Best Prime Rib Roast (Bone-In)

4.95 from 121 votes

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Let me show you how to roast a perfect prime rib, step by step, with proven, fool-proof method using reverse sear technique as seen on Serious Eats.

Let me show you how to roast a perfect prime rib, step by step, with proven, fool-proof method using reverse sear technique as seen on Serious Eats.


 

Oh my gosh, do I love me some prime rib!! Thick, juicy and melt-in-your-mouth tender, there is nothing better than perfectly cooked prime rib.

If you’d asked me “How would you like your steak?” like 10 years ago, when I just landed in the U.S., I’d tell you firmly, “Well done.” Cringe, cringe, I know!! Though we eat a lot of beef in Mongolia, steak isn’t common there. And we’re just not accustomed to pink meat. In fact, it took me good 2 years to start ordering medium done steaks. That’s when I met my rancher husband, who wouldn’t let me order well done (aka ruined) steaks.

Fast forward 8 years, I now cook medium and sometimes even medium rare steaks for myself. Oh how things change!

This is the Best Prime Rib recipe!

Every year at Christmas, my family serves a perfectly cooked standing rib roast with a deep brown crust and a bright red center. It’s a thing of beauty, with ooh’s and aah’s all around.

It’s intimidating to cook this expensive cut but fear not! I’m here to share a foolproof method to cook a perfect prime rib roast no matter your level of cooking expertise (or lack thereof). It’s thick, juicy, and melt-in-your-mouth tender!

  • Reverse-searing method ensures even cooking
  • Customize with your favorite seasoning
  • Make it ahead: cook it couple of hours early and then sear it right before serving!
Let me show you how to roast a perfect prime rib, step by step, with proven, fool-proof method using reverse sear technique as seen on Serious Eats.

Prime Rib Roast Ingredients

  • Prime rib: Prime rib is a cut from the primal rib section of the cow (hence the name). It’s also referred to as a standing rib roast, rolled rib roast, or rib-eye roast. I recommend purchasing bone-in prime rib for the best flavor and melt-in-your-mouth texture. Look for a 4-rib roast that weighs around 5 to 10 pounds. Each rib will feed 2 to 3 people, depending on the number of sides you plan to serve.
  • Kosher salt: A tablespoon of salt may seem hefty but trust me on this. Salt equals flavor! And you want plenty of salt on your gorgeously crisp crust. It also ensures the interior will be succulent and not dry or tough.
  • Spices: Cumin, black pepper, and garlic powder are a tasty trio, but you can use whatever spices you love! Herbs de Provence, rosemary, thyme, and sage are good options too. Or omit the spices altogether and just go with salt.

What’s reverse searing method?

When you have this beautifully marbled, perfectly frenched prime rib, you don’t want to mess up, especially if you’re making it for a special occasion. But don’t let the fear stop you from serving this masterpiece for a holiday meal. I’m going to show you a fool-proof, proven method to roast a perfect prime rib!

Now, listen read closely…

You’ve probably heard of searing the meat before roasting to lock in the juices, right? And no doubt, there’s place and time for that trusty technique, but when it comes to roasting a prime rib, that’s not really an ideal method. And I’m not just a crazy lady talking crazy things on the internet.

J. KENJI LÓPEZ-ALT of Serious Eats did all the testing and perfecting the art of roasting a perfect prime rib in this article.

There are 3 things he was looking for in a perfect prime rib:

  1. Deep brown, crispy exterior.
  2. Minimum overcooked layer between the crust and interior, aka gray zone.
  3. Maximum juiciness.

He achieved all three criteria by reverse searing method. What is reverse searing, you ask?

Well, that’s when you cook the prime rib at the very low temperature until it reaches 120°F for medium rare, and then you roast it at the very high temperature for a short period of time. But here’s the important part: before searing at high temp, you’ll need to take the roast out of the oven and let it rest while oven is preheating to 500°F. This way, the roast won’t overcook, because as you know, it takes at least 20 minutes to heat an oven to that high temp, plenty of time to ruin a good roast!

