Now we’re bringing you into our home to show you how to make the perfect prime rib roast for the holidays. Or any special occasion. This recipe comes from my father, a hotel restaurant chef who once cooked prime rib for thousands of people. It has since become a holiday go-to for many of our readers. We hope you love it too! Note: We originally published this recipe on December 17, 2016. We have since updated it with higher-res photos and nutrition information. The recipe—a reader favorite—remains the same. Enjoy!
My Father’s Restaurant Recipe
This cooking method originated from my father. It has been passed down over the years with some diligent observations and discussion from subsequent generations. To some of the more traditional folks out there, it may sound strange that I learned this recipe from my father and not my mother. But in a Chinese family from my parents’ generation, it was common that Western recipes came from dad and traditional Chinese recipes came from mom. Men were generally more likely to work in restaurants and hotel kitchens. My father worked as a roast cook in the famed Grossinger’s Catskill Resort Hotel (one of the largest Borscht Belt resorts of that era) for years. Eventually, he became head chef at the local Holiday Inn, and later opened his own Chinese restaurant with my mother. (Read more about it in our cookbook, where I share some stories from that time!) This also explains why the girls dubbed our go-to turkey recipe, “Grandpa’s Perfect Thanksgiving Turkey.” He had all the best restaurant secrets! My father would tell me stories about the massive roasting ovens in the resort kitchen, where he’d make prime rib for a thousand guests on a busy weekend. Every once in a long while, he‘d bring a small prime rib end cut home for the family. It was always delicious! We kids would be so excited on those rare occasions. (We’re a food family all around!) Of all the memories of food my father brought home from those kitchens, prime rib was by far the best.
Buying Prime Rib
First, you must get a good prime rib roast from your grocery store or butcher, also called a standing rib roast. Wherever you go, take the time to talk to your meat guy so you can get the best cut for your budget. While “prime” is in the name, this is actually referring to the “primal rib,” a cut of beef, not the USDA grade. In fact, not all prime rib roasts are USDA Prime! USDA Choice is the most common grade, which varies between $13 to $16 a pound. Your butcher can also advise you on the merits of an Angus cut or USDA Prime grade cut, which makes the price skyrocket to over $20 per pound. Our roast was a USDA Choice cut with 5 bones near the end of the rib, which the butcher told me is the most tender. Center cut sounds appetizing, but it’s not always the best part of the prime rib! In the end, you can make a delicious prime rib roast with USDA Choice beef. (Who’s to know what grade you bought? ) That said, when I choose my prime rib, I’m often looking for a USDA Choice cut that has enough marbling to be borderline/close to prime. This trick applies to any beef cut—steaks, other roasts, etc. (If you ever bump into me at a our local NJ Costco, you might find me carefully inspecting various USDA choice cuts of beef, trying to find the best bang for the buck!)
How Much Prime Rib to Prepare Per Person
A general rule of thumb is that 1 rib bone serves 2 people, so our 12-pound roast with 5 ribs would serve 10 people, depending on how many super hungry eaters you have at the dinner table. (My nephew Chris can take down a 24-ounce prime rib without missing a beat!) On a good eating day like Christmas, I can probably down an 18-ounce prime rib myself. Holiday decadence? You bet. The size of your roast also depends on what else you’re serving, and how many sides you have. We generally keep things pure and simple, serving our roast with roasted cauliflower or other vegetables, greens, baked or mashed potatoes, and freshly baked rolls, so the roast is the clear star of the meal. If you end up having leftovers, don’t worry. Thinly sliced prime rib is great for sandwiches over the next few days! Enough talking, let’s jump in! That’s why we wrote this recipe with flexibility in mind. You’ll notice in the recipe card that the ingredient amounts are given per pound (450g) of roast. This way, you can simply multiply the amounts by the weight of your roast to get the proper proportions. We also give cooking times by the pound! (Note: you can click on the servings slider in the recipe card, where it currently says ‘1 pound’ and move the slider to the weight of your roast. The ingredient quantities will scale up accordingly. Note that the ingredients list will still say “per pound” even after you scale up the recipe, so stay alert there, and don’t accidentally add 15 tablespoons of salt to the marinade or something!)
