Perfect 500 Rule Prime Rib
Making tender and juicy perfect prime rib roast in the oven is easy using the 500 rule and this Perfect 500 Rule Prime Rib is the best, most detailed recipe you’ll find on the web.
Best Prime Rib Roast Recipe
We love making prime rib roast or roasted beef tenderloin in the oven for Sunday gatherings and Christmas, New Year’s Day, and Easter holiday dinners.
If the words prime rib at home put fear in your heart, you’ve come to the right place!
Just follow my step-by-step directions below….you do not need to be afraid! You can conquer, and I’m here to show you how.
Save this Recipe
Enter your email address and we will send you this recipe to your mailbox for easy reference! Plus, we will send you our latest recipes every week!
I remember first using this no peek 500 degree method to cook a prime rib. I was apprehensive about it.
A prime rib is an expensive hunk of meat. I was worried I’d ruin it, wasting my hard-earned money AND precious time.
If you are brand new at cooking a prime rib roast, read this entire recipe before purchasing or preparing your prime rib. There are a lot of great tips and tricks.
Whenever you can feed a group of people, this prime rib recipe that uses the 500 Degree rule will become your go-to method.
It makes perfect prime rib roast in the oven and creates a holiday tradition that makes special memories for our family and guests.
Oven full during the holidays? I have also made this Prime Rib in a Roaster Oven recipe that is perfect!
500 Degree Rule No Peek Prime Rib Ingredients
Prime Rib
- 8-10 lb. 4-rib standing rib roast, bones cut off and tied back on by the butcher, room temperature
- Seasonings: granulated garlic (or garlic powder), granulated onion (or onion powder), freshly ground black pepper, seasoned salt (I use Lawry’s Seasoned Salt
Creamy Horseradish Sauce
- Sour cream
- Whipping cream aka heavy cream
- Hot pepper sauce, as desired, aka Tabasco
- Worcestershire sauce
- Prepared horseradish: Be sure to use refrigerated fresh-grated horseradish, not cream-style horseradish found in the condiment section of the grocery store. You’ll usually find prepared horseradish in a glass jar near the meat department.
- Spicy brown mustard: You can substitute Dijon mustard, if preferred
- Red or white wine vinegar
- Garlic cloves: I really prefer the fresh garlic in creamy horseradish sauce,but feel free to substiture garlic powder or granulated garlic if preferred.
Au Jus
- Better Than Bouillon Concentrate, Beef Flavor (or use beef bouillon cubes)
- Soy sauce
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
How to make prime rib in the oven
4-5 hours prior to cooking the prime rib roast, remove it from refrigeration; unwrap the roast from all packaging.
Whatever you do, please do not skip the step of removing the rib roast from the refrigeration to rest for at least 2 hours before cooking it.
Removing some of the chill from the roast and letting it rest is essential for the success of the closed-oven method for cooking prime rib in this recipe.
Note the exact weight of the roast to better calculate the cooking time.
Combine the granulated garlic, granulated onion, and black pepper with the seasoned salt in a small bowl. Using your fingertips, rub spice blend over every area of the roast.
When you are ready to cook the prime rib roast, pre-heat the oven to 500 degrees F., placing your oven rack in the lower third of the oven.
Place the seasoned roast, fat side up, onto a roasting rack in your roasting pan.
If you don’t have a roasting rack, make one by placing whole ribs of celery and whole carrots side-by-side across the bottom of the roasting pan – this works just great.
Instead of a roasting pan, you can always substitute a very large cast iron skillet (depending on the size of your rib roast) or use a rimmed baking sheet.
Place the prepared rib roast into the preheated 500 degree F. oven, uncovered, and cook for 6 minutes per pound for medium rare.
When the timer sounds, immediately turn your oven temperature down to the lowest setting, which for most ovens is 170 degrees F.
No matter what, do not open the door at this point. Set your timer for 2 hours at this point.
When the timer sounds at the full 2 hour mark, open the oven door, using an instant-read meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the meat.
For medium rare prime rib, you’ll want the internal temperature to be 130-135°F.
If your roast temps a bit cooler than 130-135 °F, simply preheat your oven to 375 °F., return the roast to the oven until the internal temp reaches 130-135 °F.