How to cook Prime Rib

  1. The night before:
    • Unwrap the prime rib and place it on a tray that will fit in your fridge. Generously salt all over the roast and refrigerate it, uncovered, overnight to air-dry the outside of the prime rib. This is crucial step for 2 reasons: salt will penetrate deep into the roast during this time and the roast will dry out and develop a nice crust.
  2. Prepare:
    • Preheat the oven to 200°F (95°C).
    • Mix the cumin, black pepper and garlic powder and evenly spread all over the meat.
    • If roasting garlic, slice the top off, drizzle some olive oil and wrap in foil.
  3. Roast:
    • Place the prime rib on a roasting pan, bone-side down.
    • Roast the meat in the oven until the center of the roast reads 120°F (50°C) on a meat thermometer for medium-rare, or 130°F (55°C) for medium doneness, about 3.5-4 hours. It’s crucial to temp your roast! If you simply go by length of time in the oven, you may overcook it.
  4. Rest:
    • Remove the prime rib from the oven, cover with foil, and let it rest for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.
  5. Sear:
    • Increase the oven temperature to 500°F (260°C).
    • Uncover the prime rib and put it back into the oven. Cook it until it’s deep brown, and crisp on the outside, about 6-10 minutes. If desired, roast the cherry tomatoes and asparagus together.
How to cook a perfect prime rib, step by step, using reverse sear technique.

Tip

For perfectly crispy crust, make sure to dry out the roast by resting it uncovered in the fridge overnight.

And while at it, go ahead and salt it too, so that it has plenty of time to penetrate the meat all the way inside.

Should you salt prime rib before cooking?

It’s crucial to liberally salt the prime rib before you plan to cook it. It does more than just add flavor. It draws moisture to the surface of the meat which dissolves the salt. Why does this matter? It ensures the center will be juicy and not dry! It acts like a brining liquid without sacrificing the crispy exterior. The moisture reabsorbs into the meat and leaves you with a flavorful, tender roast.

What is the best temperature to cook a prime rib roast?

I highly recommend medium-rare for the best prime rib! It will be tender and juicy at this stage. If it’s overcooked, it will taste dry, tough, and chewy. I wouldn’t recommend cooking it past medium. For a medium-rare roast, cook to an internal temperature of 120 degrees. The roast’s temperature will continue to rise as you pull it out of the oven, and you don’t want it to overcook.

Should prime rib be cooked covered or uncovered?

Prime rib should be cooked uncovered. In this reverse-sear method, the roast is cooked at a low oven temperature, then “seared” at 500 degrees until crisp and deep brown. You don’t want to hinder the hot heat from crisping the crust.

Let me show you how to roast a perfect prime rib, step by step, with proven, fool-proof method using reverse sear technique as seen on Serious Eats.

How to serve Bone in Prime Rib

The table is set, the roast is done, and your guests are salivating! Now what? It’s time to cut the roast into slices and serve. You can estimate 2 people per pound for a large portion, or 3 people per pound for a small portion.

I like to err on the side of caution and guestimate 2 people per pound. However, if you have enough sides to feed an army, you may be fine with more.

How to carve the roast

  1. Find a stable and large cutting board that fits the entire roast. If your cutting board slides around, place a towel underneath it to stabilize it.
  2. First use a boning knife to remove the bones. Hold the roast by the bones with one hand and carefully slide the boning knife directly behind the bones. Cut all the way done until the bones release from the meat.
  3. Lay the roast on the cutting board and use a sharp chef’s knife or santoku to slice the roast into ½ inch thick slices.
  4. Transfer the slices onto a serving platter and enjoy!

How to store Prime Rib of Beef

Wrap leftover prime rib in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 5 days. If possible, leave the leftover roast unsliced and slice before you plan to serve it.

Reheat the roast in the oven at 250 degrees. Place the roast in a baking dish, add a splash of beef broth, and cover. Cook until the roast or slices are reheated through.

If you don’t mind losing the rosy interior, you can microwave the prime rib until hot.

Watch How to Make This Below!

Cooking Prime Rib FAQ

How many hours does it take to cook a prime rib?

It depends on the size of your roast and the accuracy of your oven! It’s best to temp the roast so you don’t accidentally overcook it. A 4-rib roast took approximately 3.5 to 4 hours to come to an internal temperature of 120 degrees Fahrenheit (medium-rare). It will take even longer to reach medium.

What’s the difference between a rib roast and a prime?

Prime rib and a rib roast are both cut from the primal rib section, specifically the 6th through 12th ribs. Prime rib has the bones intact and in a rib roast they are removed. The rib roast is often cut into ribeye steaks for grilling.

How much prime rib do you need per person?

