This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Garlic Butter Prime Rib is rich, juicy, and incredibly tender: a true showstopper for any special meal. Roasted in a flavorful garlic herb butter, it melts in your mouth with every bite.
Also known as a Standing Rib Roast, this cut is easier to make you’d think. With our simple method, you’ll get a golden crust and perfectly cooked center every time. Serve it with Red Wine Jus, creamy mashed potatoes, and roasted veggies for a complete feast.
What Makes This Garlic Butter Roast Work
What sets this Garlic Butter Roast apart is the rich, garlicky butter that locks in moisture and infuses every bite with bold, savory flavor. As it roasts, the butter mixture forms a golden crust on the outside while keeping the center melt-in-your-mouth tender.
The beauty of this garlic butter rib roast is its simplicity—no complicated steps, just a foolproof method that ensures juicy, evenly cooked results every time. Whether you’re making this prime rib recipe for a holiday gathering or an intimate dinner, it brings restaurant-quality flavor with surprisingly little effort.
What Goes Into This Recipe
This Garlic Butter Roast delivers show-stopping flavor with just a handful of bold, reliable ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need to make it unforgettable:
- Standing Rib Roast: A 6.6-pound, 4-bone prime rib is the star—juicy, tender, and full of natural flavor that shines when slow-roasted.
- Garlic: Two whole heads, halved but unpeeled, roast alongside the beef to infuse it with subtle, mellow garlic essence.
- Unsalted Butter: Forms the base of the garlic butter rub, helping to create a golden crust and rich, savory flavor.
- Red Wine Jus: Made with beef stock, red wine, and a touch of cornstarch (if you prefer it thickened), this optional sauce adds a deep, luxurious finish to every slice.
Note: Please see recipe card at the bottom for a full list of ingredients with measurement.
How to Make Garlic Butter Roast
- Bring to Room Temperature: Remove the prime rib from the fridge at least 3 hours before roasting. Pat it dry with paper towels to help the butter stick.
- Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 460°F (240°C) or 430°F (220°C) if using a fan/convection oven. This initial high heat helps develop a flavorful crust.
- Make the Garlic Butter: In a small bowl, mix together the softened butter, minced garlic, and half of the salt until smooth and well combined.
- Prepare the Pan: Arrange the garlic heads cut-side up in a roasting pan. Spread garlic butter on the bone side of the roast and place it on top of the garlic halves.
- Butter and Season: Rub the remaining garlic butter over the top and sides of the meat. Season all over with the remaining salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
- High-Heat Roast: Roast the prime rib uncovered for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the surface is golden brown and beginning to crust.
- Butter Again and Reduce Heat: Carefully remove the roast, spread with the rest of the garlic butter, then reduce oven to 250°F (120°C) or 220°F (100°C) fan. Return to oven.
- Slow Roast and Baste: Cover with foil and slow roast for 1 to 1 ½ hours, basting every 20–30 minutes, until internal temp reaches 118°F (48°C) for medium rare.
- Rest the Roast: Transfer roast to a plate, tent with foil, and rest for 20–30 minutes. The internal temp will rise to about 130°F (55°C), giving you a perfect medium-rare center.
- Make Red Wine Jus: Place the pan with drippings and garlic halves on the stove. Add wine and 2½ cups beef stock, then stir in a cornstarch slurry made with the remaining stock. Simmer until thickened and strain.
Garlic Butter Prime Rib is rich, bold, and made for pairing with comforting, flavorful sides. For the ultimate feast, serve it with a generous scoop of Browned Butter Mashed Potatoes with Garlic Parmesan to soak up every drop of that red wine jus. Add a side of Roasted Mushrooms (Balsamic Soy) for a deep, earthy contrast, and Buttery Sautéed Green Beans to bring a pop of color and freshness to the plate.
Recipe FAQ’s
Look for a high-quality Standing Rib Roast from a butcher rather than a supermarket—it’s often fresher and better marbled. Bone-in is ideal, as the bones act as a natural roasting rack and add flavor. You can also ask for a “frenched” cut where the bones are cleaned, or have the bones removed and tied back on for easy carving.
Plan for about 1 pound (450 g) per person if using a bone-in roast. If you’re serving several sides, you can get away with slightly less.
Use a meat thermometer for the most accurate results. Remove the roast just before your target doneness since it will continue to cook as it rests.
Rare: Remove at 115°F (46°C), final temp 120°F (49°C)
Medium Rare: Remove at 118°F (48°C), final temp 125°F (51.7°C)
Medium: Remove at 123°F (51°C), final temp 130°F (55°C)
Medium Well: Remove at 127°F (53°C), final temp 135°F (57°C)
You might also like
Get a free eBook!
Subscribe to Cafe Delites FOR FREE and receive recipes straight into your inbox!
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 amazing prime rib recipe for the Saturday after Thanksgiving ( that’s when my family comes over to celebrate.) it was so easy and tasted incredible!!! Everyone raves about it. I love how you can adjust the servings in the recipe and it is automatically changed to the correct amount of each ingredient. Will definitely make this over and over again!! Thanks Karina for all of you delicious recipes. I’m an avid follower’n
Best recipe for prime rib I have tried!!! I did have bones loosened and tide back on !! Was still Grand !! Thank You!!!
I have roasted Prime Rib like this for Christmas or New Year’s for several years now. Your instructions are perfect to get the roast exactly as you love your beef. Remind everyone that PRIME beef is worth the splurge, but Choice beef will still be wonderful. Also, make sure your thermometer is calibrated by checking it in boiling water – it should read 212 degrees Fahrenheit or 100 degrees Celsius. Don’t gamble with a wonderful piece of meat! I love the Cafe Delites blog! Such great information and yummy recipes!
What a good idea to check the thermometer in boiling water! Thank you!
That’s a great tip, calibrating the thermometer. I’m gonna try this recipe christmas day. 2020
Love how evenly cooked the roast is!
We love this recipe! I’ve been making it for Christmas and/or New Years Eve for the past 4 years!!
I’ve made this recipe (old version) the last 3 years for my parents on Christmas Eve. They and my family of 4 absolutely LOVE it!!!! Every recipe I’ve made from you has been stellar!!!!
LOOOOOVE the recipe!! I made it for my family celebration and everyone raved about!! They expect another one for Christmas dinner and I’m only happy to oblige! So glad I found this sure cuz your recipes are delicious and healthy!! Total life saver for us trying to lose weight but still enjoy tasty food!! Thank you for being a blessing!!
I made this prime rib when four of my six brothers were coming over for dinner! The other two were soooo jealous when they heard about the meal and have never let me forget it! I’m very glad you posted it again because most of my family will be at my home for Christmas! Timing couldn’t be better!!
I just made your original prime rib recipe on Sunday as a Christmas Eve dinner trial run and it was AMAZING. Now I’m torn between remaking that one (garlic herb crust) and this one! Either way, I’m sure they won’t disappoint. Thanks for sharing, and happy holidays!!
I’m dying to try this!! My only question is if I were to do a smaller roast (say 3lbs instead on 6), how would I change the cook times?? It looks amazing and I want to try it so bad but there’s no way we’d eat 6lbs, even with leftovers ☹️. Want to try this for date night!
I made this roast last Christmas. I’m making it again this Christmas. I never had such a tender roast in my life. It is totally amazing. Needless to say there were no leftovers. Such a fantastic tender piece of meat. Kudos to you. Thanks for sharing it.