A garlic-crusted Prime Rib Recipe with a trusted method for juicy, melt-in-your-mouth tender prime rib roast. Watch the video tutorial and learn how to trim, tie, wrestle (kidding), and cook a standing rib roast.
This is a stunning and holiday-worthy roast that we reserve for spe cial meals like Christmas dinner. It’s right up there with juicy Roast Turkey. Everyone should have a go-to recipe for Prime Rib Roast and this recipe doesn’t disappoint.
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Prime rib is so satisfying and pairs really well with creamy mashed potatoes and baked asparagus for the ultimate holiday feast. And don’t forget the Creamy Horseradish Sauce.
Prime Rib Video Tutorial
I hope you are super pumped to make your own prime rib roast after watching this easy tutorial.
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Prime Rib Roast Recipe
Repeat after me, “prime rib is not scary.” It’s actually very simple to prepare. Prime Rib Roast can be intimidating because it is an expensive cut of beef and is usually made for important life events or holidays, but really, this is not hard to make.
The secrets to a great prime rib are:
- Use an in-oven meat thermometer
- Don’t overcook the roast (see rule #1)
- Follow a trusted recipe (watch the video tutorial and you’ll be a pro in no time)
What Cut is Prime Rib Meat?
There are 2 grades at the grocery store; USDA prime grade and USDA choice grade. Prime grade has more fat and marbling and can be considerably more expensive per pound. If you aren’t sure, ask your butcher whether your roast is prime or choice because it isn’t always clear on the packaging and most cuts sold are actually “choice”.
See our tutorial on How to Select a Prime Rib Roast. This recipe works for either prime or choice, so go with the best you can buy.
Pro Tip: Look for bone-in prime rib, also known as a “Standing Rib Roast.” We used a 7 lb bone-in beef prime rib, but you can use larger or smaller roasts and modify the baking time per the cooking time chart below. P.S. You can use the bones later to make a Beef Stock.
How to Carve and Tie Prime Rib Roast
Pre-cutting the bones away is optional but will make carving easier when ready to serve. It’s best to do it ahead than struggle with it in front of dinner guests. Removing and re-attaching the ribs with a string doesn’t change the juiciness of the roast at all.
- Cut away the bones running your knife right along the bones.
- Replace the bones and tightly tie them right back onto your roast with kitchen string, looping the string around in 1″ intervals.
Pro Tip: A butcher can cut away the ribs and tie the roast for you (usually free of charge).
The Best Prime Rib Seasoning Rub
Combine 6 finely chopped garlic cloves, 1/2 Tbsp salt, 1/2 Tbsp black pepper, 1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary leaves, 1/2 tsp chopped fresh thyme leaves, and 3 Tbsp light olive oil. It’s even better if you let it sit for 5 minutes for the flavors to meld.
Pro Tips: Mince garlic with a knife. Do not use a garlic press as pressed garlic burns under high heat. Also, use an extra light olive oil with a high smoke point so your oven is less likely to get smokey.
How to Cook Prime Rib:
1. Season and Rest – Sprinkle meat all over with about 2 tsp salt, cover loosely with plastic wrap and let it rest on the counter for 3 hours to come to room temperature. The roast will bake more uniformly if it is near room temperature. When nearly at room temperature, Preheat the Oven to 500˚F with a rack in the lower third of the oven.
2. Pat Dry and Rub – use paper towels to pat dry the roast then use your hands to rub the garlic and herb mixture all over the top and sides of the roast. Place into a roasting pan, rib-side-down.
3. Roast – Put an oven-safe meat thermometer into the thickest portion of the meat and cook according to the Cooking Time Chart Below.
4. Rest the roast – Once out of the oven transfer to a cutting board, tent loosely with foil, and rest 30 minutes before carving. If you don’t rest the roast, it will juice out and become chewy. Remove the kitchen string and use a carving knife to slice against the grain to desired thickness
Prime Rib Cooking Time
Bake in a fully pre-heated oven at 500˚F for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 325˚F and continue baking:
- 10-12 min per pound for rare
- 13-14 min per pound for medium-rare
- 14-15 min per pound for medium
- 16-17 min per pound for medium-well
Roast until the thermometer registers:
- 115-120˚F for rare
- 125-130˚F for medium-rare
- 135-140 for medium doneness
- 145-150 for a medium-well
The internal temp of the roast will continue to rise 5-10 degrees even after it’s out of the oven so don’t over-bake it. You can put it back in the oven if you want it more done.
Pro Tip: A colder or thicker roast will take more time to cook and oven strengths can vary so a meat thermometer is super-important.