Checking the internal temperature every 10 minutes or so until the prime rib raises a few more degrees to the desired temperature.
Using big forks, lift the prime rib roast from the rib rack and the roasting pan, placing it onto a large cutting board.
Snip the strings that are holding the bone rack to the prime rib roast.
Slice the prime rib into thick slices, placing them onto dinner plates.
Pour a bit of the warm au jus over the prime rib, then add a dollop of horseradish sauce alongside. Serve at once.
If you have a guest who wants their slice of prime rib a little more done than medium-rare, slide their slice into a skillet of simmering broth or au jus for a few seconds.
How to make creamy horseradish sauce
Combine all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl until smooth; store in the fridge until ready to serve.
How to make au jus
Place the water into a skillet and bring to a boil; reduce the heat to low, then add the bouillon concentrate, as well as the soy sauce, and garlic, whisking until well blended. Season to taste with salt and pepper; keep warm.
How long should I cook my prime rib using the 500 degree rule?
Here’s the formula for cooking medium-rare prime rib:
Take the weight of your prime rib roast and multiply it x 6 minutes. For example, a 6 lb. rib eye roast multiplied x 6 minutes = 36 minutes in the oven at 500 degrees F.
Here’s the formula for cooking medium prime rib:
Take the weight of your prime rib and multiply it x 7 minutes. As an example, a 6 lb. roast multiplied x 7 minutes = 42 minutes in the oven at 500 degrees F.
Please Note: I don’t typically recommend that prime rib should be cooked to medium as an internal temperature. Once you’ve over-cooked a piece of meat, there’s no going back.
If you’ve cooked a piece of meat to a medium-rare state, you can always cook it longer to raise the internal temperature to what you prefer.
The 500 Degree Rule Means NO PEEKING
Once the prime rib roast is finished roasting at 500 degrees F., DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN DOOR. Even though you’ll be dying to see what your prime rib looks like now.
Turn your oven to its lowest temperature setting (usually 170 degrees F. for most ovens. Then set your timer FOR TWO HOURS following the initial roasting process at 500 degrees F. This is where the duct tape and signage are essential. You don’t want anybody opening the door, including yourself.
DO NOT open that oven door for ANY reason!
How long to cook prime rib depends on the size of the prime rib roast
The KEY to making sure this no-peek closed-oven-door method works is to know the weight of your roast. Then you can cook it according to the formula above.
When you open up that parcel of prime rib, be sure you keep the label that has the weight!
Stick the label somewhere safe because. You will need it when you get ready to prepare your prime rib.
What is the ideal internal temperature for a medium-rare prime rib?
The internal temperature for a medium-rare prime rib is 130-135 degrees F. at the center of the roast. You will need an instant-read meat thermometer to determine the internal temperature of the prime rib.
Most feel that prime rib should be served medium rare for the best dining experience.
After roasting the rib eye roast, let it continue to rest for exactly two hours inside the closed oven. You will have the most succulent, juicy, amazing prime rib…..perfectly medium-rare and perfectly cooked, all ready to serve and enjoy!
Why Cook Prime Rib Roast in the Oven?
Who wants to stand around grilling steaks when you’ve got special guests to tend to? This recipe will provide you with thick-cut, steak cuts that will be ready all at the same time.
Prime rib roast in the oven is a huge RIB-EYE roast, the same cut that rib-eye steaks are cut from, and it’s magnificent.
What To Consider When Cooking a Prime Rib Roast
There are a few things to consider when purchasing your rib roast to make prime:
- what rib roast to purchase
- how much roast to purchase
- how you’ll be cooking
- how to slice and serve
- what side dishes you’ll need
Common Questions When Making Standing Rib Roast
Is it okay to purchase the prime rib from the meat case at my local grocery store?
Yes! This recipe will still be perfect! The primary difference in a PRIME prime rib (what you would typically purchase from a good butcher shop) and a CHOICE prime rib (what you’ll typically find at your local grocer) is basically this: the amount of marbling within the roast.
Prime rib is a very fatty cut of beef. Many people feel that cooking a CHOICE prime rib from the grocery store is delicious!
I seek out a butcher shop to purchase my standing rib roast to make prime rib
Since I only cook prime rib at the holidays, I have always purchased prime rib from a butcher. I want it to provide the best eating experience available to me and my family.
