Standing Rib Roast
on Nov 29, 2018, Updated Apr 16, 2023
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This is a stunner of a dish, and decadent holiday dinner party fare.
Prime Rib Roast
Prime rib, also known as Standing Rib Roast, is holiday food. It’s a the kind of dish that makes a meal into a celebration. Often these kinds of roasts are reserved for larger gatherings, or a special treat at a restaurant, often labeled Prime Rib. But you can make this in your very own home, for a small group—and if you still want this kind of lavish standing beef roast action for a family of four? Oh, the leftovers you will have. My kids might wake up before noon to get a second go round on this roast.
How to Cook a Prime Rib Roast
Start by preheating the oven to 475 degrees F. Starting the roast at a very high temperature seals in the juices, then you lower the heat for a period of time to cook the meat to just the right temperature, and finish the roast with a blast of heat to create a great crust. You don’t have to sear the roast first; sometimes that step is necessary but I’m always grateful when it’s not.
Trim the rib roast. You want some fat on it, but there is a thick layer of fat, you want to cut that off. Cut any excess fat from the bones.
Tie it up with twine if you like. This is not as important with rib-in roasts, but tying the roast with twine helps hold the shape, giving it the nice structure that makes for a beautiful presentation and helps the meat cook evenly.
Season the roast liberally with salt and pepper. Use a small sharp knife to poke small holes all over the meat and insert the garlic slivers into the holes. Place the meat, bone side down, in a roasting pan or large cast iron pan. Toss in the seasoned vegetables and some herbs.
Cook the roast for 15 minutes (do not peek at the meat during this time; the high heat needs to be uninterrupted). Turn the heat down to 350 degrees F and continue to roast for 30 minutes until a meat thermometer stuck into the very center of the roast and not near the bone registers 115 degrees F. Turn the heat back up to 475 degrees F and let it cook for another 10 minutes until it is beautifully browned on the outside.
Internal Temperatures for Standing Rib Roast
125 degrees F is rare, 130 degrees F is medium rare, 135 degrees F is medium rare. Again, for best results, use a meat thermometer. You do not want to go above 145 F — it’s kind of a waste of this cut of meat.
Using a Meat Thermometer
Standing rib roast, or prime rib, is very expensive cut of meat, and we don’t want to mess this up. The first thing I would advise – buy a good meat thermometer – this cut of meat is a little investment, and making sure you get it cooked just the way you like it and no more is well worth the purchase (especially if you cook a lot of meat). Even very seasoned cooks use to make sure their meat is cooked just as they want.
There are a variety of internal thermometers available, from ones you can check remotely to instant-read versions. Make sure the thermometer is inserted into the meat at its thickest point. Also make sure it isn’t not touching any bone, which can give you a false reading.
A good meat thermometer don’t have to cost a fortune either. I love the ThermopenOne (and again, if you think about what a good cut of meat costs, you’re really protecting your investment). If you want a more budget friendly version, the Thermopen Pop is another choice (and think about a meat thermometer as a present for any meat loving cook friend of family member):
Letting Standing Rib Roast Rest
Letting meat rest after cooking it helps the meat reabsorb the juices. The amount of resting time depends on the size of the piece of meat.
Remove the meat from the oven and transfer it to a cutting board. Tent the meat with foil to keep it warm. Let it sit for at 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to a serving platter or bowl.
Make the Au Jus for Prime Rib
Pour off all but one or two tablespoons of the fat from the roasting pan and place the roasting pan over a burner on high heat. Add the wine or broth and stir, scraping up any brown bits. Cook until the liquid is reduced by half, about 7 minutes. Transfer it to a pitcher or bowl with a spoon to pass at the table.
When the roast has sat for 10 to 15 minutes to reabsorb the juices, slice the meat. Drizzle the meat a bit of the pan sauce before serving, then pass the rest of the sauce.
Is this a gorgeous dish or what? And it’s not because of any fancy footwork on my part (or yours). When your surround a beautiful cut of meat with colorful seasonal vegetables the good looks take care of themselves.
Best Temperature to Cook Prime Rib
There are a few ways you can go. Some people sear the meat first, some cook it slow and steady, some switch from high to low heat during the roasting process. Also, make sure the oven is fully preheated to the temperature you chose before putting the meat in. After the oven “dings” indicating that it is preheated, give it another 15 minutes to make sure it’s fully preheated to the intended temperature.
I like to “sear” the prime rib roast first in a very hot (475 degrees F) oven to give it a nicely browned crust and then lowers the heat to 350 degrees F and cook it low and slow. When it’s almost done, I like to give it a final blast of heat to create a perfect crust, while keeping the inside medium rare.
This Standing Rib Roast is a stunner of a dish for a small dinner party. Serve this prime rib with seasonal vegetables.
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What to Serve with Rib Roast
This standing rib roast recipe has carrots and potatoes built right in, but you’ll want to pair it with other side dishes. Try:
- Chili Crunch Brussels Sprouts
- Spinach Salad
- Butternut Squash Casserole
- Rutabaga and Parsnip Puree
- The Best Parmesan Roasted Brussels Sprouts
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Standing Rib Roast
Ingredients
- 1 2-rib roast, about 3 to 3 ½ pounds trimmed of some of the excess fat, at room temperature
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and slivered
- 2 large carrots peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 pound baby yellow potatoes halved or Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1 ½ inch chunks
- 4 ounces cipolline or cipollini onions peeled and halved
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 fresh thyme sprigs or so
- 1 cup red wine or beef or chicken broth
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 475°F.
- Trim the rib roast and tie it up with twine if you like. Season the roast liberally with salt and pepper. Use a small sharp knife to poke small holes all over the meat and insert the garlic slivers into the holes. Place the meat, bone side down, in a roasting pan or large cast iron pan. Toss the carrots, potatoes and onions with the olive oil, season with salt and pepper and surround the roast with them. Tuck the thyme sprigs amidst everything.
- Place the roast in the oven and cook for 15 minutes (do not peek at the meat during this time; the high heat needs to be uninterrupted). Turn the heat down to 350 F and continue to roast for 30 minutes until a meat thermometer stuck into the very center of the roast and not near the bone registers 115 F (see Note). Turn the heat back up to 475 F and let it cook for another 10 minutes until it is beautifully browned on the outside. Check the internal temperature again: 125 F is rare, 130 F is medium rare, 135 F is medium rare. You do not want to go above 145 F — it’s kind of a waste of this cut of meat.
- Remove the meat from the oven and transfer it to a cutting board; tent the meat with foil to keep it warm. Transfer the vegetables to a serving platter or bowl. Pour off all but one or two tablespoons of the fat from the roasting pan and place the roasting pan over a burner on high heat. Add the wine or broth and stir, scraping up any brown bits, until the liquid is reduced by half, about 7 minutes. Transfer it to a pitcher or bowl with a spoon to pass at the table.
- When the roast has sat for 10 minutes to reabsorb the juices, slice it and moisten the meat a bit with some of the pan sauce before serving, then pass the rest of the sauce.
