Easy Prime Rib with Garlic Herb Butter

Roasting a delicious Prime Rib is easier than it looks! With our step-by-step guide, you will cook perfect Prime Rib every time! Enjoy this tasty and tender beef recipe for Garlic Herb Butter Prime Rib!

This post is a collaboration with Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. on behalf of the Beef Checkoff. I received compensation, but all opinions are my own.

Prime Rib is a very delicious and tender cut of beef that is often saved for special occasions. Because of this, many people think it is difficult to prepare. In reality, Prime Rib is quite easy to make! 

There are three simple steps to cooking perfect Prime Rib: season the meat, roast it, then allow it to rest before cutting and enjoying. 

There aren’t any delicate steps to worry about, even if you’ve never prepared beef before, you can definitely cook Prime Rib to perfection! Consider this your “Prime Rib for dummies” handbook!

First of all, what is Prime Rib? 

Prime Rib is a cut of beef that comes from the Rib primal. It is one of 9 primal cuts! This cut of beef contains anywhere from 2-7 ribs. The ribs are accompanied by a large cut of meat which makes up the Standing Rib Roast. 

You’ll notice that this cut has wonderful marbling throughout and a nice layer of fat on top, this is where a lot of the flavor comes from. It is a key part of the Prime Rib. 

At the store, Prime Rib can go by different names including Standing Rib Roast, Holiday Roast or Rib/Ribeye Roast. It can be found in the meat case with both boneless and bone-in options. 

Click here to learn more about this cut!

More Beef Recipes:

Grilled Beef Kabobs

Ground Beef Recipes

How to Cook Ribeye Steaks

What size Prime Rib Roast should I buy? 

Prime Rib can vary greatly in size. Here is a quick reference guide to selecting the perfect size Prime Rib. In general, you can figure 1 rib will serve 1-2 people. 

• A 4-6 pound bone-in roast will serve 4-6 people and take about 2 hours (+/- 15 minutes) to cook. 
• A 8-10 pound bone-in roast will serve 8-10 people and take about 3 hours (+/- 30 minutes) to cook. 

Helpful tips: 

• Call ahead and ask your butcher to select a roast sized for your family’s needs, they will assist you in getting just the right cut!
• Ask your butcher to cut and tie the roast for you (which they will do free of charge). This will make it so much easier to cut once it is finished, but will preserve all of the flavors the bones provide. If you aren’t able to buy a pre-cut and tied roast, you should cut away the ribs and tie before cooking (making it easier to cut once prepared). 
• The drippings are great for a gravy! Reserve some of the drippings and prepare a yummy au jus or sauce while the meat is resting (see below for a garlic herb red wine sauce). 
• Speaking of sauce, this particular cut of meat is incredibly flavorful, moist, and truly delicious. You really don’t even need a sauce with it, so I’ve included it as an optional step! 

So now that you know what a Prime Rib is, and what size to select – let’s talk about cooking it! 

Steps to cooking a Prime Rib Roast:

1. Season the meat: Prime Rib has a beautiful layer of fat coating one side. This is the side that will face up while cooking. It can be seasoned to your liking with an array of spice blends. My favorite is simply butter, herbs, and salt. Speaking of salt, generously salt the roast (I use 2-3 teaspoons). This acts as a bit of a brine and keeps the meat moist. 
2. Roast the meat: Once the meat is seasoned, place it fat side up in a large roasting dish. You can use a 9×13 baking dish if you don’t have a roasting dish. Preheat your oven to 500 F (or as hot as it will go, whichever is lower), and sear the roast at this temperature for 15 minutes. Then without opening the oven, reduce the heat to 350 F and cook until your desired doneness is reached. 
3. Rest the meat: Once the roast is cooked to your desired temperature, remove it from the oven and allow it to rest for at least 15 minutes. The resting step is important and gives you the perfect amount of time to prepare a sauce or a gravy. 

How to tell when a Prime Rib Roast is done: Internal Temperature 

• Beef’s doneness should always be measured with a meat thermometer placed at the thickest part of the roast not resting in fat or touching bone. 
• To determine the perfect doneness for a roast, insert an ovenproof meat thermometer prior to roasting (into the thickest part of the roast, not resting in fat or touching bone) and leave in throughout the cooking process. If you don’t have an ovenproof thermometer, insert an instant-read thermometer toward the end of cooking time (as described above) for about 15 seconds. The roast should be 135 F for a medium rare finish or 145 F for a medium finish. Continue cooking if necessary, until the roast reaches your desired internal temperature. 
• Remove the roast when the internal temperature reaches 135 F for a medium rare finish. 
• Remove the roast when the internal temperature reaches 145 F for a medium finish. 
• Remember, the temperature will continue to rise 5ºF to 15ºF after removing it from the oven for an end temperature of 145 F for medium rare and 155 F for medium. Allow 15 to 20 minutes standing time. 

How to cut a Prime Rib Roast: 

• After the roast has rested, use sharp kitchen shears to snip the ties and use a very sharp butcher knife to slice the meat. 
• If using a meat fork, don’t pierce the meat to hold it into place. Use the back of the fork – or tongs – and cut across the grain for maximum tenderness. 

What to serve with Prime Rib: 

• Mashed Potatoes
• Baked Potatoes 
• Asparagus
• Green beans 
• Sauteed Spinach 
• Roasted Carrots 

Sauces for Prime Rib: 

• Au Jus 
• Horseradish 
• Worcestershire Sauce 
• Garlic Butter 
• Red Wine Sauce

Prime Rib with Garlic Herb Butter

How to prepare Prime Rib with garlic herb butter: 

• Preheat oven to 500 F. 
• In a small bowl stir together 4 tablespoons room temperature butter, 2-3 teaspoons coarse sea salt, 4-6 cloves of garlic (minced), and a few sprigs of roughly chopped fresh or dried herbs (I like rosemary and thyme). 

• Spread the garlic butter mixture evenly over the top (fatty side) of the Prime Rib. Place the Prime Rib fat side up in a large roasting dish or baking dish. If you have one, insert an ovenproof thermometer into the thickest part of the meat not touching fat or bone. 

• Place the roast in the preheated oven. Bake at 500 F for 15 minutes, then decrease the heat to 350 F and continue baking until desired doneness is reached. 
• Once the beef has reached your desired temperature (135 F for medium rare, 145 F for medium), remove it from the oven and allow it to rest for 15-20 minutes. Remember, the temperature will continue to rise 5ºF to 15ºF after removing it from the oven for an end temperature of 145 F for medium rare and 155 F for medium. Allow 15 to 20 minutes standing time. 

• Meanwhile prepare the sauce (optional): Spoon ¼ cup drippings from the roast into a cast iron skillet or frying pan. Turn the heat to medium high and add 2 cloves of freshly minced garlic. Sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. 
• Slowly sprinkle in 1/4 cup flour, whisking vigorously until combined. 
• Slowly pour in 1 cup of red wine, whisking continuously. 
• Whisk in 2 cups broth and add rosemary. Bring to a low boil, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer until the sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 
• Once the meat has rested and the sauce is prepared, cut the roast. Snip the ties with kitchen scissors and use a very sharp knife to cut against the grain of the beef.