You can count on one pound of bone-in prime rib roast serving two adults. That’s about one bone per two adults, so a 4-rib prime rib serves about 8 people. If you have plenty of side dishes or light eaters, you can stretch it to 3 people per pound of meat.

Which is better prime rib bone-in or out?

Both are delicious! I recommend bone-in prime rib though because it’s harder to overcook. The bones insulate the meat for a juicy and tender finish. The main benefit to a boneless prime rib is it’s easy to carve.

Is bone-in prime rib the same as ribeye?

They are both from the primal rib section of the cow, but a prime rib is a large roast made up of 4 to 7 ribs. If you cut the roast into steaks, then you would have ribeye’s! A prime rib is roasted whole in the oven, typically on low heat, then sliced. A ribeye is already cut into an individual steak and is grilled or seared over high heat.

Let me know if you try this method. I know you won’t regret it.

Thank you for reading!

More Recipes You’ll Love

4.95 from 121 votes

Best Prime Rib of Beef

Let me show you how to roast a perfect prime rib, step by step, with proven, fool-proof method using reverse sear technique as seen on Serious Eats.
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 4 hours
Total: 5 hours
Servings: 10 – 15 servings

Ingredients

  • 5-10 lbs (or 4-rib) prime rib
  • 1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder

Optional Add-Ins:

  • A head of garlic
  • Cherry tomatoes
  • Asparagus

Instructions 

Prep:

  • Place an unwrapped prime rib on a tray. Generously salt all over and refrigerate overnight to air-dry the outside of the prime rib.
  • Bring the prime rib to room temperature before roasting. It usually takes about 2 hours out on the counter.
  • Mix the cumin, black pepper and garlic powder and evenly spread all over the meat.
  • If roasting garlic, slice the top off, drizzle some olive oil and wrap in a foil.  (Here's my detailed roasted garlic recipe.)

Roast:

  • Preheat the oven to 200°F (95°C).
  • Place the prime rib on a roasting pan bone side down (fat side up). (Since I wrote this post, I bought this roasting pan, and highly recommend it.)
  • Roast the meat in the oven until the center of the roast reads 120°F (50°C) on a meat thermometer for medium-rare, or 130°F (55°C) for medium doneness, about 3.5-4 hours. (This Thermapen Mk4 meat thermometer is my favorite! Super quick and reliable! <- affiliate link)

Rest:

  • Remove the prime rib from the oven, cover with a foil and rest for about 30 minutes.

Sear:

  • Increase the oven temperature to 500°F (260°C).
  • 10 minutes before serving, pop the prime rib into the oven, uncovered, and cook it until it’s nice and brown, and crisp on the outside, about 6-10 minutes. If desired, roast the cherry tomatoes and asparagus together. Serve immediately.

Nutrition

Calories: 679kcal
Carbohydrates: 1g
Protein: 31g
Fat: 60g
Sugar: 1g
Sodium: 800mg
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American

If you have have a boneless prime rib, check out this post:

You've been cooking prime rib all wrong! Try this reverse-searing method to cook your next boneless prime rib and enjoy evenly cooked juicy slice of roast!

Hi, I’m Shinee!

Welcome! I’m so happy you’re here! I believe anyone can cook restaurant-quality food at home! And my goal is to help you to become a confident cook with my easy-to-follow recipes with lots of tips and step-by-step photos.

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526 Comments

  1. Hi, I am making an 8lb boneless prime rib. How long do you think I should cook it? Also do all of the directions still apply with a boneless prime rib? 

    1. Hi, Deb. It’ll be about 4 hours for your 8lb boneless prime rib to reach 120-125°F internal temp. This method works for both bone-in and boneless prime rib. Hope you enjoy, and please let us know how it turns out. Merry Christmas!

  2. Looking forward to preparing our Christmas Prime Rib using your recipe! We’re going with a 12lb roast. What is your recommendation as far as cooking time for medium rare? Thank you in advance for your help.

    1. Hi, Donna. It’ll be 4.5-5 hours for your 12lbs roast to reach 120-125°F internal temp at 200°F, which will yield perfect medium rare prime rib. But for accuracy, please make sure to use a meat thermometer. Merry Christmas!!