The garlic crust and initial roasting over high heat seal in the juices and make every bite of this Prime Rib roast so tender and flavorful. I learned to make a standing rib roast from my blogging friend, Elise of Simply Recipes and I am using her method for prepping and baking.
Common Questions
If you are buying a bone-in prime rib roast as the main dish, you can plan on serving 2-3 people per rib, depending on how large your menu is. If it is your only protein and main course, the rule of thumb is 1 lb per person.
You can use a boneless roast and adjust the cooking time accordingly for the weight. You will need a rack inside of your roasting pan since the ribs won’t be there to serve as a rack. Also, we do recommend still tying the roast with string for even roasting.
Serve with
Here’s a classic holiday Prime Rib Menu that will impress everyone:
- Creamy Mashed Potatoes or Au Gratin Potatoes
- Cloverleaf Rolls
- Horseradish Sauce
- Green Bean Casserole
- Roasted Cauliflower
- Homemade Stuffing
Prime Rib Recipe
Ingredients
For the Roast:
- 7 lb beef prime rib (bone-in)
- 3 1/2 tsp sea salt, divided
- 1/2 Tbsp black pepper, freshly ground
- 1 tsp fresh rosemary leaves, minced, from 1 sprig or 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
- 1/2 tsp fresh thyme leaves, mnced, from 1-2 sprigs, or 1/4 tsp dried thyme
- 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 3 Tbsp extra light olive oil
Instructions
How to Make Prime Rib:
- Cut the ribs away from the roast, cutting right along the ribs and keeping the ribs together. Replace the ribs back onto the roast and use kitchen string to tie them tightly onto the roast in 1-inch intervals.
- Sprinkle meat all over with 2 tsp salt, cover loosely with plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 3 hours to come to room temperature (it will bake more uniformly). Then preheat Oven to 500˚F with rack in the lower third of the oven.
- Make your Prime Rib rub: In a small bowl, stir together: 1/2 Tbsp salt, 1/2 Tbsp black pepper, 1 tsp minced rosemary, 1/2 tsp minced thyme leaves, chopped garlic, and 3 Tbsp olive oil.
- Lightly pat the roast dry with a paper towel then rub all over top and sides with garlic rub. Place into a roasting pan bone-side-down (the bones will serve as a rack) and put a meat thermometer into the thickest portion of the meat. Bake at 500˚F for 15 minutes.
- Reduce heat to 325˚F and continue baking following these guidelines: 10-12 min per pound for rare, or 13-14 min per pound for medium rare, and 14-15 min per pound for medium. Roast until the thermometer registers: 120˚F for rare, 130˚F for medium rare, 140 for Medium, 150 for medium well.*
- Transfer to a cutting board, tent loosely with foil and rest 30 minutes before carving. Remove string and rack of ribs then slice to desired thickness.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
Made this for Christmas with a 11.5lb prime prime rib. It was by far the best prime rib I have ever had. My kid said it tasted like the Disneyland prime rib which is a huge compliment! Won’t make one any other way from now on!
That’s so amazing! Thank you for your excellent comments and feedback!
I love this recipe, I keep coming back year after year
Absolutely stunning recipe. Perfect flavors, perfect instructions. We also made the Creamy Horseradish and Mashed Potatoes from Natasha’s website. What a wonderful Christmas dinner. The instructions for doneness were right on the mark. Will never make prime rib any other way!!! Thank you for such a great recipe with the most well written directions!!
Hello Amanda! Thank you for your kids words and great feedback. I appreciate it!
Hi Natasha, will this recipe work for a 5lb Striploin Roast? Could not get a prime rib, Thank You!
Hi Julie, I honestly have not experimented with this method using a Striploin roast. Striploin roast doesn’t have that amazing layer of fat over the top so 500˚F might be a little too hot. You might start at 450 rather than 500 and turn down the heat per the recipe after the initial high heat searing then cook to your desired doneness, checking with an oven-safe meat thermometer. If you experiment, please let me know how it goes since someone else may have the same question
Is it ok to leave the roast marinating over night with the rub?
Hi Maria, that will work. It will be more flavorful if you let it marinate overnight in the refrigerator. Just let it come to room temp for a few hours before roasting so it cooks evenly.
I am cooking a 14 lb bonless prime rib. What is the timing to cook it,
Hi Karen, please see my Prime Rib Cooking Time Chart. It really depends on the doneness you are looking for. For example, if you wanted medium-rare, you would start baking at 500˚F for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 325˚F and continue baking 13-14 minutes per pound for medium (13 minutes x 14 lbs is about 3 hours). I highly suggest using an in-oven thermometer for a roast that size to ensure it’s baked perfectly to your liking.
