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Garlic Butter Prime Rib is incredibly juicy and succulent! Just melts in your mouth with superior flavours.
A Prime Rib recipe slathered and roasted in garlic butter makes this the BEST roast beef to hit your table! Also known as Standing Rib Roast, this cut of beef is worth every penny. If you’re wondering how to cook a prime rib, but you’re too scared to attempt it, don’t feel intimidated! We have broken it down for you with simple and easy to follow directions to get you the best, juicy beef roast all the way through!
Get ready for the ultimate Prime Rib dinner experience! Serve with our optional Red Wine Jus (or Sauce), a side of Creamy Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Mushrooms and Buttery Sautéed Green Beans!
BEST PRIME RIP RECIPE
Prime rib is an expensive cut… I know it, you know it, BUT it’s worth it. Special occasions, weekend gatherings, parties or cooking for people who appreciate great tasting food. There’s nothing like cutting through a tender roast; the blade slices through the meat as if it were slicing through butter, hitting the crisp golden, buttery, garlic crust first before showing you the pièce de résistance. Hearing the moaning and seeing the sheer excitement from your guests in seeing juicy, red meat on the inside. My kind of people…
A quick, hot blast in the oven for 20-30 minutes creates that golden crust, then low and slow gives you an unbelievably tender and juicy beef roast throughout. It takes longer this way… but it’s worth it.
CHOOSE THE BEST CUT
Prime rib can be sold bone-in or boneless, however a bone-in roast yields the best results if you’re looking forward to guaranteed juicy, succulent meat. Choose a cut with the bones still attached and trimmed (or frenched: bones scraped clean of excess fat and meat). You can also buy a prime rib roast with bones removed and reattached with string if you wish! Bones = a natural roasting rack for the meat.
Buying a good quality cut from your butcher just doesn’t compare to anything found in a supermarket. Yes, they are more expensive BUT they are larger and fresher when compared with supermarket cuts.
To cook our Garlic Butter Prime Rib recipe, you’ll need a 4-bone rib roast weighing around 6 pounds (or 3 kilos).
HOW TO COOK A PRIME RIB
When you invest in a good piece of beef, you don’t need to do much to it. A simple garlic butter mixture cooks onto and into this tender meat, which creates a crispy golden crust on the outside, while the inside stays tender and juicy.
- Remove your prime rib at least 2-3 hours before cooking to take the chill out. This prevents the roast from over-cooking on the outer edge while being undercooked on the inside.
- Preheat your oven to get it nice and hot before cooking.
- Place the roast in a cast iron skillet or roasting pan bone-side down over some garlic halves. The bones create a natural roasting rack for the meat.
- Slather with garlic butter, rubbing it all over the meat and sides to coat it well and evenly.
- Roast uncovered first for that char-grilled flavour, and then continue roasting at a reduced heat until your roast is cooked to your liking.
As you can see, the only way we love ours is medium rare. However, you CAN continue roasting to get it to your own liking and preference.
If you’re looking for a herb butter prime rib recipe, try this recipe.
HOW LONG TO COOK A PRIME RIB?
When it comes time to cook your roast, it’s best to buy a digital meat thermometer. Whether you use a removable stick thermometer or a probe that stays in the meat while it roasts, a meat thermometer provides complete accuracy and prevents overcooking.
Cook the roast for 20-30 minutes at 460˚F (240°C) until nicely browned, then reduce your oven temperature to 250°F (120°C). Continue to slow roast for 1 – 1 1/2 hours, basting every 20-30 minutes with the pan juices, until reaching your desired preference.
INTERNAL TEMPERATURE OF COOKED PRIME RIB:
A prime rib roasts internal temperature will rise while it rests by 5-7°F (or 3-4°C) every 10 to 15 minutes or so. Take out of the oven just before reaching your desired doneness, as the roast will continue to cook as the juices settle:
- Rare: Remove from oven at 115°F (46°C) internal temp. It will rise to 120°F (49°C) as it rests.
- Medium Rare: Remove at 48°C / 118°F internal temp. It will rise to 125°F (51.7°C).
- Medium: Remove at 123°F (51°F) internal temp. It will rise to 130°F (55°C).
- Medium Well: Remove at 127°F (53°C) internal temp. It will rise to 135°F (57°C).
For larger roasts, add 10 minutes extra roasting time for each additional 2 pounds (1 kg).
TIP: Start checking the internal temperature after 45 minutes of roasting. Continue to keep checking with each baste to ensure it doesn’t over cook as every oven is different.
When cooked to your liking, remove the roast from the oven and let it rest for 20 minutes before carving.