I want that rich, buttery flavor and texture, plus lots of juiciness, too.
Marbling contributes to the level of flavor and juiciness in the eating experience of the prime rib.
The best grade of rib eye roast will have a lot of marbling. A good butcher shop will know this too.
They can also answer any questions about pricing, how much you need per person, cooking, etc.
A good butcher wants you to be successful cooking and wants you to return as a customer.
Also, tell your butcher the full story so he gets the big picture. Let them know what you’re trying to accomplish. Share how many people you’re serving and that you’re nervous about the prime-rib process if that’s the case.
A butcher can’t help if they don’t have all the details! Butchers are very accustomed to their customers feeling apprehensive when purchasing and cooking their first standing rib roast.
Should I ask the butcher to cut off the bones?
Yes! I know it may sound weird, but hear me out. Once the bones are cut from the prime rib roast, ask the butcher to tie the bones back onto the roast.
Cooking with the bones will give it a lot of additional flavor due to the bone marrow.
Snip the strings when the prime rib roast is cooked and ready to slice. Lift the roast right off the rack of bones and onto your cutting board. You can now very easily slice that prime rib roast.
If I purchase a CHOICE prime rib roast instead of a PRIME prime rib roast, do I need to cook it differently?
If you purchase choice prime rib from the grocery store, it will most likely be boneless and cook much more quickly than a prime, bone-in prime rib.
The choice cut of the prime rib has less marbling.
When cooking choice prime rib, opt to undercook it since there is less marbling in the meat. You can always cook a prime rib more (longer), but once it’s overcooked, you can’t go back!
Why are there so many names for prime rib?
It can be very confusing when purchasing a prime rib roast for the first time. There are many different names for the same cut of beef, including:
- rib roast
- rib eye roast
- standing rib roast
- eye of rib roast
- prime rib roast
Your butcher can help you understand the names but know they are all the same roast.
Choice prime rib from a grocery store has prominent prime rib labeling to help customers easily identify the cut.
How MUCH prime rib should I purchase for my gathering?
Most butchers recommend purchasing one pound of boneless rib eye roast for each person at the meal.
Prime rib roasts are sold two ways: bone-in or boneless. Boneless rib eye roasts are typically cheaper and easier to manage your first time. A bone-in rib eye roast provides more flavor and a juicer, richer eating experience.
Each rib of a bone-in rib eye roast has up to 2 lbs. of meat. Therefore, if you serve prime rib to a group of 8 people, you’d need a 4-rib roast.
For a bone-in rib eye roast for prime rib never buy a roast with less than 3 ribs.
When cooking prime rib to serve several people, is it better to cook one large prime rib roast or two smaller rib roasts instead?
I’m so glad you asked – this is a great question! Let’s say you’re feeding 10 people. Instead of getting one large 5-bone prime rib roast, opt for two 3-bone rib roasts, instead.
When using this specific cooking method (the closed-oven method), I’ve found that two smaller rib roasts work best.
The 500 degree method doesn’t work well with prime rib roasts smaller than 2 ribs. They easily overcook.
Is it true that you shouldn’t cook prime rib while it’s still cold from being in refrigeration? Why?
YES! This is called BEAUTY REST for your beef, and it is so very essential. Cooking any meat without letting it rest at room temperature is not a good idea, in my opinion.
When a hunk of meat has been in refrigeration, all the juices and fats are coagulated at the very center.
Resting at room temperature allows juices and fats to move from the center to the outer areas of the roast.
During this, the roast and all of its protein fibers can relax in preparation for the cooking process.
Adequate rest ensures that your prime rib roast can cook much more evenly and consistently. This provides a far better eating experience later. Just what we long for!!
Don’t be afraid to remove your prime rib roast from refrigeration at least 4-5 hours before the cooking process.
Is there a special technique for cooking a prime rib with a crust and nicely charred exterior?
Uncover your rib eye roast the night before and let it sit naked in the fridge. This will really help with that beautiful browning we long for.
Where should I insert an instant-read meat thermometer into the prime rib to take the correct internal temperature?
Insert the thermometer into the center of the roast. Go straight in from the side where the meat is the thickest.
