Holiday Prime Rib Roast Recipes

New dish in email today, including tips. It's not the recipe we use, but it's still a good one. Considering I can't find our recipe, I'll post a few here and see which looks best.

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Step 1: Befriend your butcher

While prime rib can be sold bone-in or boneless, a bone-in roast is the best bet for guaranteed juicy succulence. Estimate that your guests will eat about 1/2 pound per person when the roast is part of a holiday buffet, or 3/4 pound per person if it's the main course to a smaller holiday dinner.

Have your butcher order a roast in the weight range you need. If you ask for your roast trimmed and tied, your butcher will also be happy to prep the roast so you won't have to: He or she will cut the bones away from the roast, french them (i.e., trim off the meat around the edges to make that classic "handle" shape) and remove excess fat before tying the bones back to the roast. There will still be about one inch of fat on the roast after it's been trimmed and tied.

Step 2: Get your rub on

Whether you want to go classic with salt and pepper or bring extra flavors to the party, rubbing the meat with salt, spices and herbs is the key to giving your roast that traditional crackling, seared and delicious crust.

Either the night before or at least 2 hours prior to cooking your prime rib, rub the roast all over with olive oil, and generously sprinkle it with one of the following seasoning blends:

- 1/4 cup black pepper and 1/4 cup kosher salt (Grab a canister of Morton's or Diamond kosher salt; the larger salt crystal size will make for a better crust on the meat than you'd get from regular table salt.)

or
- 2 tablespoons black pepper, 2 tablespoons kosher salt, 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar, 1 tablespoon dried oregano and 1 teaspoon smoked or sweet paprika

or

- 2 tablespoons black pepper, 2 tablespoons kosher salt, 2 tablespoons herbes de Provence and 2 large minced garlic cloves

or

- 2 tablespoons black pepper, 2 tablespoons kosher salt, 1 tablespoon dried thyme or 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, 1 tablespoon dry mustard and the zest of 2 lemons

or

- 2 tablespoons black pepper, 2 tablespoons kosher salt, 2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary and 2 large minced garlic cloves

If you're seasoning it in advance, place the roast uncovered in the refrigerator overnight, then let it come to room temperature for two hours before you put it in the oven.

Step 3: Take the roast's temperature

When it comes time to cook the roast, don't just follow your nose or rely on time alone to judge when the meat is cooked properly. For a perfectly cooked prime rib, buy a digital meat thermometer. Whether it's a probe version that stays inside the meat as it roasts, or a removable stick version, it provides complete accuracy and prevents overcooking.

To cook: Preheat your oven to 450˚F for at least 30 minutes while the prime rib comes to room temperature.

Place the roast in a high-sided roasting pan bone-side down. The bones create a natural roasting rack for the meat, so don't worry if you don't have one.

Cook the roast for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F. Continue to cook the roast until your meat thermometer reads 110 degrees F. Estimate about 15 minutes of cooking time per pound of prime rib.

Once the thermometer hits its target temperature, remove the roast from the oven and let it rest for 20 minutes. The roast will continue to cook as the juices inside settle, raising the internal temperature to 130 degrees for a perfect medium-rare prime rib.

Snip the tied bones off the roast, slice and serve to appreciative friends and family!




Cook time: 2 hours
Prep time: 15 minutes
Servings: 8-10

Ingredients

2 tablespoons black pepper
2 tablespoons kosher salt (Diamond or Morton's brand)
2 large garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary
1 4-rib prime rib roast
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil



Preparation

Season the prime rib at least 2 hours prior to cooking:

Whisk the pepper, salt, garlic, and rosemary together in a bowl. Rub the prime rib on all sides with the oil, then generously sprinkle the herb and spice rub on all sides, pressing it into the meat with your hands. If prepping the prime rib the night before you plan to roast it, place it in a casserole dish or other large rimmed pan and loosely cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight. Let the prime rib come to room temperature for 2 hours before you put it in the oven. Roast the prime rib:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F for at least 30 minutes while the prime rib comes to room temperature. Place the prime rib bone-side down in a high-sided roasting pan, using the bones as a natural roasting rack for the meat. Cook the roast for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F. Continue to cook the roast uncovered until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the roast reads 115 degrees F for a finished medium-rare prime rib or 125 degrees F for a finished medium prime rib. Estimate about 15 minutes of cooking time per pound of prime rib. Once the thermometer hits its target temperature, remove it from the oven and let it rest for 20 minutes. The roast will continue to cook as the juices inside settle, raising the internal temperature to 130 degrees F to be served medium-rare or to 140 degrees F to be served medium. If the rib bones are still attached to the roast, use a carving fork to stabilize the roast while guiding your knife along the curve of the bones. Or simply snip the twine holding the bones onto the roast and remove. Slice the roast as thickly or thinly as you prefer and serve.