This Prime Rib Roast recipe lets the flavor of high-quality beef shine through for an impressive main dish. You only need a few ingredients to cook this standing rib roast in the oven, and it will come out so tender and flavorful. Serve it for any holiday or special occasion and impress your dinner guests!
What’s in this Standing Rib Roast Recipe
This is the simplest ingredients list you’ll find for a main dish. It’s all about high-quality beef and some seasonings–you don’t need much to make it taste amazing!
- Prime Rib Roast: When selecting a roast, plan for 1 rib for very 2 people, or a little under 1 pound per person. For the best quality, make sure there is plenty of visible marbling (aka fat)–you want the extra flavor and juiciness it adds.
- Seasonings: You’ll need salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and smoky paprika to season the prime rib.
- Serving Sauce: The brandy sauce in the recipe card is my favorite to serve with this roast, but you can use something else. Horseradish, au jus, Bearnaise, mustard cream sauce, or a creamy mushroom sauce are all good options.
Tips!
When making a recipe like this and you really want to wow, I recommend heading to your local butcher instead of making the typical grocery store run. They’ll have high-grade cuts and can help you select the best option for your meal.
Prime Rib Temperature Chart
Check the chart below to find out what the internal temperature will be for each level of doneness. I recommend cooking your rib roast to medium-rare for juicy, tender, delicate flavor!
- Rare: 125°F
- Medium Rare: 130°F
- Medium: 135°F
- Well Done: 140F
Note, you should pull the roast out of the oven about 5 degrees before the desired temperature because it will continue to rise as it rests.
Let it cook in the oven uncovered. You will cover it loosely while it rests, but not while it is cooking.
Yes, these are the same cut of meat, so the terms will be used interchangeably.
Yes, or close to it. Remove the roast from the fridge and let it sit out at room temperature for an hour before putting it in the oven.
Check the internal temperature chart above. You’ll want to pull the roast from the oven about 4-8 degrees before it hits your desired temp because it will continue to rise while it rests.
Yes! It it one of the most tender cuts of beef.
Once in the oven, it will take about 3-4 hours to cook, depending on whether you prefer rare, medium rare, or well done beef.
Yes! Ideally, you’ll salt up to 48 hours before cooking, but I recommend doing it at least overnight (8 hours). This gives salt time to penetrate the surface of the meat, which will make it much more flavorful.
This 7 pound rib roast will serve up 8-10 people.
How to Store Leftovers
Let prime rib cool before storing. I recommend only cutting slices as you serve, so you should have most of your roast intact when it comes time to store leftovers. Fully wrap it in plastic wrap, then store in the fridge up to 5 days.
Cut and reheat slices in the oven as you need them. The beef makes for great sandwiches if you aren’t planning for another formal dinner in the following days.
Can you Freeze Prime Rib?
Yes! Tightly wrap it in plastic wrap, then wrap in aluminum foil for an extra layer of protection. If it’s already cut into slices, place them in a freezer-safe bag to store. Otherwise, place the wrapped roast in the freezer as is.
Freeze it up to 3 months, then defrost in the fridge before heating and serving.
What to Serve with Prime Rib Roast
With this roast at the center of the table, you can’t go wrong no matter what sides you choose. I love to serve it with Instant Pot scalloped potatoes or parmesan creamed potatoes and plenty of veggies. I like it with these creamy green beans or Air Fryer roasted vegetables. It will also taste great with these creamy garlic mushrooms, and you can round out the meal with homemade dinner rolls.
If you make this recipe be sure to upload a photo in the comment section below or leave a rating. Enjoy! You can also jump to recipe.
Prime Rib Roast Recipe
Ingredients
- 7 lbs Prime Rib Roast 3-4 ribs or 6-7 pounds
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Garlic powder
- Smoky Paprika
- Brandy Peppercorn Sauce for serving, see note. (click for recipe)
Instructions
- The roast is best if prepared 8-48 hours ahead.
- When ready to cook the roast, heat oven to 200°F.
- Spray a V-rack (that will fit in a large roasting pan) or a wire rack (that will fit in or across a rimmed baking sheet) with nonstick cooking spray.
- Leave the twine in place and score (cut slits across) the fat-cap with a sharp knife.
- Generously season roast with kosher salt and pepper and place the roast, fat-cap up, on the prepared V-rack or wire rack.7 lbs Prime Rib Roast, Kosher salt, Freshly ground black pepper
- If time allows, place the prepared roast, uncovered, in the refrigerator overnight or up to 48 hours before roasting. This will allow the salt to penetrate the meat more thoroughly and will improve browning.