Coming in from the side helps ensure you don’t touch any bones or the bottom of the roasting pan. This can give a false temperature reading.
Watch the dial once you insert the instant-read meat thermometer into the prime rib. Once the temperature stops rising, that is the internal temperature of the roast. This will take 30-60 seconds.
And does the prime rib need beauty rest AFTER it’s finished cooking as well?
YES!!! And this recipe makes it super easy – you won’t even have a chance to do otherwise!
What is the best way to slice and serve my prime rib roast?
If you have a standing rib roast that’s had the bones removed and then tied back on, cut the strings while it’s still in the roasting pan.
Lift the roast up and off the bone rack that it’s resting on. Place the prime rib onto a large cutting board where you have ample room for slicing.
Cut the prime rib into thick slices and place it onto dinner plates.
Pour a bit of the warm au jus over each slice and add a dollop of the creamy horseradish on the side. Ta-dah!!!
Medium Well Done or Well Done Prime Rib Tips
You may have THAT ONE GUEST who will insist that “they only eat their prime rib WELL DONE.” Ewwww….but whatever, right??
If you have guests who think that medium-rare prime rib slice isn’t cooked enough, here’s a hack. Keep a skillet of simmering beef broth on your stove top!
Simply slide their slice of prime rib slice into the simmering broth and let it cook for a few seconds. The prime rib slice will cook very quickly and you can then remove it from the broth to their plate. It will be moist and delicious. Just what they want….and everybody’s happy!!
Best Prime Rib Rub
Seasoned Salt, Granulated Garlic, Granulated Onion, and Freshly Ground Black Pepper make the crust of your standing rib roast. You’ll season the exterior of your standing prime rib roast with and use it for your prime rib rub. This makes the exterior nice and flavorful as you roast it in the oven, then enjoy it for dinner.
The Best Creamy Horseradish Sauce
Prime rib just isn’t prime rib if there’s no creamy horseradish sauce to accompany it. The main ingredient in horseradish sauce is sour cream, but the most important ingredient is the horseradish, hands down.
You’ll need what’s called prepared horseradish, which is freshly grated horseradish root. Don’t make the mistake of getting cream-style horseradish that’s located in the condiment aisle of the grocery store.
The remaining ingredients needed for making horseradish sauce are things you’ll likely already have on hand including:
- whipping cream
- spicy brown mustard
- Worcestershire sauce
- red or white wine vinegar
- crushed garlic
- salt
- pepper
You can make the horseradish sauce ahead of time and store it in the fridge until ready to serve.
Au Jus Sauce for Ribeye Roast
Au jus (pronounced ah-zhoo) refers to thickened juices from a roast or other meat. The term translates literally to “with the juice.”
Traditional prime roast has always been served with an au jus. Typically it is drizzled over an individual slab of prime rib, accompanied by a dollop of horseradish sauce.
Many people use a basic simmering beef broth as their au jus to keep it simple.
Do I have to serve the prime rib with the au jus or can I skip that?
You can skip the au jus, if preferred. If your prime rib is served medium-rare, it will be super-juicy and tender. Nobody will miss au jus too much.
And yes, many people substitute plain beef broth instead of homemade au jus – it’s acceptable.
Keep a simmering pan of broth or au just on the stove. This will give you the option of cooking a slice of prime for somebody who wants it done more. There’s always THAT ONE, as we discussed above.
But please don’t ever skip the creamy horseradish sauce – this is just essential to prime rib!
Side dishes to serve with prime rib
Everybody has a preference for their favorite side dishes for prime rib roast in the oven. Here are a few of my family’s favorite side dishes:
- Milion Dollar Mashed Potaotes
- Creamy Mashed Potatoes Supreme with French Fried Onions and Bacon
- Sweet Potato Crumble or Sweet Potato Balls with Crispy Cornflakes
- Cheesy Pull-Apart Pesto Bread
- Saucy Beans with Beef and Bacon
- Delta Cornbread Salad
Do I need fancy tools to cook prime rib successfully?
The tools needed to make prime rib roast in the oven are minimal, truly. You’ll need a large roasting pan, a roasting rack, a sign for your oven door, and some duct tape.