RED WINE JUS (SAUCE)
Red wine and beef are a classic flavour combination… one we’ve used before in our Roast Beef Tenderloin Recipe. Using the leftover pan drippings from the roast is the best way to get a sauce loaded with flavour!
A red wine jus is easy to make:
- Beef stock, drippings and red wine are rapidly simmered in the same skillet the beef was roasted in
- Reduce down into a rich and intense flavoured gravy.
For a thicker sauce, use cornstarch (or cornflour). This is optional though, as red wine jus is usually thin in consistency.
Prime Rib Roast that’s mouthwateringly juicy on the inside, with a buttery, salty, garlic golden crust.
Take a moment to let that sink in.
Unbelievably tender and so perfect, especially when served with an incredible red wine sauce.
The perfect meal.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH PRIME RIB ROAST
Creamy Mashed Potatoes, Buttery Mashed Cauliflower, Buttery Sautéed Green Beans, Balsamic Roasted Mushrooms, Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, or choose something from our list here.
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Best Prime Rib in Garlic Butter
Ingredients
PRIME RIB:
- 6.6 pounds standing rib roast 4 bone rib roast
- 2 heads garlic unpeeled and halved horizontally, unpeeled keeps it together
GARLIC BUTTER:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon coarse salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
RED WINE JUS:
- 3 cups low sodium beef stock or broth
- 2 cups red wine
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch cornflour - optional for a thicker sauce.
Instructions
- PRIME RIB: Take prime rib out of the refridgerator atleast 2 - 3 hours before cooking to bring to room temperature. Pat dry all over with paper towel.
- PREHEAT: STANDARD oven to 460˚F (240°C) | FAN/CONVECTION 430˚F (220°C).
- GARLIC BUTTER: Mix together the butter and garlic and 1/2 tablespoon of salt in a small bowl until combined.
- SKILLET OR ROASTING PAN: Arrange garlic halves in a heavy-based pan or cast-iron skillet. Spread 2 tablespoons of garlic butter on the underside of the beef (bone-side) to completely coat. Place the roast, bone-side down, in the pan/skillet on top of the garlic halves (the bones create a natural roasting rack for the meat). Spread another 2-3 tablespoons of garlic butter on the top and sides, rubbing into the flesh. Coat well.Season with remaining salt and pepper.
- ROAST: For 20-30 minutes or until the roast has nicely browned.
- GARLIC BUTTER 2: Carefully remove roast from oven. Spread with remaining garlic butter.
- REDUCE OVEN TEMPERATURE: STANDARD oven 250°F (120°C) | FAN/CONVECTION oven 220°F (100°C).
- COVER WITH FOIL and continue to slow roast for 1 - 1 1/2 hours, basting every 20-30 minutes with the pan juices, until reaching your desired preference. Internal temperature should read 118°F | 48°C for med/rare. (TIP: Start checking internal temperature after 45 minutes of roasting. Continue to keep checking with each baste to ensure it doesn't over cook.)
- Once cooked to your liking, allow to rest for 20 minutes. The roast will continue to cook as the juices inside settle, raising the internal temperature to 130°F | 55°C for a perfect medium-rare prime rib.
- REST: Transfer roast to serving plate, tent loosely with foil and let rest for 20 - 30 minutes. Internal temperature will rise to 125°F (52°C) for medium rare.
- SLICE AND SERVE with Red Wine Jus/Sauce.
- RED WINE JUS: Place skillet with pan juices and the cooked garlic halves left in the pan on the stove top over high heat. Stir in 2 1/2 cups of the beef stock and all of the wine. Bring to a fast simmer for 10 minutes until iquid has reduced by roughly half.
- REDUCE HEAT to medium. Whisk cornstarch (cornflour) into the remaining beef stock. Whisk half of the mixture into the red wine jus. Sauce will begin to thicken. Whisk in remaining cornstarch mixture for a thicker jus. Strain jus into a bowl, pressing garlic juices through the strainer, then pour jus into serving jug.
Notes
- Rare: 120°F (49°C). Remove from oven at 115°F (46°C) internal temp.
- Medium Rare: 125°F (51.7°C). Remove at 48°C / 118°F internal temp.
- Medium: 130°F (55°C). Remove at 123°F (51°F) internal temp.
- Medium Well: 135°F (57°C). Remove at 127°F (53°C) internal temp.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made this for Christmas dinner, and it was a huge hit with everyone! Super tender, and I used our leftover Christmas Eve mulled wine in the au jus 😂. So good, thanks for the recipe!