Prime Rib Done Right!
One of my favorite cuts of meat is the Prime Rib…yep, that wonderful slice of tender, juicy meat that is cut from a standing Rib Roast.
Not too many people tackle roasting this cut of meat and it is rather quite simple, which is why I am sometimes baffled that many restaurants overcook it. Perhaps it is because they overcook it to begin with or perhaps more people like it well done.
I do not. I like mine medium rare.
In fact, I have only found one restaurant, and it is a chain, that makes perfect prime rib and that is Outback Steak House.
The chart below is from the Menu at Outback…..and it is really pretty accurate, at least to the way I call the done-ness of steaks or the temperature guide as it is called here.
![2015-09-18_16.55.47[1]](https://www.meandmycaptain.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/2015-09-18_16.55.471.jpg)
Pardon my shadow…actually my hair shadow as the lighting in the restaurant wasn’t really that great! As I said, I like my steak and prime rib, medium rare. Many restaurants serve it to me medium well. Ugh! Which is why, it is easier to make it yourself!
So lets talk about this cut of meat.
If you don’t already know where this cut of meat is in the food chain….then, let me show you where the Rib Roast (prime rib) is located. Please see the chart below.
Living in New Mexico, we raised our own Santa Gertrudis beef…..and I was spoiled on choosing exactly how I wanted the beef butchered. If you look at the above pic, the yellow section houses the back ribs, rib eye, rib roast and short ribs.
One reason the prime rib is so great tasting and full of flavor is the prime rib offers a generous amount of marbling, which contributes to its juiciness and flavor. I like to choose a roast that has bright red meat and milky-white fat that is evenly distributed around the cut and on the ends.
Ask your butcher to remove the bone if you do not want to cut it off before serving. He will also tie the bundle of meat with string or twine if you ask him. I personally prefer the bone in when cooking the prime rib.
Now here is the important part…..Do not remove all the fat from around the roast. Fat is what you need to give the roast flavor and to make it juicy and tender. Prime rib is expensive and you are paying good money for that fat so leave it on. Your butcher should have removed any excess fat. But if it makes you uncomfortable, then by all means remove what you like.
It is relatively easy to roast this standing rib roast and it is called a standing roast because it is cooked standing on the bones which makes the ribs vertical.
I wish I could solve all my rib and fatty issues by just turning ….oh, never mind! 😉
Here is another fact I find interesting. A Standing Rib Roast has two different ends. Of course, you know I prefer the larger end because there are more fat pockets…hence more flavor in my opinion.
The small end is where a butcher produces boneless rib eye steaks, (or bone in rib eye steaks) and the large end yields Delmonico steaks.
The key to a tender cut of meat is low and slow…..some will say to use a very hot oven but I find the method described in the printable recipe below works best for me.
After roasting the standing rib roast and I have let it rest for about 20 minutes, I cut close to the bones and with one fell swoop….I leave the bones with some meat attached as one large bone-y piece. This is excellent for the stock pot or for just snacking. Yummy!
![2015-09-18_17.17.50[1]](https://www.meandmycaptain.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/2015-09-18_17.17.501.jpg)
If you have never tried to make a prime rib roast before….I suggest you try it. That is if you love Prime Rib. Or go to your favorite steak house and have them do the work for you. But trust me when I tell you that you will like it much better when you make it yourself. 😉
Have a great and blessed day!
- 1 three-bone Prime Rib Roast (Have your butcher bone, roll and tie with string)
- 1/2 tablespoon dried thyme
- 3/4 tablespoon dried rosemary
- 2 tablespoons freshly cracked tri-color pepper or freshly ground black pepper
- 3/4 tablespoons garlic powder
- 3/4 tablespoons onion powder
- 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Preheat oven to 250 degrees
- Rub olive oil all over the roast
- Mix the seasonings together and rub all over the meat and let set for about 20 minutes
- Pre-heat a large skillet (I prefer a cast iron skillet) on high.
- Sear the roast on all sides... about 3 minutes per side or until the meat starts to develop a dark crust.
- Make sure the meat is bone side down and place the skillet into the oven. Be sure to check the liquid level in the pan occasionally and add water to keep the skillet from boiling dry, if necessary. This additional water will be needed if you make the Au Jus.