It’s a good idea to have a couple of instant-read meat thermometers on hand, for checking the internal temperature. (I like having two on hand so that I’ve got a second one as a back-up for temping my roast.)
Don’t forget to have a large cutting board with a channel around the edge, heavy-duty meat or grilling forks for lifting the prime rib from the rack of bones to the cutting board, a sharp carving knife, and a platter for serving.
More Delicious Meat Recipes to Enjoy
- How to Make Tender and Juicy Smoked Beef Tri-Tip….That Slices into Slabs of Steak!
- Maple Pecan Glazed Ham
- How to Cook Eye of Round Roast Beef
How to Cook Perfect Fool-Proof Prime Rib in the Oven
Ingredients
For the Prime Rib
- 10 lb. 4-rib standing rib roast, bones cut off and tied back on by the butcher, room temperature
- 1 Tbs. granulated garlic
- 1 Tbs. granulated onion
- 1 Tbs. freshly ground black pepper
- 1 Tbs. seasoned salt, such a Lawry's
For the Creamy Horseradish Sauce
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup whipping cream or heavy cream
- 1-2 dashes hot pepper sauce, as desired
- 1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
- 1-2 Tbs. prepared horseradish **Note: this is the refrigerated fresh-grated horseradish, not the cream-style horseradish found in the condiment section of the grocer
- 1 Tbs. spicy brown mustard
- 1 Tbs. red or white wine vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
For the Au Jus
- 3 cups water
- 5 tsp. Better Than Bouillon Concentrate, Beef Flavor (or use beef bouillon cubes)
- 1 Tbs. soy sauce
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Prepare the Prime Rib
- 4-5 hours prior to cooking the prime rib roast, remove it from refrigeration; unwrap the roast from all packaging. Note the exact weight of the roast to better calculate the cooking time.
- Combine the granulated garlic, granulated onion, and black pepper with the seasoned salt in a small bowl. Using your fingertips, rub the prepared spice blend over every area of the exterior of the roast.
- When you are ready to cook the prime rib roast, pre-heat the oven to 500 degrees F., placing your oven rack in the lower third of the oven.
- Place the seasoned roast, fat side up, onto a roasting rack in your roasting pan.
- Place the prepared rib roast into the preheated 500 degree F. oven, uncovered, and cook for 6 minutes per pound for medium rare.
- When the timer sounds, immediately turn your oven temperature down to the lowest setting, which for most ovens is 170 degrees F. NO MATTER WHAT, DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN DOOR AT THIS POINT OF THE COOKING PROCESS! Set your timer for 2 hours.
- When the timer sounds at the full 2 hour mark, open the oven door,. Use an instant-read meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the meat. For medium rare prime rib, you'll want the internal temperature to be right at 130-135°F.
- If your roast temps a bit cooler than 130-135 °F, simply preheat your oven to 375 °F., returning the roast to the oven until the internal temp reaches 130-135 °F, checking the internal temperature every 10 minutes or so until the prime rib raises a few more degrees to the desired temperature.
- Snip the strings that are holding the bone rack to the prime rib roast.
- Using big forks, lift the prime rib roast from the rib rack and the roasting pan, placing it onto a large cutting board.
- Slice the prime rib into thick slices, placing them onto dinner plates. Pour a bit of the warm au jus over the prime rib, then add a dollop of horseradish sauce alongside. Serve at once.
Prepare the Creamy Horseradish Sauce
- Combine all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl until smooth; store in the fridge until ready to serve.
Prepare the Au Jus
- Place the water into a large, deep skillet and bring to a boil; reduce the heat to low, then add the bouillon concentrate, and soy sauce, whisking until well blended. Season to taste with salt and pepper; keep warm.
Notes
Nutrition
This roast came out perfectly! I prefer rare, so I cooked it for 5 mins per pound at 500. Turned it down to 170 and cooked until 115 degrees. It rested for 30 mins. It raised the temperature to 120 degrees. It was a perfect.
I have made roasts in the past and they have always been over cooked, even cooking to 135 degrees. I will definitely be using this recipe again. Thank you very much!