Natasha thank you . The prime rib turned out amazing. My family couldn’t stop talking about it.
I’m so happy to hear that!
Hello Natasia, I love your recipes and using several for our Christmas dinner. I’m serving 12 people I have 3, 4 1/2 pound roasts. My question to you is about the timing? Because it’s not one large roast but 3 smaller roasts, as far as timing would my plan to cook them as 4 1/2 lbs or longer due to more meat in the oven? Should I tie them together or leave them side by side to cook? Thoughts
Hi Mary! For even cooking, it’s best to tie them. You would bake them per their weight individually (not total weight). The baking time shouldn’t change just because you have multiple roasts in the oven if they are the same size. Just make sure there is enough room for air circulation between them so that they can cook evenly.
Thank you very much I’ll do just as you directed! Appreciate your time🥰
Hello Natasha,
I love your recipes and have tried many of them with great success. I was wondering whether I need to use a cast-iron pan for this recipe, or if a regular oven pan would work as well.
Hi Maribel! You can use another oven safe pan. I hope you love the recipe!
Hi Natasha, making this prime rib for Christmas along with salmon and chicken picatta. ( buffet). How many pounds do you think I need for 11 people?
Hi Paula! The way the recipe is written currently makes enough for about 12 people.
Can soften butter be used instead of olive oil?
Hi Stan! We use light olive oil because of its high smoke point (higher than butter). Butter would work too.
I like to serve my meat hot but when tenting any meat for 15-30 minutes, i find it gets cool. How to keep it hot without overcooking.
Hi Linda! You may use a warm oven (around 140–160 °F / 60–71 °C): Place the meat inside loosely covered with foil. It keeps it hot but won’t raise the internal temp much.
I’m confused. You say to get a bone in roast, but in the notes you tell how to remove the bone first rather than do it in front of guests. And to use a roasting rack if no bones. I’d really rather not deal with the bones, but if it is that much better, I’ll deal with them! Thanks.
Hi Karen! You can use that if you prefer. See the common questions section for using a boneless prime rib.
I need to make this the day prior to serving/ how do I reheat to maintain moisture and not overcook? We want medium.
Hi Laura! If you must make it ahead, I would Keep the roast whole—this prevents it from drying out so much when reheating. You’ll want to reheat it low and slow, let it sit at room temperature for a little while before reheating so it’s not cold. Try reheating at 250°F until it reaches your desired temperature (see step 5). Add a splash of broth to help with moisture and cover with foil.
Dumb question. Is the initial time @ 500 counted in the minutes per pound, or is it just when you reduce to 325
Great question, Liz! The 500°F stage is just to sear and create a crust. The actual cooking happens at the lower temperature so that is when you’ll start counting the minutes-per-pound time.
This is a perfect way to cook Prime Rib. I have just one additional step. 3-4 days before cooking, put the toast in a baking dish. Season heavily with salt, pepper, garlic, and onion powder. Pour a generous amount of Worsteshire sauce on top. Leave in the refrigerator uncovered for 3 days. Remove from the refrigerator and bring to room temp. (3 hours) Roast as directed.
Would you buy your prime rib roast at Costco?
Hi Claudia. That would be fine.
Hi Natasha,
I love everyone you Mahe and all your recipes are fantastic. However, on this one, I think you need to try a new cooking method. Try the reverse sear method. It’s far better! It also doesn’t leave that dark overcooked outer ring of beef!
Try this reverse sear, it’s absolutely incredible. Please promise me you’ll try it! I do this one every year at Christmas and so far, not one complaint!
Thank you,
Tracey
Hi Tracy, thank you so much for sharing!
I’ve made this recipe exactly. Everyone had seconds. It was fantastic. It’s now my recipe of choice for mybest guests.
That’s wonderful to hear, James!
Hi! I am going to make this tomorrow. Do you have a recipe for Au jus to go with it?
Hi Connie, you can try the Au Jus we made for this recipe. “https://natashaskitchen.com/french-dip-pastrami-sandwich-recipe/”
Do I cover the roast while cooking??? Making it tonight.
Hi Ronda! No, we do not cover it. I hope you love the recipe!
Nastasha , I used Yur recipe for my prime rib for Easter , Absolutly perfect. I’m making another prime rib for tonight. Thank-You. I
Make a lot of Yur recipes. Yur the Best.
Aww, that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me. I’m all smiles