Prime rib stands as the king of beef roasts, revered for its rich flavor and melt-in-your-mouth tenderness. But what exactly makes this type of roast so special, and how can you master its preparation at home?
From selecting the best cut to achieving perfect medium-rare doneness, we’ll equip you with expert knowledge on trimming, cooking methods, and recipes to help you create a restaurant-quality prime rib roast in your own kitchen.
🥩 THE CUT: WHAT IS PRIME RIB?
Prime rib, also known as standing rib roast or prime rib roast, is the crème de la crème of beef cuts.
When you hear “prime rib,” you might be tempted to think it’s a prime grade of beef. However, prime rib is called “prime” because it comes from the rib primal section of the cow. The rib section of the cow, typically including rib bones 6 through 12. This is also where ribeyes are found. Picture a big beef roast with the bone still in – that’s prime rib.
And let us tell you, it’s got some serious flavor. With all that generous marbling and slow-roasting goodness, prime rib is one of the most popular cuts of beef – it demands attention and steals the show every time it hits the table.
How to Buy a Prime Rib
You can order a traditional bone-in prime rib roast or a boneless roast for easier cooking. What’s great about this roast is that you can buy it as big or small as you need. A good rule of thumb is 1 pound per person.
You can buy a prime rib at most markets and grocery stores. However, if you are shopping for a special occasion, you may want to order it online for a particular quality.
Pro Tip: Pay attention to local market sales flyers near the holidays as they often go on sale around Christmas and New Year’s Eve, just like beef tenderloin.
When buying a prime rib, look for:
- Marbling
- More marbling (intramuscular fat) means a juicier, more flavorful roast
- Grade of beef
- Higher grades (like Prime or Choice) indicate more tenderness
- Fat cap
- A good fat cap helps keep the roast juicy during cooking
For the best quality, look for high-quality USDA prime-grade prime rib, which has generous marbling and is incredibly flavorful.
Prime rib can be sold at any meat grade, including:
- USDA Prime
- USDA Choice
- USDA Select
You may choose USDA Choice vs. Prime because it’s more affordable. Using our tips, look at the rib cap for the marbling and fresh red color, as well as the fat cap on the outside, to make a good choice.
girl carnivore expert tip
If you want to save a buck, you can also trim the whole beef rib roast yourself.
HOW TO COOK PRIME RIB
Prime rib roast is flavorful and juicy when properly cooked, making it the perfect centerpiece for special occasions.
- In the Oven: There are many ways to cook a standing rib roast, but one of our favorite ways is to make a prime rib roast in the oven. It’s a perfect, easy prime rib for beginners who might be intimidated by this meat cut.
- Reverse Seared: We like to make prime rib with our reverse sear prime rib recipe. This recipe cooks a boneless prime rib roast at a lower temperature in the smoker and finishes it off with a high temperature sear to get that nice crispy crust.
- Sous Vide: Our sous vide prime rib with au jus is a more technical way to cook prime rib. We place the prime rib in a vacuum-sealed bag and cook it in a warm, temperature-controlled water bath. The result is a perfectly cooked prime rib throughout.
- Grilled or Smoked: If you want to add a layer of smoky flavor to your prime rib, we recommend making smoked prime rib on a gas grill or smoked prime rib in a smoker.
No matter how you cook it, cooking times will vary based on the size and weight of your cut.
The Best Prime Rib recipes
Grilled Prime Rib
Grill an incredibly juicy, smoky prime rib roast with a gorgeous crust over charcoal with this easy recipe. It’s the ultimate wood-fired prime rib cooked to perfection.
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Prime Rib Reverse Sear Recipe
Make this reverse seared boneless rib roast for the most flavorful garlic crust and a juicy medium-rare center. We’re sharing tips on how to reverse sear a prime rib on a pellet smoker, grill, or in the oven so you can put this showstopper on the center of your holiday table!
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Simple Standing Rib Roast Recipe
Impress guests with this juicy, tender prime rib roast enveloped in a savory garlic-herb crust. Simple roasting methods result in beautifully medium-rare meat in the center and tender, juicy bites.
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Sous Vide Prime Rib with Au Jus
This amazing sous vide prime rib recipe is cooked for 23 hours before being browned, sliced, and served with a delicious au jus. A perfect no-fail recipe for the holidays and special events!
