Hubby LOVES prime rib…he’ll order it when we’re dining out if the chef can guarantee a very rare piece of beef. Tom and I prefer the leaner beef tenderloin, but for Christmas we give in and let Bill have his favorite. When I spotted a recipe for Best Prime Rib from Cook’s Illustrated, I figured it would be perfect for our holiday dinner.
I bought a 7 pound standing rib roast with the bones removed and tied back on with butcher’s twine…and tried not to look at the price as I signed the charge card receipt. This recipe requires some planning as you salt it at least 24 hours ahead of cooking, and then roast at a low temperature for up to 4 hours plus a minimum of another hour of resting time.
I mentioned that I needed to start this process at 1 PM…and about 3, Bill asked what time I was supposed to get the roast started…oops. So we did a hurried version…seared all sides in the roasting pan, then put the beef on a rack and roasted at 200º for about 3 hours till it reached an internal temp of 110º (I turned the convection oven on the last half hour). I allowed the roast to rest with the oven off for 30 minutes, till the internal temperature reached 120º. I pulled the pan out of the oven, tented the roast with foil and watched the temperature rise to 125º…nice and rare throughout. The last step is to pop the roast under the broiler for about 6 minutes to brown the exterior.
I ate a thin slice of the end…medium rare…and delicious. Raves from all around…though the 3/4 inch slices were too rare for me, they were perfect for the carnivorous men in the family.
Christmas Prime Rib…adapted from Cook’s Illustrated
7 pound standing beef rib roast (3 bones), ribs removed from the roast.
2 tablespoons kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Vegetable oil
Required: an accurate meat thermometer
One to 3 days before serving, cut slits into fat on top of roast in a crosshatch pattern. Rub kosher salt all over roast, and refrigerate uncovered.
On serving day, preheat oven to 200º. Sear roast in a roaster in a small amount of vegetable oil, about 2 minutes on each side. Place rack into roaster, and set beef on rack. Place in oven and insert meat thermometer into center of roast. Cook for 3-4 hours till meat thermometer registers 110º. Turn oven off and let rest for about 30 minutes without opening oven door. Remove when internal temperature reaches 120º for rare or 125º for medium rare.
Remove from oven and tent with foil for at least 30 minutes (I waited for internal temperature to reach 125º). Turn on broiler and broil about 8 inches from element for about 6 minutes or till top is brown and crispy.
Place roast on carving board and cut meat into 3/4 inch slices. Season with kosher salt if necessary.
Serves 6-8.
{ 62 comments… read them below or add one }
As your hubby I love prime rib too…. and this must have been great!!! Have a wonderful happy new year, hugs, Flavia
We considered a standing rib for Christmas, but I opted for the easier spiral sliced ham. Maybe Easter…..
Beautiful! I am a rare meat and Scotch kind of gal, so this would have been my ideal Xmas meal!!
Well although I am sure this would be adorned on any table.. I cant eat meat with any red in it.. actually I don’t eat meat at all anymore but I love mine almost burnt…Its funny how everyone eats it different.. I will be this one your family loved. I won’t order meat out because its never cooked right, then by the time it comes to me its coal lol… so either way its a challenge… have a great week Lizzy!
What a gorgeous hunk of meat! I am sure my carnivores would have stood up and cheered if that had appeared on our table.
That roast is perfectly done! It seems like you had a lovely Christmas.
I would have thought so much less of Cook’s Illustrated if there had been anything more than salt and pepper on that roast.
I have to admit it, but I’d be jumping on the men’s side with the nice, thick rare slices. Wow, it looks fantastic. What a perfect way to start he new year. Bill has great taste.
This roast looks amazing. Like you it is a little too rare, but more cooking time would have me in heaven. Then, since my family is small, I would have the pleasure of making other delicious entrees with what was left. No roast of beef is to big because the leftovers are just as welcome.
Awesome Christmas dinner with this showstopper on the table-yum!
looks fabulous!
I’m with Claudia, I like my meat almost burnt. The Mr. on the other hand would love this!
Wow Lizzy, thats plenty of work done to make this rib. It looks so juice with a lovely dark brown coating all around. I am glad that you other half loves this and enjoyed it too.
As a grill cook at work,this is a beautiful prime rib to peoples who like rare or medium rare beef/steak,but for my self I prepare medium well to well done
yup peoples are different about prepared temperature of beef 
I always check the temperature before i serve them before they complaint about it,, LOL,
Ridwan
Looks good Lizzy…..and I’m glad your husband enjoyed this…..in my family we like our meat burnt, the more the better.
The picture you took captured it beautifuly.
On the other hand my SIL loves it being under rare.:-O
that sure goes well with a glass of red wine.
Oh wow! This looks incredible. I am the same as your husband and prefer a rare piece of meat. Over Christmas I was at someones house and the meat was well done. I almost cried!
That’s the way to do prime rib! Nice and pink!
