How to Cook Prime Rib

If you want to know how to cook prime rib, you've come to the right place. This is probably my all time favorite meal, and I've made it too many times to count. I know it can seem intimidating, but I promise you, with the right know-how and equipment, it's actually pretty easy.

Prime rib is one of of those show-stoppers for your table, which makes it perfect for the holidays. This has been my family's go-to for Christmas since we figured out that turkey is like the worst possible option (don't @ me. It's fine, but there are so many better options).

Learning how to cook prime rib isn't super difficult. There's a couple of key tips and tricks along the way, and once you've nailed that, you're going to be good to go.

So, buckle in because we're going to do this step-by-step to ensure this turns out perfect for you every time.

Check out the web story here.

Jump to:

• Frequently asked Questions
• Why You're Going to Love this Recipe
• What is Prime Rib?
• Prime Rib vs. Ribeye
• Internal Cooking Temperature
• How Long do you Cook it For
• How Much Prime Rib do You Need Per Person?
• Ingredients
• How to Cook Prime Rib
• Tips & Tricks
• What to Serve with It
• Other Impressive Entrees
• 📖 Recipe

Frequently asked Questions

Why You're Going to Love this Recipe

• In my opinion, this is straight up one of the most crowd-pleasing, show-stopping entrees out there. There will be no one at your table who isn't impressed with this dish.
• It actually is easy, I promise. I do understand it can be intimidating. This is an expensive cut of meat, and if you overcook it - it's not great. But that's not going to happen, so don't worry.
• It's perfect for the holidays.
• It makes the best beef gravy EVER. But you don't even have to make the gravy, you can also serve it with a simple au jus made from pan drippings.

What is Prime Rib?

Prime rib is an amazing cut of roast beef that comes from the beef rib primal cut. It's usually roasted with the bone-in (which is 100% how I recommend it, the flavor is just phenomenal).

The word prime actually comes from the grade, or the designation of the steak. Typically to be labelled as prime, there has to be a good amount of fat and marbling in the meat itself. More fat = more flavor.

The other thing that's taken into consideration is the age of the cow. Usually, younger cows provide more tender meat, so prime rib often comes from cows that are less that 2.5 years old.

If the meat doesn't meet the "prime" criteria, then it's called standing rib roast, or a rib-eye roast.

Prime Rib vs. Ribeye

Prime rib and rib-eye steaks are cut from the same primal cut of beef - but the difference comes in how they are prepared, and the way in which they're cut. Rib-eye steaks are much thinner, and are often cooked over high heat and a short cook time. Prime rib, on the other hand, is usually a large roast that is slow-cooked over lower heat.

Internal Cooking Temperature

Here's the temperatures you're looking for at all levels of doneness:

Rare: 125°F

Medium-Rare: 135°F

Medium: 145°F

Medium-Well: 150°F

Well-Done: 160°F

Note: it's extremely important you take the roast out of the oven BEFORE the temperature hits whatever doneness you're looking for. I typically take mine out of the oven at 112F for rare. The meat will continue to cook while it's resting, and you definitely end up 10 degrees hotter by the end.

How Long do you Cook it For

This depends on a couple of things - how hot your oven is, how big your roast is, and the final doneness you want.

Here's what I recommend, while cooking your prime rib at 325 ° F.

Rare: 10-11 minutes per pound

Medium-Rare: 12-13 minutes per pound

Medium: 14-15 minutes per pound

Medium-Well: 15-16 minutes per pound

Well-Done: 16-17 minutes per pound

Please keep in mind that this is just a guideline. The best way to know if the prime rib is done to your liking is by using a meat thermometer.

Also - I really don't recommend cooking this particular cut of meat more than medium. The meat is going to be really tough, and you won't necessarily get the full experience of the prime rib.

How Much Prime Rib do You Need Per Person?

The rule of thumb for bone-in prime rib is that you need about one pound per person. But, keep in mind how big the rest of the meal is, and how many sides you plan to serve. You might be able to get away with half a pound (especially for big holiday meals).

Ingredients

The ingredients for prime rib are incredibly simple. I love just rubbing it with salt and pepper, but you can also use your favorite steak rub.

Here's what you need:

• Bone-in prime rib
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper

How to Cook Prime Rib

We'll go through this step-by-step, but really, there aren't to many of them.

Also, I love searing my prime rib first in my cast iron, then cooking it directly in that pan. If you'd prefer to roast it the whole time, I'll go over that below.

Step 1: Season

Season your prime rib LIBERALLY with salt and pepper. I'm serious. Go IN with the salt and pepper on this. I can almost guarantee you will not over salt this roast.

Step 2: Sear

Sear the meat on all sides. I like to start with the fattiest part of the roast, just to make sure there's enough going on in there that the sides don't stick.

Your pan should be screaming hot before you even think about putting the prime rib in it. The oil should basically be smoking. Let it sear for about three minutes per side, until deeply golden brown.

• 

• 

• 

Step 3: Roast

If you can, stand the roast back up (if you're using bone-in, then you should be able to do this. The bones act like a natural roasting rack).

Put it in the oven at 325F. See the cook times to get your exact timing, depending on the size of your roast.

This roast was just over five pounds, and I wanted rare to medium-rare. I ended up cooking it for about an hour. I started checking the temperature 15 minutes before that though, to ensure I didn't overdo it.

Step 4: Rest

Let the meat rest on a wire cooling rack over top of a baking sheet for at least 10 minutes. This would be the perfect time to make your au jus, gravy, or any other type of sauce you'd like.

Step 5: Carve & Serve

How to Roast in the Oven without Searing

This is also very simple: here's what you're gonna do. Preheat your oven to 500F.

Place your prime rib in a roasting pan, and roast at 500F for 15 minutes.

After those 15 minutes, the prime rib should be nice and brown on the top. Turn the oven down to 325F and finish cooking as usual.

Tips & Tricks

• Let the meat come up to room temperature before you cook it. Take it out of the fridge at least a couple of hours before you plan on starting the cooking process.
• You have to use a meat thermometer. This is truly the only way to tell if it's done. There's just no way around it - and they're pretty inexpensive.
• You need to take the roast out of the oven when the thermometer says it's 10 degrees under where you want it. The meat will keep cooking as it rests, so if you let it hit the final cook temperature in the oven, it's going to be way over by the time you slice it.
• Let it rest for at least 10 minutes after it comes out of the oven.

What to Serve with It

I've made this meal SO MANY times over the years - so I know my way around how to serve it. First up, you want a beautiful bottle of full-bodied Barolo or Cabernet Sauvignon.

Serve it alongside Brussel's sprouts with bacon, classic green bean casserole, and Boursin mashed potatoes.

This is also a great meal to pair with gravy and Yorkshire pudding, if you're feeling ambitious! I think it would also be amazing with this mushroom sauce, if you want something a little different.

Other Impressive Entrees

📖 Recipe