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How to Perfectly Smoke Prime Rib
When it comes to flavor, this delicious smoked prime rib has it! It’s seared for crust and then smoked on the pellet smoker before being sliced and served with a steakhouse herb butter.
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Smoked Prime Rib on a Gas Grill
Prime rib coasted in a thick garlic crust with an umami kick, slowly smoked on a gas grill with Jack Daniel’s wood chips finished with a cast iron sear to lock in flavor and served with a spicy horseradish cream sauce. A classic holiday recipe.
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WHAT TEMPERATURE TO COOK PRIME RIB?
We usually aim for a medium-rare steak temperature when cooking steaks, but for prime ribs, we recommend cooking your prime rib to an internal temperature of medium doneness. For best results, use a meat thermometer to ensure you have the perfect target temp.
Because the roast is so large, the outer portions will be more done and the middle will be medium rare, making it a great cut for those who love any doneness.
HOW TO TRIM A PRIME RIB ROAST
If you have a fat cap of more than 1/4 inch thick, you’ll need to trim it. Here are some simple steps to follow for best results:
- Start by placing your prime rib roast on a clean cutting board with the fat side facing up.
- Then, for easier handling, pat it dry with paper towels to remove any moisture before trimming.
- Use a sharp knife to trim any excess fat from the surface of the roast. Trim only the thick layers of fat, leaving a thin layer, at least 1/4″ thick, intact to enhance flavor and juiciness during cooking.
- Trim any uneven or loose pieces of meat before salting or seasoning and cooking your perfect prime rib.
- Remember to save the trimmed fat to make flavorful au jus or beef drippings to accompany your prime rib roast when serving.
Pro Tip: We love to season our roat with kosher salt and let it dry brine in the refrigerator for up to four days before cooking. This helps to create an epic crust on the surface and deepens the taste.
SAUCES FOR PRIME RIB
For that five-star restaurant feel, we recommend adding a sauce to the side for a kick of flavor and a luxurious mouthfeel. Here are some of our favorites:
BEST SIDE dishesS FOR PRIME RIB
Typical sides for prime rib include traditional comforting holiday recipes like mashed potatoes, creamed leeks, roasted green beans, and maybe even some umami smoked mushrooms.
WINE PAIRINGS FOR PRIME RIB
When it comes to pairing wine with prime rib, you want something that can stand up to its rich flavors.
- Robust red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, or Syrah are perfect because they have bold flavors that complement the meatiness of the prime rib. These wines also have tannins that help balance out the richness of the meat.
- If you prefer white wine, go for a full-bodied Chardonnay or a bubbly Champagne or Prosecco to add a refreshing contrast.
WHAT IS PRIME RIB GOOD FOR?
The better question is, what isn’t it good for? We love preparing this primal cut of beef during the holiday season or cutting the roast into individual steaks. If you buy a full rib roast and break it down yourself into individual steaks, you can make grilled bone-in ribeye steaks or pan-seared ribeye steaks.
More helpful Meat Guides
Prime Rib FAQs
We love all types of cooking methods for making this cut of meat. However, we do love using a dry heat cooking process like roasting. Roasting at a high temperature initially helps to develop a flavorful crust on the outside while sealing in the juices, and then lowering the temperature allows for even cooking throughout the roast. Some chefs also prefer to use the reverse-sear method, where the roast is cooked at a low temperature first and then finished at a high temperature to achieve a crispy exterior.
Prime rib tends to be more expensive for several reasons. Firstly, it comes from the primal rib area of the cow, which is known for its tenderness and rich flavor. Additionally, prime rib is often USDA Prime grade beef, which represents the highest quality and has tons of fat marbling. The aging process and the demand for prime rib, especially during special occasions like holidays, also contribute to its higher price.
While both prime rib and ribeye steak come from the rib primal cut, they have some differences. Prime rib is a larger, bone-in roast that includes several rib bones, whereas ribeye steak is a smaller, boneless cut sliced from the prime rib roast. Prime rib tends to be more tender and flavorful due to its marbling and bone-in nature, while ribeye steak offers a more concentrated beefy flavor and slightly firmer texture.
The number of people a prime rib roast can feed depends on the size of the roast and the portion size. A typical prime rib roast can range from around 4 to 20 pounds or more, with larger roasts feeding more people. As a general guideline, you can estimate about 1/2 to 3/4 pounds of bone-in prime rib per person, depending on appetites and whether other dishes are being served.