Prime Rib Roast Recipe Instructions
A good butcher knows how much fat to leave on the roast, so no additional trimming is generally needed. Your prime rib roast should have a nice layer of fat on top, so it will baste itself. Before marinating, give your roast a quick rinse with cold water, and pat it dry with paper towels. Place a flat roasting rack inside a roasting pan or sheet pan large enough to fit your roast, and spread the onions on top of the rack. It’s ok if you don’t have a roasting rack. Resting the roast directly on the onions works also. Place the roast in the pan. Mix the salt, pepper, garlic, herbs and olive oil in a bowl until well-combined. Use your hands to rub the roast all over with the marinade mixture, coating the surface evenly. It will form a delicious crust after roasting! Use plastic wrap to cover the roast, and let it marinate overnight (at least 8 hours) in the refrigerator. We don’t expect the flavors to penetrate the roast completely, but it will work its way into the fatty collar portion of the roast. Take the roast out of the refrigerator at least 2 hours before cooking time to allow the roast to come up to room temperature. Best to take it out in the morning and leave it out for 6 to 8 hours, especially if you have a bone-in roast. Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C), and place your roast on a lower oven rack. For bone-in roasts, you may want to put the roast at the bottom of the oven for the first hour. Placing the oven rack too high up will cause your roast to brown too quickly and burn! After 30 minutes in the oven, add a ½ cup of water to the bottom of the roasting pan. The key is to allow the onions to brown and caramelize while roasting, but not to burn and smoke in the fat. Cook the roast for another 30 minutes, until it begins to brown. If your oven heats unevenly, turn your roast 180 degrees. If there is more fat on one side that has not browned yet, make sure you position that side of the prime rib roast toward the inside of the oven. Use your own judgement on this one! Once the prime rib roast is browned on the outside (1 hour total should do it, but times may vary depending on your oven and roast size), lower the heat to 350°F (175°C). Continue roasting the prime rib for another 90 to 120 minutes. Baste the roast every 30 minutes if desired, and add hot water ½ cup at a time if the roasting pan does dry up. If the top of the roast starts to char, put a small piece of foil to lightly cover the top, leaving the sides exposed. Again, turn the roast 180 degrees if needed for even roasting.
when is a Prime Rib is Done?
A general rule I use to approximate roasting time is a total of 15 minutes per pound, so for this 12 pound roast, the total roasting time should be 180 minutes. With temperature changes, that means roasting at 450°F/230°C for 60 minutes followed by 120 minutes at 350°F/175°C. That said, these times are approximate. Using a meat thermometer is a must. You don’t want to overcook it! We always cook for medium-rare prime rib, so the time will be closer to 90 minutes, or when the prime rib roast reaches an internal temperature of 120 to 125°F. This gives you two more well-done Prime Rib end cuts and a couple medium pieces mixed in with the medium rare cuts. If you like it rare, roast for less time. Take the roast out of the oven when the internal temperature reaches 120°F. If you like it super-rare, then 115°F may be for you. Just remember that the meat thermometer is your guide and that the roast will continue to cook a bit (about 5° rise in internal temperature) while it rests! Again, we recommend getting a good instant read thermometer!
Always Rest your prime rib
Set your prime rib on a cutting board or serving platter. Lightly cover it with a piece of aluminum foil to rest for 15-20 minutes. While the prime rib is resting, pour the pan juices through a fine mesh strainer into a fat separator. If there’s not enough liquid, add a ½ cup of water to the hot pan, and stir. Pour the juices from the fat separator into a small pot or sauté pan, and set aside. Warm up the au jus, and serve alongside the prime rib. You can further dilute it with some hot water to taste if it’s too salty. If it suits your fancy, you can also serve some horseradish or horseradish sauce alongside. Slice and serve immediately! Happy holidays, all! For other holiday recipes, check out this incredible roast goose, Grandpa’s recipe for roast turkey (we use it EVERY Thanksgiving), or this ham with sour plum glaze. Also be sure to check out this pecan rum cake recipe from Kaitlin. It’s the perfect dessert to go with this meal!