- When ready to cook the roast, remove it from the refrigerator 1 hour before cooking.
- Sprinkle with more kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper, garlic powder and smoky paprika.Garlic powder, Smoky Paprika
- Place the roast in the oven and cook until the center of roast registers 115°F. Begin checking the internal temperature at 3 hours and then every 15 minutes, thereafter, until it reaches the desired temperature.
- Turn off the heat and leave the roast in the oven until it reaches 125°F (rare) on an instant-read thermometer, 130°F (medium-rare), 135°F (medium).
- Remove roast from the oven and tent loosely with foil. Allow it to rest 15-30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, set the oven to 500°F.
- About 10 minutes before serving, remove the foil, sprinkle the roast with freshly ground black pepper and place the roast back in the oven. Cook until it is beautifully browned and a little crisp on the outside.
- Transfer the roast from the oven, cut the twine holding it together and remove the bones.
- Serve immediately Homemade Horseradish Sauce or Brandy Peppercorn Sauce (see note for link)Brandy Peppercorn Sauce
- Enjoy!
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Becky’s tips
Nutrition Information
OMGosh! THis was divine! REally divine. Very easy and beautiful. I followed the recipe as is and would not change a thing. I was skeptical with the cooking method but it worked and was perfect! I have been cooking prime rib for Christmas for 30 years. THis was our favorite recipe!!!! I will use it again and again. Thank you for sharing. One thing I would say is you really need to plan ahaed with your time! IWe had to eat and hour later than scheduled because I needed to start an hour earlier. Thank you for sharing Becky. THis soooo easy and succulent!
Thank you so much for your kind words, Susan! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I bought a Prime Rib w/ no bone! Do I adjust the cooking temperature or just the time for baking? Thank You!!
Just make sure it gets to the right temp!
Question: the roast is cooked uncovered
Step 7 you add foil!
Excellent flavor….highly recommend trying it!!
Thanks for stopping by and sharing, John!
Thank you so much! The Roast was great!
Thank you!
You are quite welcome, Melvin!
I read that in these pictures you surrounded the rib with potatoes and veggies. Could you be a little more specific on what vegetables? Looks amazing!
Whatever veggies you think taste best with your prime rib! I love potatoes and carrots!
Looks like some different vegetables in the picture in this post so was trying to figure that out. Like are those little pearl onions? Some of the picture looks like mushrooms? I love mushrooms- would they get too mushy?
Delish!
Thanks, Andrea!! I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Can this be made in a slow cooker?
Yes, absolutely!
excellant very moist great recipe thank you!!
You’re welcome, Valerie! I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Have not tried your recipe (YET), but would like to share my prime rib recipe…This recipe takes a little effort from your favorite meat monger… we raise our own animals for consuming… and have a great rapport with our butcher… I request the chine bone (where the backbone attaches to the ribs) be removed. I also request the ribs and lifter (fat) be cut loose, but remain with the eye. I have butcher twine at home, if you don’t ask for a good length from your butcher. Let the meat set out prior to cooking (as always). Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. I take and season the eye with a mix of my favorite seasoning (this consists of a blend of salt, pepper, smoked hot paprika, smoked sweet paprika, onion flakes), I also add chopped garlic, basil, and whatever else I feel like adding. After seasoning the eye, set the eye back onto the ribs, then drape the lifter over the top. Using the twine, I tie it all together (usually one wrap per rib). I then take a disposable roasting pan and add about ¼ inch of water in the bottom. Cover the water with the same depth of rock salt. I then place the trussed up prime rib in the center of the pan onto the rock salt. I take heavy aluminum foil and build a wall around the prime rib. I then cover the prime rib with rock salt (using the dam to keep the salt on the sides). I push in a thermometer prior to placing in the oven. Place the prime rib into the oven then go and enjoy some football. The magic that transpires in the oven is that the heat causes the water to wick up and the salt becomes a crust around your prime rib (super YUM). Remove the prime rib once the thermometer reads just over rare (the meat continues cooking as it rests). If you want to ruin a tasty dinner, you can cook it longer, just be aware that it continues cooking as it rests, so definitely remove it a step prior to the level of doneness you want). Set on the stove, and regardless of how incredibly hard it is, LEAVE IT ALONE for 15- 20 minutes. After not touching for the required time, remove the aluminum foil dam. Crack off the crust and cut the twine. Fold back the lifter, lift the eye onto a cutting board and slice to the desired thickness. For those who like to indulge their deeper carnivorous sides, you can slice between the bones and gnaw on some calcium. This prime rib is cooked low and slow, gives it time to become a dinner to enjoy… Gary Harris
That sounds amazing!