Christmas dinner · adapted traditional recipe
Standing Rib Roast (Prime Rib) for Christmas
A bone-in standing rib roast, salted a day ahead and cooked low and slow so it is evenly pink from edge to edge. With a time per pound, thermometer targets and a rest that gives you the oven back for the sides.
An adaptation of a traditional recipe, written in our own words. Ovens vary, so go by the doneness signs as well as the times.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 3 hr 45 min
- Total
- 5 hr
- Makes
- 8 servings (a 7 lb, 3-rib bone-in roast)
Ingredients
- 7 lbbone-in standing rib roast (prime rib), 3 ribs, trimmed, bones tied on or cut off and tied back
- 2 tbspkosher salt, about 1 tsp per pound of meat
- 1 tbspblack pepper, freshly ground
- 4 clovesgarlic, minced
- 2 tbspfresh thyme and rosemary, chopped, combined
- 2 tbspolive oil
Method
- 1
One day ahead, pat the roast dry and rub the kosher salt all over, including the ends and between the bones. Set it on a rack over a tray, uncovered, in the fridge for 18 to 24 hours. The salt seasons the meat and dries the surface for a better crust.
- 2
On the day, take the roast out of the fridge 1 hour before cooking (2 hours at most). Heat the oven to 250°F. Mix the pepper, garlic, herbs and olive oil and rub it over the roast.
- 3
Set the roast bone side down in a roasting pan (the bones act as a rack). Put a leave-in probe thermometer in the thickest part, away from bone and fat, or check with an instant-read thermometer.
- 4
Roast about 30 to 35 minutes per pound, but go by temperature: take the roast out at 120°F for medium-rare, 130°F for medium. The temperature will climb about 5 to 10°F while it rests. A 7 lb roast takes roughly 3½ to 4 hours.
- 5
Tent loosely with foil and rest at least 30 minutes, and up to 1 hour. While it rests, raise the oven to 500°F.
- 6
For a crisp crust, return the roast uncovered to the 500°F oven for 6 to 10 minutes, until the surface is deep brown and sizzling. Take it out right away and carve between the bones, then slice across the grain.
How to know it is done
The thermometer read 120°F (medium-rare) or 130°F (medium) when it left the oven, and after resting the center is about 130 to 135°F or 135 to 140°F. The surface is deep brown and crisp, and the juices that run out when you carve are red-pink, not watery.
Food safety
The USDA minimum safe temperature for beef roasts is 145°F with a 3 minute rest. The medium-rare targets above (120 to 130°F) are a common cook's preference and are lower than that; serve the roast hotter, to 145°F, to anyone who is pregnant, elderly, very young or has a weakened immune system.
Make ahead
Salt the roast 1 day ahead (up to 2). The herb rub can go on the morning of cooking. A good butcher will trim and tie the roast for you if you order it a week before Christmas.
Storing and freezing
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of serving and use in 3 to 4 days, or freeze sliced beef in portions for 2 to 3 months. Reheat leftovers to 165°F, or slice thinly and add to warm jus.
Tips
- Plan about 1 lb of bone-in roast per guest, or 1 rib for every 2 guests. A 3-rib roast serves 6 to 8.
- A thermometer matters more than the clock: oven temperature and roast shape change the time by up to an hour.
- Save the bones for beef stock or roast them for a short gravy.
- Ask the butcher for the first cut (loin end, ribs 10 to 12): it has more of the tender eye and less fat cap.
Allergens
- No major allergens in the roast itself
- Check pre-mixed seasonings and any jus or gravy for wheat and milk
Always check the labels of the products you buy.
Questions
How long do you cook prime rib per pound?
At 250°F, roughly 30 to 35 minutes per pound for medium-rare, so a 7 lb roast takes about 3½ to 4 hours. Treat that as a guide: take the roast out when a thermometer in the center reads 120°F (medium-rare) or 130°F (medium), then rest it.
What temperature should prime rib be cooked to?
The USDA minimum safe temperature for beef roasts is 145°F with a 3 minute rest. Many cooks pull the roast at 120°F for medium-rare and 130°F for medium and let it climb about 5 to 10°F while resting. Choose a higher number for anyone in a group who is pregnant, elderly or has a weakened immune system.
How much prime rib per person?
About 1 lb of bone-in roast per person for a generous dinner, or 1 rib for 2 people. A 7 lb, 3-rib roast serves 6 to 8; a boneless roast needs about ½ lb per person.
Should I bring prime rib to room temperature before cooking?
Let it sit out for about 1 hour, no more than 2, after 18 to 24 hours of salting in the fridge. A longer counter rest does not improve the roast and is a food safety risk.
How long should prime rib rest?
At least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour, loosely tented. This lets the juices settle so they do not run out when you carve, and it frees the oven for your sides.
Can I cook prime rib ahead of time?
Not the whole roast: it is best served within an hour of resting. What you can do ahead: salt it a day early, buy and trim it a week early, and make the jus or gravy the day before.