One more prime rib recipe! We’ve done prime rib in every possible way, so we are rounding out our collection with this slow cooker prime rib! We couldn’t leave out the trusty slow cooker!
We’ve roasted prime rib, smoked prime rib, and cooked prime rib in the Instant Pot so all we are missing is the slow cooker. You’ve asked and we are answering! Whether it’s Thanksgiving, Christmas dinner or just a nice Sunday dinner, prime rib in the slow cooker is a great option!
I am a huge fan of making dinner in the slow cooker. Some days just call for a crock pot meal. I especially like them for Sunday dinner. I can throw everything in the slow cooker in the morning, and then dinner is ready at meal time. So easy!
Now you can have this decadent main dish with the convenience and ease of the slow cooker! There’s not much to it, so let’s jump into this prime rib recipe…
How to Buy the Right Prime Rib?
I’m going to go against almost everything I believe and tell you to get a boneless prime rib for this recipe. We found it works way better in a slow cooker to not have the bones in the roast. Go figure! No bone-in for this recipe!
You will want to talk to your butcher and ask for a prime rib roast with an untrimmed fat cap (ideally ½ inch thick). We prefer the flavor and texture of prime-grade beef, but choice grade will work as well, just ask the butcher which he has. Choice grade will be cheaper.
How to Make Prime Rib in the Slow Cooker?
Making a prime rib in a slow cooker is about as easy as it gets. It just takes a little prep on the roast itself, and then the slow cooker does all the rest.
Start by cutting slits into the fat pad on the top of the meat. Cut at a diagonal and then cut slits in the opposite direction so that a diamond patter is formed. You can watch the beginning of the video for our absolute best prime rib for a demonstration of this step.
Rub salt and pepper all over the meat and down in the slits you just cut. Place the roast in a baking dish and let it sit in the refrigerator uncovered for 12-24 hours. This allows the prime rib to get nice and dry so that beautiful crust forms on the outside when it cooks.
After the roast has rested in the refrigerator, pull it out and let it sit on the counter for an hour to take the chill off and come to room temperature. Heat a skillet over medium high heat and sear all sides of the meat until golden brown.
Thoroughly mix together the butter, rosemary and garlic. Place the browned roast in the crockpot fat side up and rub the butter mixture all over the top of the roast. Cook the prime rib on low for 3-5 hours depending on how done you want the roast to be. We like ours medium (140 degrees F) which takes about 3.5-4 hours (Rare – 130 degrees F, medium rare – 135 degrees F).
When the roast has reached the temperature you desire, pull it out of the slow cooker and place it on a cutting board with foil draped over it. Allow it to rest for 20 minutes and up to 1 hour before cutting slices to serve. A prime rib recipe at it’s easiest! Serve with horseradish sauce for even more flavor!
What Do You Eat with Slow Cooker Prime Rib?
You’ve made a perfect prime rib in the slow cooker, so what should you eat with it? The options are endless. You could go with a side of potatoes, rice, bread, vegetables…anything really. Here are a few of our favorites:
What is the Reverse Sear Method?
For this recipe, we do not do the reverse sear method, but you can do it if you want to. The reverse sear method is when you roast the prime rib roast first and then sear it (either in a cast iron skillet or in a super hot oven) for a few minutes after roast it.
The idea is that all the juices you would lose with a traditional sear method stay in the roast is it cooks and then lock them all in with a sear at the end. I’ll have to try it sometime and see if there’s a difference!
What Cut of Meat is Prime Rib?
Prime rib is also known as Standing Rib Roast. A prime rib is a cut of beef from the primal rib, one of the nine cuts of beef. While the entire rib section comprises ribs six through twelve, a standing rib roast may contain anywhere from two to seven ribs, just depending on what you buy and how much roast you want.
What is the Perfect Temperature to Cook Prime Rib?
This is always a hot topic when it comes to prime rib. People tend to lose their minds about how pink the prime rib is. The truth is, prime rib is best cooked to medium or lower so it’s going to be a little pink. Anything above medium is going to get tough and chewy. Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature and this is what you will be looking for…
- Rare: 120-129°F
- Medium rare: 130-134°F
- Medium: 135-144°F
- Medium well: 145-154°F
- Well: 155-164°F
How Much Prime Rib Per Person?
Prime rib is best enjoyed with a crowd! It is a decadent dish that usually involves guests around the dinner table. You can plan on 1 lb of prime rib per person. If you purchase a 6-8 lb roast, you can plan on serving 6-8 people, and if you are serving little kids, it will go a little farther.
Do You Eat the Fat on Prime Rib?
If the prime rib has been cooked properly, the fat on the prime rib will be rendered, will melt in your mouth, taste heavenly, and will only augment the flavor of each bite. One of the reasons that prime rib is so tender and juicy is the moisture from the fat content, so it shouldn’t be completely omitted.
How Do You Reheat Prime Rib?
The best way to reheat prime rib is in the oven. Preheat your oven to 250 degrees F, and add the sliced prime rib to a baking dish and with a few tablespoons of beef broth. Cover the dish with foil making sure it is sealed completely and let it warm up for about 10 minutes.
How Long Will Prime Rib Keep?
It is pretty rare for us to have leftover prime rib, but if we do, I like to eat it the next day. If you can’t do it then, it will be okay for 5-7 days in the refrigerator or up to a month in the freezer.
Don’t let a prime rib intimidate you! If you go with this slow cooker prime rib recipe, you’re sure to have a perfectly cooked prime rib for any occasion!
More Slow Cooker Main Dishes:
Description
Now you can have this decadent main dish with the convenience and ease of the slow cooker!
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Cut just into the fat pad on top of the meat at a diagonal and then turn the opposite direction and cut again to make a diamond pattern.
6-8 Pound Prime Rib
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Rub the salt and pepper all over the meat and place in the fridge for 12-24 hours.
1-2 Tablespoons Kosher Salt, 2 teaspoons Black Pepper
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Remove from the fridge and set on the counter for 1 hour.Â
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Heat a skillet over medium high heat and brown each side of the meat.Â
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Remove to a slow cooker fat side up.
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Mix the butter, rosemary and garlic and then rub all over the top of the meat.
1 Tablespoons Rosemary, 1/3 Cup Butter, 8 Cloves Garlic
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Cook on low for 3-5 hours or until desire temperature is reached. We like medium at 140 degrees, about 3.5 to 4 hours.Â
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Allow to rest with a little foil draped over the top for 20 minutes to 1 hour before slicing.Â
Prime rib will keep for up to a week in the refrigerator or can be frozen for 1 month.
Calories: 1452kcal
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