, this rib roast is always a crowd pleaser.

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Prime Rib is a Christmas tradition in our home. Every year we have a beautifully roasted Prime Rib for Christmas Dinner and absolutely everyone looks forward to it.

Since this is an expensive cut of beef, it can be a little intimidating to cook. However, thanks to this super simple step by step recipe you will have a perfectly cooked Rib Roast every single time.

What is special about prime rib?

Prime Rib is a very tender cut of meat that is marbled with fat making it incredibly flavorful. It is rich, creamy, and one of our favorite cuts of beef.

How Much Prime Rib do you need?

A good rule of thumb is 1/2 lb – 3/4 lb per person if you are serving a few different sides with the roast (like we typically do at Christmas) or 1 lb per person if you won’t have many sides.

Bone-in or Boneless Prime Rib?

Bone-in rib roasts are typically going to be more flavorful than boneless and cook better for this recipe. You can make due with a boneless rib roast as well, it might cook a little quicker than a bone-in roast.

How long do I cook my prime rib?

This 100% depends on how large your roast is. A smaller roast will cook faster than a large one. When we are cooking our prime rib we always shoot for an internal temperature of 130F after resting. This makes the center a perfect medium rare, while the outer edges are a touch closer to the medium side. For this recipe we cook the roast at a high heat for 5 minutes per pound and then turn off the oven for 2 hours with the roast inside the oven. DO NOT OPEN THE DOOR during this time. You want all the heat trapped in the oven.

I always recommend using a meat thermometer when cooking Prime Rib. This just helps to lessen the worry of having under or over cooked meat. My hands down favorite is the Meater wireless thermometer, but I also have this wired meat thermometer that is great for monitoring the internal temperature without opening the oven. For a perfect medium rare make sure to remove the roast from the oven between 125F – 130F, as the meat will continue cooking 5 degrees when resting.

I can’t find Prime Rib at my store!

Typically Prime Rib will be labeled Rib Roast at the grocery store. Prime is the meat grade given. If you are on a budget look for a Rib Roast that is graded as Choice. This will still give you a flavor packed cut, with a less expensive price tag. Learn more about Beef Grading if you want to feel more confident when shopping for beef at the grocery store.

Ingredients

Rib Roast – if you are looking in the meat department Prime Rib will usually be labeled rib roast, so look for that! You can choose prime grade or choice grade, both will result in a great roast.
Butter – unsalted or salted butter works, usually I have salted butter on hand.
Peppercorns – use whole peppercorns and crush them. They pack more flavor than preground pepper.
Thyme and Rosemary – fresh herbs add fresh flavor to the roast
Sea Salt – course ground salt is preferred, it gives a really nice crust to the roast.
Garlic – fresh minced if possible.

How to Cook the Perfect Prime Rib

2-4 hours before cooking remove rib roast from fridge to come up to temperature.
Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.
In a small bowl combine softened butter, chopped peppercorns, chopped thyme, chopped rosemary, sea salt, and minced garlic. Mix to combine.
Evenly spread butter mixture over top of roast (fatty side up).
Place onto a roasting rack and cook in preheated oven for 20 minutes. (If your roast is a different size, multiply the weight of the roast by 5 minutes) This gives a perfect medium rare roast.
When the time is up turn off the oven and leave the roast in the oven with the door closed for 2 hours. DO NOT OPEN THE DOOR during this time.
After 2 hours you should see that the internal temperature is now 130F for a perfect medium rare. However, due to the nature of roasts, the outer edges will be a little more cooked for those in the group that prefer a more medium cooked roast.
Remove the roast from the oven, cover with foil, and allow to rest for 30 minutes before slicing.

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