  3. Hello,
    I want to try this method to make my first ever standing rib roast. I realize it is more about a temperature than a time thing but I do need a ballpark to know how early I will need to get started on Christmas morning. You see, I have an 8 bone, 16 pound roast. Using your method I have no idea how many hours this could take because the oven temperature will be so low. Any advice is most appreciated!
    Thank you

    1. Hi, Charlotte. It’ll take about 5.5 hours at 200°F for your 16lbs roast to reach 120-125°F internal temp. Hope this helps. Let us know how it turns out. Merry Christmas!

  4. Going to try this recipe fir Christmas dinner. I have 23 adults going to try 10 ribs. Would you suggest two 5 rib roasts or buying the 7 rib whole piece plus 3? I have a convection oven but not sure whether to use it or stick with traditional oven. I only have 1 thermometer though. I plan to use foil pan with rack in it – sound ok? Do I cover while resting (probably will rest 1-3 hours). Does canned au jus impact the experience? Thanks for your patience 🌲

    1. Just an FYI. If you have only one thermometer you are better off buying two pieces of meat that are the same. If you get 2 of the 5 lb roasts you can predict more accurately that when the one with the thermometer in it is done so is the other as opposed to a 7 lb and 3 lb. That seems to be a more common sense thought that I thought I’d share with you. 

        1. Hi, Wenmei. It’ll take about 5.5 hours at 200°F for your 16lbs roast to reach 120-125°F internal temp. Hope this helps. Let us know how it turns out. Merry Christmas!

    2. Hi, Donna. Sorry for my tardy response. You probably already bought your roast by now. But I’d personally go with 2 5lbs roasts. And yes, cover with a foil while resting. Foil pan with a rack sounds perfect. I have never used canned au jus though, so no advice on that. Merry Christmas!!

        1. Hi, Tammy. It’ll take about 3.5 hours at 200°F oven temp for your 5lb roast to reach 120-125°F internal temperature, which will yield a perfect medium rare prime rib. If you want more done, just continue cooking until your roast reaches your desired temperature. (Use a meat thermometer for accuracy.) Then you take the roast out, heat your oven to 500°F and roast the prime rib for about 10 minutes for a beautiful crust. Hope this clarifies everything for you. Let me know how it turns out. Merry Christmas!!!

      1. Thanks for responding, I mean what do you do after you wrap it in foil? Does it just go in for four hours with the meat and come out before the final sear?

  5. Hi Shinee- 

    Can you tell me do you use a roast or bake function on your oven to make this roast?  I’ll be making one for Christmas dinner and I keep seeing the word “roast” used.  Also I have a convection oven will that make a difference in cooking/roasting time?

    1. Hi, Jenny. My oven only had one standard setting, no convection, no other settings. So I’m not sure what to advice. We just moved into a new house though and now I have a new convection oven with different roast/bake settings, so I’m planning on trying convection settings tomorrow. My suggestion is to try your roast setting with convection. Hope it turns out great for you. Let me know, and Merry Christmas!

      1. Hi Shinee, I wanted to know if the roast convection setting made a difference? I would like to try this as well but afraid to. Was the timing still the same? Thanks in advance!

  6. I’m plan to make a 7# bone in standing rib for Christmas.  Would like to try this method but our whole family prefers medium to medium well. Can I use this method but increase the initial cook time to 130-135 before removing to rest & brown?

    1. Yes, Tammy. That’ll work perfect. Hope you all enjoy it, and please let me know how it turns out. Merry Christmas!

      1. Hi Shinee
        Made my 7# standing rib roast for Christmas & it was absolutely delicious. As I mentioned in my message to you, we like our meat medium to medium well. I roasted it to approx 140 degrees, removed & covered with foil for approx 1 hr before returning it to oven for 10 min @ 500 degrees. Will never make my rib roast any other way. 
        Have a Happy & Healthy New Year & Thank You for this great recipe.

  7. I will try this for Christmas Eve Dinner!  When I bring the roast out of the oven after the searing does it have to rest again?   Or can I immediately dig in? Thank you.  

    1. Hi, Lisa. I’ve done both ways. But resting is highly recommended, 5-10min should be good. Hope you enjoy, and Merry Christmas!

        1. Hi, Sylvi. Garlic goes in right away with the prime rib at the begining. However, add cherry tomatoes and asparagus at the final 10-minute roasting.

  8. Hi Shinee,
    I’m giving this a try for Christmas and have a question. You say to place the roast ‘on’ a roasting pan, do you mean on the rack or just in the pan?
    Thank you!