Hi Kelley –
Thanks for letting me know your experience when using my recipe for cooking prime rib. I’m so glad you were successful and feel good about it. Cooking prime rib can feel so overwhelming at first – eeeeekkkk! The best part about under-cooking is that you can always add more time and more cooking, but if you over-cook, you’re just sunk. Never a good thing. 🙂
Thanks again,
Chef Alli
The tips were spot-on. I made a mixture of the salt, herbs, powders (didn’t have granules) and duck fat. Smeared that all over and followed the rest of the instructions. I cooked a 10.25 lb roast for 1:05 and let it finish in the oven for the 2 hours, with a brief interruption, sadly, when I mistakenly opened the wrong oven door to warm up the potato gratin. Didn’t seem to affect the doneness of the PR roast at all, thankfully. Served with a different jus, it was mahvelous. An August birthday dinner in 90°+ heat, the oven was competing the AC but the AC won.
Hi Darren –
So glad you found your prime rib to be mahvelous. Glad the accidental opening of the oven door didn’t screw anything up – that’s exactly why I have a sign AND duct tape at work! I think this recipe is perfect for an August birthday dinner…despite the heat. Glad the AC won out. 🙂
Let’s Keep Cookin’,
Chef Alli
It’s good to know that prime rib should be removed from the fridge and seasoned 4-5 hours before cooking. My sister is looking into having some frozen prime rib delivered that she can cook up for her husband’s birthday party at the end of the month. I’ll share this info in case she needs a reference for how to cook the prime rib!
Hi Deanna –
I’m glad you found the resting tip helpful! Any big hunk of meat, no matter the type (in my world that’s typically beef and pork) should always get a good rest PRIOR to cooking, just as it needs rest AFTER cooking, as well. Please let your sister know that if she needs any help or confidence bolstering when she gets ready to cook that bad boy, I’m glad to help….we once made a house call (in our pajamas, no less!) on NY Eve when our good friends were in prime rib distress. It was actually pretty fun and something I’ll never forget…
After all, prime rib is a BIG DEAL! Your sis can email me directly anytime here: ChefAlli@ChefAlli.com
Let’s Get Cookin’,
Chef Alli
Prime rib distress? Ahahahahaha. Love it.
Chef do have a good fool proof recipe for roasting a turkey. Every time I cook a turkey it’s either raw or overcooked. I can’t seem to get it right. Hope you can help.
Thank You
Hi Sandi –
I’ve actually had quite a few people reach out asking for help with roasting a turkey. I better get busy and work on getting that onto the blog. Stay tuned!! Out of curiosity, are you interested in learning anything about BRINING the turkey previous to roasting it?
Let me know your thoughts,
Chef Alli
I found this recipe years ago and tried it for my first prime rib and it was absolutely perfect. This is my ONLY go to recipe for prime rib. I wanted to finally leave a review to rave over this since I always look it up every time for my prime rib.
Hi Holly –
Thank you so much for taking time to let me know you enjoy this prime rib recipe. I am so thrilled that it works well for you. I’ll take RAVING anytime, that’s for sure!! I appreciate the review AND the 5 star rating, too.
Sincerely,
Chef Alli
Love this receipe! Third time using it and always perfect! The horseradish sauce is a MUST!
Thanks for all the great tips Alli!
Now I’m cookin’!
Hi Kimbo –
Super excited that you love this recipe for Prime Rib! Plus you make my heart happy because I love, love, love the horseradish sauce, too. For me, prime rib is wrong if it’s doesn’t have that sauce. 🙂
Thanks so much,
Chef Alli
First time I ever Cooked a prime rib
7.22 pound with bone in..
Came out perfect like a restaurant..
Thank you so much!!!
Everyone raved about it !!!!
Hi Heather –
Thank you ever so much for letting me know that this recipe for prime rib worked for you. I’m thrilled that you are thrilled! 🙂
It’s a great feeling when a recipe is a success (especially when expensive beef is at stake), you have raving guests and an empty roasting pan….except that means no leftovers for later.
