Holiday Prime Rib Roast Recipe - Standing Rib Roast Made Easy

Celebrate the season with a savory Holiday prime rib roast recipe! This isn't just any cut of meat - it's a perfect prime rib roast recipe designed to transform your Christmas dinner or special occasion into an unforgettable feast!

With a glorious, golden crust giving way to melt-in-your-mouth, juicy perfection. This dish is more than just food; it's the best way to celebrate togetherness and memories in the making. Print your recipe card below!

Simple Ingredients

• 1 - 8 pound roast (Look for prime grade at the grocery store)
• 1 tablespoon course salt
• 1 ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dry minced garlic or 3 fresh garlic cloves minced.
• 1 teaspoon dry thyme
• 1 teaspoon dry rosemary

Equipment

• instant-read meat thermometer
• roasting pan
• small bowl
• cutting board
• sharp carving knife
• serving platter
• plastic wrap or air tight container for leftover prime rib.

How to Make Holiday Prime Rib Roast

1. Prime the Roast: Pat the prime rib roast dry with paper towels and let it come to room temperature for 1-2 hours. This ensures even cooking throughout.
2. Trim excess fat if needed. Trim excess fat outside of the roast in needed. Be conservative here, fat is flavor! 
3. Craft the Crust: In a small bowl, combine the salt, pepper, garlic, thyme, and rosemary. Rub the herb mixture generously all over the entire roast, getting into all the nooks and crannies for maximum flavor.
4. Sear Crust: Preheat your oven to the high temperature of 500°F (260°C). Place the roast, fat-side up, on a wire rack set in a roasting pan. Sear the roast for 15 minutes, creating a stunningly bronzed crust.
5. Slow and Steady Wins the Race: Reduce the oven to a lower temperature of 250°F (120°C). Continue roasting the prime rib for 2-3 hours of cook time, until the internal temperature reaches 125°F (52°C) for medium-rare. (I cooked mine to 129 degrees F for a medium roast) Remember, the temperature will rise a few degrees during resting, so aim slightly lower (5-10 degrees lower) than your desired doneness.
6. Rest Time: Remove the roast from the oven and tent it loosely with aluminum foil. Let it rest for 20-30 minutes on a cutting board or platter. This allows the juices to redistribute, resulting in incredibly moist and flavorful slices.

Resting Roast

Don't Carve Too Soon! Unleash the Juicy Potential of Your Prime Rib by Resting it Right

The secret weapon to this dream isn't just the cooking, but a crucial step often overlooked: resting. Resting your prime rib after it leaves the oven is the magic touch that transforms a good roast into a truly exceptional one.

Why is resting so important? Cooking causes muscle fibers in the meat to contract, pushing out those delicious juices. Slice too soon, and those juices end up on your cutting board, leaving your prime rib dry and lacking flavor.

Resting gives those juices a chance to come back home. As the internal temperature cools, the muscle fibers relax, reabsorbing those precious juices back into the meat. This translates to:

• Flavor Explosion: Each bite is a concentrated burst of deliciousness.
• Melt-in-Your-Mouth Tenderness: Relaxed muscle fibers equal unbelievably tender slices.
• Juicy Perfection: Resting prevents juices from escaping, keeping your roast beautifully moist.

Mastering the Resting Ritual:

1. Take it Out: When your prime rib reaches 5-10°F below your desired doneness, say goodbye to the oven. For medium rare (130°F), aim for 120-125°F.
2. Tent it Up: Loosely cover your roast with foil to create a cozy tent. This traps heat and helps maintain even resting.
3. Find a Warm Spot: Let meat rest on a cutting board, platter, or wrapped-in-towel baking sheet. This keeps the heat going and ensures even resting.
4. Patience is Key: Give your prime rib at least 20-30 minutes to rest, depending on size. Remember, the internal temperature will still rise a few degrees (thanks, carryover cooking!), so factor that in.
5. Slice & Savor: After resting, grab your sharpest carving knife and slice against the grain for maximum tenderness. Every bite will be a juicy, flavorful triumph!

Bonus Tip: While your prime rib rests, whip up a delicious au jus with the pan drippings. It's the perfect dipping sauce and takes your culinary creation to the next level!

Level of Doneness

This prime rib roast was cooked to an internal temperature of 129°F then rose to 139 degrees F, and is considered medium.

Here's a breakdown of the different doneness levels for prime rib roast after resting time:

• Rare Prime Rib: 120-125°F (mostly red interior with pink edges)
• Medium rare: 130-135°F (pink with a deeper, nearly red center)
• Medium Doneness: 135-140°F (mauve, uniformly colored interior)
• Medium well: 140-145°F (slightly pink in the center)
• Well done: 145°F+ (no pink)

Medium rare (130-135°F) is considered the ideal doneness for prime rib roast as it retains the most moisture and flavor. At this temperature, the meat will be mostly pink with a slightly firm texture. For a medium rare roast it's finished roasting at 120-125 degrees F and the internal temp rises to 130-135 while resting.

The internal temperature will continue to rise by a few degrees even after you remove the roast from the oven, due to carryover cooking. So, if you want your prime rib to be perfectly medium rare (130°F), take it out of the oven when it reaches 125°F and let it rest for about 20-30 minutes before carving!

Slice & Serve

Now that your prime rib boasts a perfect crust and juicy interior, it's rested for at lest 20 minutes and time to slice it!

Technique matters here. Follow these steps for tender, even slices that will have you swooning:

1. Grab a sharp carving knife: a chef's knife or meat slicer works wonders. A steady cutting board and a serving platter complete your battle station.
2. Remove the rib bones. Use a sharp knife to cut along the bone line, separating it from the meat. This allows for easier slicing and even thickness.
3. Against the Grain: Look for the direction of the muscle fibers (long, thin lines) and slice perpendicularly, creating short, bite-sized pieces that melt in your mouth. Imagine sawing against the grain, not with it.
4. Aim for ½-inch to ¾-inch slices for a classic prime rib experience. Remember, thicker slices take longer to chew, while thinner ones can dry out more easily. Adjust based on your preference.
5. Presentation Perfection: As you slice, arrange the meat on your serving platter, creating a mouthwatering display. Alternate the fatty and leaner pieces for balanced bites.

Holiday Prime Rib Roast Tips

Choose wisely: Opt for a bone-in roast for extra flavor and juiciness. Aim for 1-1.5 pounds per person to account for bone weight and leftovers.

Thaw it out: Never cook frozen prime rib! Thaw it slowly in the refrigerator for 2-3 days per pound. Patience is key for even cooking.

Make a pan sauce: Don't waste those delicious drippings! Deglaze the pan with broth or wine and simmer for a rich, flavorful sauce to complement your creation.

Recipe Card

If you tried this recipe, I’d love 5 stars! Let me know how it turned out in the comments! And tag me on Instagram with your Roast!

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