- Roast the standing rib roast until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat reads about 130 degrees (this will be about 25 minutes per pound).
- Remove from oven and allow the roast to rest for about fifteen minutes
- Cut the twine, remove the bones and carve. I like to cut off the bone first and then slice the prime rib but you can slice first and then trim the bone.
- Serve with horsehradish on the side or the Au Jus or both!
- Strain drippings from skillet, skim fat from drippings. Place skillet on medium high heat and add in drippings, stir to de-glaze by adding in 1 cup of beef stock (or wine) and let the liquid reduce by about 1/3. This will take about 5 minutes on steady boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in about 2 tablespoons butter. taste for salt and pepper. Strain (or just pour as is) and pour into a gravy boat or individual soufflé cups.
- The Au Jus is optional and sometimes I want it served with my prime rib and sometimes I don't. I just want the flavor with no additions...other than perhaps horseradish!
- Also, know that the rarer pieces of meat will be in the center so if you prefer a more well done slice...the outside is your best bet. You can always toss the slice back in the skillet to "cook" a little more...but that takes away the wonderful flavor. 😉
The prime rib at Outback is excellent and I have been to many of the higher end steak places. I also order it medium rare and it is almost always perfect. The last time I went I decided to get the ribeye for a change and it was a disappointment. I am going there this evening and will get the prime rib. I always get the slow roasted prime rib but might try the seasoned and seared variety tonight to see how it tastes. My biggest complaint about Outback is they got rid of the wedge salad. That salad was so good.
ah… what is a plum pudding now? With the advent of Heston Blumenthal (?) and the other chefs, we now have so many variations. Heston’s hidden orange pudding was even sold on the black market after the Stores sold out… Last year I provided “Pudding Lane” logs for the family meal… one was date and toffee.. but I thought they were produced locally as I bought them at a local farmers market… nooooooooo they came from Australia!!!
As for the white-plastic wrapped turkeys… I’m afraid I go for the “turkey breast” that the local supermarket have (lighter load for Tiny Tim) and am leaving the traditional goose to those with larger ovens… and more appreciative mouths..
Hugs xxx
Don’t ya hate it when that happens? Those Aussies are creeping in everywhere these days and really, I believe that it is a good thing. It broadens our horizons (and some recipes broaden my hips) haha.
I just found out that anything sold in our Farmer’s Markets that is not grown in Florida, has to be marked as such. Hmmmmm…learn something new everyday!
Hugs and much love…. my friend from across the pond. 😉
hi Kari, I’m thinking you need to find a slot teaching/sharing your knowledge about cooking techniques as it is wasted (well not totally as I enjoy reading your blogs). Cooking… real cooking… is very much a lost art now. Some Mums just don’t have the time to cook with their children and GGs and Nonnas don’t always live close enough do we?
You are so lucky to have local butchers. Unfortunately here I would have to travel to find a real butcher, no local ones left and we are not central London either!
I overheard an adult son telling his elderly father that the watermelon was more expensive at our local greengrocer than at his supermarket in the next town… I rounded on him… and said he would have to factor in the petrol if he went back to his supermarket and we should all be supporting our local greengrocers to ensure we kept them. What I wanted to say was, I don’t expect you would make the trip every day to bring your dad his fresh fruit and veg when the greengrocer closes! But I refrained..
Hugs from across the pond… xx
Good for you…..and please say it isn’t so…about local butchers. England without a butcher shop?
How am I going to imagine Tiny Tim and his father going to the butcher shop on Christmas Eve (or Scrooge for that matter)….and picturing in my minds eye all the turkeys hanging in the windows, if there is no butcher?
Have we Westernized the colonials with our frozen, white-plastic wrapped turkeys hiding in the backs and bottoms of supermarket freezers? 😉
What about plum puddings? 🙂
Luv ya always me
Hi Kari, Just to be sure I understand, When I put the roast in the pay, it should be standing opposite of the picture you show with the spices, right?
You are right, I never dare to cook these as I assume I will overcook it; but we do love the taste of prime rib.
Thanks for the post.
Yes Donna, the roast rests on the bones in the pan in the oven….makes it sort of majestic huh? And it simply tastes soooooo good! thanks for stopping by.