Thanks again,
Chef Alli
I followed Chef Alli’s recipe to the “T” and my Christmas Prime Rib was a true hit! My guests couldn’t stop raving! I was a little nervous, but stuck to the recipe and had no regrets!! Sad to report, I am “That one guest” who likes hers more well done and Chef Alli’s tip for browning worked! Only draw back – there were no leftovers!! 🙂
Hi Stacey –
I’m thrilled that the prime rib recipe was a super success for you and your guests. Making prime rib is always nerve racking because there’s so much at steak – I felt the same way when I first started cooking prime rib! Also glad you had the back-up for “that one” who needed well done! Isn’t it the best feeling to have an empty platter when dinner is over??? That says SUCCESS!! Thanks again for your comment here – it is greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Chef Alli
This recipe did not work for me. My 185.00 prime rib was over cooked. Very upsetting!!
Hi Mattea –
I am sorry the prime rib recipe wasn’t successful for you. I’ve had so many great success stories from followers here, along with consistently using this recipe myself at least twice a year…..I’m really wondering what went wrong for you. I know that is extremely frustrating, especially when there’s so much at stake – your time AND your hard-earned money, too. If you’d like to chat about this further to see if we can figure out how to make this prime rib system work for you, please email me here: ChefAlli@ChefAlli.com
Sincerely,
Chef Alli
I tried it and the potato’s came out great. I just put the potatoes directly on the rack under the prime rib and there were perfect! And of course the prime rib was cooked perfectly and delicious! Thank you again!
Hi Kristin –
This is awesome news!! I will make this addition to the blog post as a good option for a side dish. Thank you so much for letting me know!
Sincerely,
Chef Alli
Chef, this is my second time making this fabulous dish!so easy and so delicious! I do have a question…can I put potatoes in the oven with the Prime Rib or will the dry out or burn? My kids are asking for baked potatoes and I’m wanting them to be done with the steak. I can use my air fryer but I would be perfect if I could throw them in the oven with the roast? What do you think?
Hi Kristen –
I agree that it would be nice to have the potatoes ready when the prime rib is. However, since I’ve never tried it, I’m skeptical about attempting to advise you how to do so and also am wondering if, in fact, it would work. If a prime rib wasn’t so expensive, I’d sure offer to test this for you….
Maybe I could offer another option that one of my prime rib advocates just told me about! She makes twice-baked potatoes ahead of time and then slips them into her slow cooker on warm to hold until the prime rib is ready. I told her I thought this was brilliant and also how great twice-baked potatoes accommodate prime rib….well, any great beef, actually. 🙂
I’m sorry I can’t be of more help with your potato question. However, if you ever do try it, can you let me know the outcome? I guess if the potatoes are ruined, it’s not a huge investment down the drain, but you might be potato-less!! Just not sure.
Sincerely,
Chef Alli
Hi! We have our prime rib in the oven now and are greatly looking forward to it. One question we gave that I don’t see others asking about – 15 minutes in and our house is filled with smoke. I’m assuming it comes from the fat that is burning on the bottom of the roasting pan. Is that normal?
Hi Mark –
I have had this happen once, but it wasn’t my oven so I was wondering if the oven I was cooking in ran hot. I turned the temperature down to 450 degrees F. and that did help. Also, the rib roast was hurried a bit, so it was more chilled than I prefer when putting it into the 500 degree F. oven, too. When cooking, there are so many things to factor in! You are correct in that it is fat that’s dripping down and burning in the bottom of the pan. I’m going to adjust the recipe to say that if there’s burning/smoke during the 500 degree F. process of the recipe, to add 1 cup of broth to the roasting pan. I think this will make it so that no one will have to experience the smoke!
I’m sorry if the smoke ran you out of the house – been there, done that.
Sincerely,
Chef Alli
P.S. Thanks for bringing this to my attention – I appreciate your question and feedback. It always helps me make my recipes better.
Thanks for your response! Those are good ideas.
I wanted to follow up on the issue. It turns out that the heating element in our oven malfunctioned. A secondary thermometer verified that the actual temp was 575 degrees, 75 degrees higher than desired. Luckily, this happened fairly early in the process and we were able to make an adjustment and get the actual temp to 500 where it belonged.
The good news – our 18.5 lb prime rib (a pricy hunk of meat) turned out perfect! Thank you!
Hi Mark – Thank you so much for getting back with me on this. I’m so glad that you were able to figure out what was going on and how to make the adjustment. 18.5 lbs. of prime rib would be a TERRIBLE thing to waste!!!!! I’m glad it turned out well. You’ve made my week. 🙂
Great news,
Chef Alli
This worked out to be the BEST PRIME RIB, OR STEAK MY FAMILY HAS EVER HAD!!!
