Your new holiday tradition has arrived! There is no more special a meal than this Standing Rib Roast recipe! It is surprisingly easy to make (there are only 7 ingredients!), and cooks in less than 2 hours total. An elegant, holiday-worthy meal, perfect for cold winter days. You'll love serving this with our red wine au jus, creamy mashed potatoes, and any vegetable or salad you love most.
Ingredients
- You’ll of course want to start off with a high quality piece of beef. Look for USDA Prime Standing Rib Roast. Most of the time, butchers will have already trimmed and tied the bone-in prime rib.
- In addition to the rib roast, you’ll need the following ingredients to create the garlic herb paste:
- Fresh garlic, about 4 cloves finely chopped
- Fresh rosemary and thyme: 2 tablespoons of each
- Kosher salt and black pepper: To season the meat and bring out its natural flavors, as well as to tenderize the beef.
- Olive oil: We’re using a high quality extra virgin olive oil because we love the nutty taste, but you can use any oil you like — avocado oil, canola oil, grapeseed, etc.
About this recipe
This Standing Rib Roast makes a beautiful centerpiece to any holiday meal! Almost more important than the garlic and herb paste that gets rubbed all over the meat is reading through the recipe in its entirety upfr ont, because there’s a lot of down time in this recipe. We recommend seasoning the rib roast the night before, then allowing to sit uncovered in a fridge overnight.
Additionally, you’ll want to make sure you take the beef out of the refr igerator a couple hours before you plan to cook it. Allowing the meat to get to room temperature is a crucial step in ensuring the standing rib roast is cooked to your desired doneness (for us that’s a perfectly rosy medium-rare!).
WHAT IS PRIME RIB?
A standing rib roast — also known as a prime rib roast — is a thing of beauty! It’s a cut of beef from the center of the rib section that is known for its marbling and high fat content. When cooked properly, it becomes melt-in-your-mouth tender. The meat on a prime rib comes from the same area on the cow that NY Strips, ribeyes, and Delmonicos are cut from. Thoughts of these steaks bring one thing to mind: tender and juicy. A prime rib is no exception!
Preparation
Pat meat dry with paper towels. Removing excess moisture will help to ensure the beef develops a golden brown crust.
Season with herbs and garlic. Finely chop garlic and fresh herbs, then mix with Kosher salt, pepper, and a little bit of oil. Whisk well, then rub the mixture all over the beef.
Rest uncovered in a fridge overnight. Seasoning beef ahead of time is an important step in tenderizing the rib roast, and one that you shouldn’t skip!
Roast at a high temperature! Place the seasoned beef rib roast in a roasting pan or large skillet fat side up. This will cook for 20 minutes at high heat (475F) to help form the crust.
DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN! Lower the temperature to 325F, then continue cooking. This low and slow process of cooking — about 15 minutes per pound of meat, depending on the size of the roast — will ensure the exterior doesn’t overcook while you wait for the center to come up to temp.
Rest for at least 30 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board, then cover loosely with foil. Let the meat rest and the juices redistribute throughout so it stays nice and juicy.
Make the au jus! This is optional, you could just spoon the pan drippings over the meat, but it’s really delicious. Reduce the drippings with about 1 cup of red wine (you were already going to open that bottle to serve alongside the meat anyway!), then remove from the heat. Swirl in a couple pats of butter to make a smooth, luxurious red wine au jus for the prime rib. So good!
Slice and serve! Place the rib roast on its side, then use a sharp knife to cut the bones away from the meat. Don’t discard, there’s lots of good meat on there! It just makes it easier to cut. Turn the rib roast right side up again, then cut into ¾” thick slices. Serve with a spoonful of au jus and a sprinkle of fl aky sea salt!
PRIME RIB TEMPERATURE GUIDELINES:
Rare: 115-125F — bright red center through to the edges
Medium-rare: 125-134F — bright red center leading to rosy pink edges
Medium: 135-144F — light pink and warm throughout
Medium-well: 145-154F — very slightly pink center
Well done: 155-164F — little to no pink
