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a sliced prime rib roast on a cutting board.
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4.51 from 453 votes

Prime Rib Roast

This Prime Rib Roast is cooked to a perfect medium rare, and smothered in a compound butter spiced with chili powder, cumin, fresh herbs, and garlic. This feast is fit for any holiday or special occasion. 
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 30 minutes
Resting Time20 minutes
Total Time1 hour 40 minutes
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: prime rib, prime rib roast, rib roast, standing rib roast
Servings: 10
Calories: 799kcal

Ingredients

Compound Butter

  • 8 tablespoons butter unsalted, room temperature (1/2 cup or 1 stick)
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder I used a mild chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin ground
  • 1 tablespoon thyme chopped, fresh
  • 1 tablespoon rosemary chopped, fresh
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon pepper or to taste
  • 5 pounds prime rib

Prime Rib Roast

  • 2 medium onions quartered
  • 5 cloves garlic peeled
  • 4 sprigs thyme
  • 2 sprigs rosemary

Gravy

Instructions

  • Remove your roast from all its packaging and let it sit out at room temperature for one to two hours. Also make sure your roast is fully thawed, you do not want to cook a roast from frozen. Using paper towels, pat the roast completely dry.
  • Preheat your oven to 450°F for at least 30 minutes, while the prime rib comes to room temperature.
  • In a bowl mix the butter with the chili powder, cumin, thyme, rosemary, garlic, salt, and pepper until well combined.
  • With either a spatula or your hands, spread the compound butter mixture over the entire roast.
    process shots showing how to make prime rib roast.
  • Place the onions, garlic, thyme and rosemary in a large skillet that will fit your roast. If you don't have a large enough skillet, use a roasting pan. Place the roast over the onions in the skillet.
  • Cook the roast for 15 minutes at 450°F, then reduce the oven temperature to 325°F. Continue to cook the roast until your meat thermometer reads 120°F. Estimate about 15 minutes of cooking time per pound of prime rib.
  • Once the thermometer hits 120°F, remove the roast from the oven and transfer it to a cutting board. Cover it with aluminum foil and let it rest for 20 minutes. The roast will continue to cook as the juices inside settle, raising the internal temperature to 130°F for a perfect medium-rare prime rib.
  • Slice and serve with gravy over mashed potatoes.

Gravy

  • While to roast is resting, place the skillet with the onions, garlic and herbs over medium high heat. Add the red wine and beef broth and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes. The sauce should reduce a bit.
  • Mix the 1 tbsp of cornstarch with 2 tbsp of water and to the skillet. Whisk it and continue to cook for a few more minutes. The sauce should thicken. Use more cornstarch if wanting a thicker gravy. 
  • Strain into a bowl, then pour it into a gravy boat.

Video

Notes

  1. Pat the roast dry. It’s important to pat the roast dry with paper towels before adding the compound butter. Doing so creates a better crust on the meat as it cooks.
  2. Room temperature meat. Give the roast a few hours to come to room temperature before you begin the recipe. This is important for even cooking.
  3. Temp the roast. Use an instant-read digital meat thermometer to check the doneness of the prime rib. This is the best way to ensure it’s cooked to your liking. For medium rare the internal temperature will be 130°F (54.5°C).

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 799kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 69g | Saturated Fat: 31g | Cholesterol: 161mg | Sodium: 389mg | Potassium: 609mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 505IU | Vitamin C: 4.4mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 3.9mg