… and so easy!!
Hi Chris –
I’m so glad this was a success for you and your family!! Thank you for letting me know and for the 5 star rating – I so appreciate it.
Let’s Keep Cookin’!
Sincerely,
Chef Alli
Happy New Year, Alli and family!! We have fixed Prime Rib by your method since first reading about in the Farm Bureau Kansas Living publication in 2019. We use the oven off method and have not had any fails. This is an excellent guide to preparing a special and impressive cut of meat. The biggest challenge is organizing the side dishes since your oven is tied up. I have found twice baked potatoes to be best and they always are good with Prime Rib. While the cooked roast is resting, I rewarm the potatoes. Great content on the prime vs choice grades of beef.
Hi Henriette –
Thank you so much for your feedback on your experiences when using this recipe for prime rib. I’m so glad it’s worked well for you and also appreciate your suggestion of pairing it with twice-baked potatoes – how perfect! That makes me wonder, too, if twice-baked potatoes could be kept warm on low in a slow cooker when the oven is tied up with the beautiful RIB ROAST! I’ll have to test that out sometime. Now you’ve given me a hankerin’ for twice-baked potatoes!
Sincerely,
Alli
I was pleased to find granulated garlic and onion at Tarwaters in Topeka . I have been looking for them since I first heard you mention them. Twice baked potatoes warmed up in crock pot: that is exactly what I decided to do next time we fix prime rib!
Hi Henriette –
I’m glad you found the spices at Tarwaters in Topeka – I had no idea they sold spices there! Good to know for future reference. Glad we were thinking alike on the twice-baked potatoes in the slow cooker. 🙂
Your fan,
Chef Alli
Hi Alli,
I’m cooking a prime rib tomorrow. I have 2 questions. For the granulated onion, is it ok to use onion powder? I’m not sure of what granulated onion is.
Also, would it be ok to use seasoned salt(Lawreys) and course kosher salt combined, totalling one TBS.?
I hope you get my questions in time to help me.
Thank you so much!
I’m doing a 5 pound bone in, using the 500 degrees for 30 min., then turning oven down to 170
Hi Pattie –
These are great questions. You can substitute onion powder for the granulated onion, no worries, as well as combining Lawry’s with the kosher salt to make 1 Tbs – it will work just fine. Granulated onion is just a little stronger than onion powder and sometimes you won’t find it at the grocer. Check Penzy’s for both granulated onion and granulated garlic, if you are so inclined. Love their fresh spices!
Please let me know here how your prime rib turns out – I’m excited for you. I know it will be grand!!
Sincerely,
Chef Alli
Chef Alli,
Our prime rib was so wonderful!! We made sure to follow the steps you gave for this recipe. A 5 pound roast, we ended up doing 6 1/2 minutes per pound at 500 degrees. Then lowered temp to 170 for 2 hrs. We checked temp of meat when it came out of the oven, but I think our thermometer was malfunctioning. Anyway, the roast was perfectly medium rare. I did your spice rub, it was great!! I did the au jus, it’s excellent! Also did horseradish sauce, loved that too!
Roast was on the counter for 6 hours before going in the oven. Oh, and was in fridge the night before, overnight, uncovered.
Beautiful way to do a prime rib!! ??. Thank you for this recipe!
Hi Pattie –
Thank you for circling back to let me know how everything went! I love the feedback and hearing how you did each step to make the recipe work for you. So thrilled it was a success and that you were pleased with the prime rib. You rocked it!!
Sincerely,
Chef Alli
Thank you for your recipe! My prime rib turned out perfect! I also made your horseradish sauce and aujus…..on point! Rave reviews from my whole family! **I added rosemary and thyme to the rub **I made an herb gravy with the roast drippings, potato water, and flour/water shaken. Nummy! (I wanted to add a picture to show you…..but I don’t see where to do that)
Hi Denise –
Wonderful news – I know cooking a prime rib can be rather scary but I’m so glad you conquered. I also appreciate all the adjustments you made to make the recipe your own – you made my mouth water! Cook on…..
Sincerely,
Chef Alli