Prime Rib Roast is a fantastic main dish for any special meal. This is the best prime rib roast recipe, and it’s pretty easy too! Learn how to cook prime rib roast for Christmas, Easter, or any night of the year. This is a great recipe to feed your family for several days!
Table of Contents
Prime Rib Roast Recipe
I’m sharing the best prime rib roast recipe with you to prepare for the holidays. Learn how to cook prime rib roast in the oven and start working on the perfect side dishes to go with it!
A classic roast dinner is one of my favorite meals to make throughout the winter season, especially for the holidays! This Prime Rib Roast surrounded by potatoes, veggies, and other delicious sides is just perfect for Christmas and Easter.
I think I’ve finally mastered this cut of meat, making something super juicy, tender, and flavorful. It’s the best prime rib roast recipe if you ask me, and I’m so happy to share it with you all!
Find out how to cook prime rib roast in the oven and get ready for the big feast! This makes a beautiful Sunday night dinner or a festive Christmas meal.
This slow roasted prime rib recipe is so simple and so flavorful. Make this part of your next holiday meal!
Best Prime Rib Roast Recipe for Christmas
Cooking prime rib roast is a must for Christmas! I always prefer having pork or beef for Christmas dinner rather than having turkey again. I know some people make the exact same meal for Christmas as they do for Thanksgiving, but I think having separate recipe traditions for each holiday makes them feel more special.
This slow roasted prime rib is just perfect because the flavors are SIMPLE but incredibly DELICIOUS. And while it takes time to prepare, the end result is something worth working for.
What are the best side dishes for prime rib?
There are so many amazing side dishes to consider. I think every good roast requires a potato dish, a delicious veggie dish, a good bread option, and maybe a couple other extras if you’re going for a big feast.
Here are my favorite sides:
- Best Herb Roasted Potatoes Recipe
- Sauteed Green Beans with Molasses
- Baked Butternut Squash Recipe
- Homemade Crescent Rolls
How to Cook Prime Rib Roast
Cooking prime rib roast definitely takes time and preparation, but it’s actually not that complicated. There are less than 5 ingredients, basic prep before roasting, and then the oven does the rest of the work.
How to Prep:
- Ideally, the roast will be prepped up to 48 hours in advance. I recommend a minimum of 8 hours before cooking, but if you’re really short on time, it’s not necessary.
- Leave twine in place and cut slits across the fat caps of the prime rib, then season it with salt and pepper.
- Place the roast (uncovered) in the refrigerator for 8-48 hours (if time allows).
- Take the roast out of the refrigerator about 1 hour before cooking, and preheat the oven to 200°F.
How to Cook:
- Sprinkle the meat with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and smoky paprika.
- Cook the prime rib roast at 200°F for about 3 hours. At the 3 hour mark, check the internal temperature until it reads 115°F. (Continue cooking and check the temperature again every 15 minutes until it reaches 115°F).
- Once it has reached the desired temperature, turn off the oven. Let the roast sit in the oven until it reaches your preferred doneness. (See below or check recipe card for internal temperatures).
- Remove prime rib from the oven, loosely cover it with foil, and let it rest 15-30 minutes. Set the oven to 500°F.
- 10 minute before serving, return the roast to the oven to let it brown and crisp up.
Do you cover prime rib while cooking?
When cooking prime rib roast, do not cover it. Let it cook in the oven uncovered. You will cover it loosely while it rests, but NOT while it is cooking.
What temperature is medium rare prime rib?
You should always use a meat thermometer to check internal temperatures while cooking. This is the only way to ensure you are fully cooking the meat. I find that the best way to reach your desired doneness is to turn off the oven once the internal temperature reaches 115°F, and then let the roast sit in the oven until it reaches the desired temperature.
Here is a quick internal temperature guide for prime rib roast (remove from the oven once it reaches these temps):
- Rare – 125°F
- Medium Rare – 130°F
- Medium – 135°F
Grab a free printable Meat Temperatures Chart here so you always know what temperature your meats should be!
How long does it take to slow roast prime rib?
When making slow roasted prime rib, the total cooking time depends on a few things: the size of the roast, the oven temperature (and the oven itself), and how done you prefer your meat. With this recipe, we are cooking a 6-7 pound prime rib roast at 200°F. It will need at least 3 hours to cook, and then it will require checking at 15 minute intervals until it reaches the desired temperature. Of course, the more well done you want your meat, the longer it will need to sit in the oven.
Get ready for the best prime rib roast recipe! This will surely be a holiday hit, something to add to your regular holiday traditions.
See the recipe card below for details on how to cook the Best Prime Rib Roast recipe. Enjoy!
If this prime rib roast recipe isn’t for you, try these other main dishes for the holidays instead:
- Best Beef Tenderloin Recipe
- Orange Cranberry Pork Loin Roast
- BBQ Beef Brisket Recipe
- Instant Pot Pot Roast Recipe
- St. Louis Grilled Ribs
- Sweet Tea Pork Tenderloin
- Instant Pot Honey Baked Ham Recipe
- Crock Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage
Best 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.
- 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.
- 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)
- 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
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!
Perfect every time!
The best kind of comment I can get! Thanks Bob
What a great looking roast for holiday meals! Love all the tips you added to help us cook it!
Thanks Jocelyn!
So delicious and full of flavor! YUM!
Thank you!!
So tender and perfect!
I’m so glad you loved it!
This turned out perfectly! I’m saving this recipe for next time too.
YAY! That makes me so happy.
Prime rib perfection!
Thanks so much Barbara!