I love it rare too…looks so delicious!
I’ll have to pass this post on to my mom. She attempted prime rib at Christmas and while tasty, it wasn’t done quite right. Your version looks perfect!
oh that looks delicious! anne
Wow, that is one really good looking Prime rib! So perfectly pink!
Got to say that I love everything well done..but on the photos look stunning! Great post as always!
Ooh love a rare slice of prime rib! I haven’t done a roast in way too long.
That looks beautiful Liz! But I finally found my other method using high heat. It starts out for a couple days in the fridge, like yours,take it out 3 hours before cooking, then start at450-500 deg for 10 min, turn down to 325, cook 15 min/lb for rare….check temp at the end of the cooking time and if not where you want it, continue cooking and check temp every 15 min until it’s 120 deg and remove to cutting board to rest, tented for 30 min.
I’ve used this method (not sure where it came from) and it always turns out perfectly rare…I used the method you did this time and do not like having to wrangle such a large hunk of beef to sear it : ). It turned out excellent however!
My kind of prime rib! I almost did prime rib for Christmas. It looks wonderful!
There’s something really attractive with the photos, making me drool. I have never attempted cooking anything like this
Oh wow, if that doesn’t look perfectly rosy and tender
I would love a slice!! Great recipe.
Yep, my Hubby would be right there with yours, eating it as rare as can be
Great post, as always, Lizzy! Hugs!
A little red for me, but I love it! Just cook a little longer for me
What a great dinner for Christmas!
What a gorgeous prime rib, perfectly rare. Oh boy do have stories of kitchen mishaps at Christmas too.
Absolutely perfectly cooked. Just the way I love our prime ribs.
~ Ann
That looks beautiful and perfectly done, Lizzy! Such a star on your Christmas feast!
Simple but yet delicious! Thanks Lizzy!
You give a warning but this roast looks like it’s cooked to perfection for me! Yum! And amazing pictures too!
This is a gorgeous looking roast – but like you, I prefer the medium rare bits.
Prime Rib always reminds me of a fancy feast. I have to admit, I have never cooked it at home. You did an awesome job Lizzy.. hope your hubby gave you some extra snuggles on Christmas for such a beautiful dinner.
Oooh…fancy!
Happy New Year, Liz! Wishing you all the best in the upcoming year.
Wow, that is one perfectly rare prime rib–David was trying to get ours that color, but didn’t quite pull it out of the oven in time. Yum!
Un piatto invitante!!! La cottura è perfetta e la presentazione stupenda!!!!
Ti abbraccio!!!!
Rushed or not that looks perfect! I’m with your Hubby, I want my meat on the rare side, especially a prime rib!
We do a standing rib roast at Christmas too. It’s always phenomenal. You simply can’t mess that cut of beef up!
that is just breathtaking! Wow! I wish I would have been at your house for dinner!
Dear Lizzy, Happy New Year to you and your loved ones.
This Christmas dinner looks very beautiful and festive.
Blessings, Catherine xo
I do not like prime rib, much prefer the tenderloin.
But it does look nice in the photograph.
Oooh! Its practically twitching its so rare! Love it. I would adore a prime rib at Christmas if only my family would allow change for holiday meals. They won’t so I must live vicariously through you!
Lizzie, that is one beauty of a roast. I like my meat well cooked so this is not for me but everyone else, in my family, would jump through hoops, for a piece.
This is definitely on the menu for this years Christmas. Looks great!
Thanks for all your great tips to cook a perfect medium-rare roast!
Your prime rib is perfect – I indulge usually on New Year’s and spend the money. I cannot eat it as rare as my husband – but it somehow works – he gets the center and I get the ends. It is always worth the splurge though, isn’t it? All those happy faces… and the recipe is simplicity itself – which is usual when you cook something that does not need bells and whistles. It speaks for itself.
Oh, how I wish I had a few carnivores to feed….I’m going to have to settle for my prime rib in a restaurant. This looks fantastic–I’ll have my piece just this side of bloody, thank you!
I have had prime rib three times in my life and I loved it! mind you, I would go for it more medium rare than pure rare but yours looks amazingly delicious no matter how done it is!
Beautiful roast! Interesting recipe, I’ve never roasted meat at such a low temperature but it looks and sounds like it turned out great. We like medium rare beef and this straight forward method sounds like a good one;-)
Oh My heavens Lizzy I am so coming to your house for this! MY FAVORITE!!
Wow – this looks amazing! It’s absolutely perfectly done! Congratulations….and I’m coming over next year!
wow the prime ribs look so delicious!
and a late Happy 2012 to you!
Thanks for taking time to visit my blog occasionally, really appreciate your support.
May you have a fantastic 2012!
My husband is the same way about prime rib. I usually fix it for Christmas, but since we were have 18 people over dinner I thought it would be way too expensive. Your prime rib looks fantastic, Lizzy.
this looks amazing…I love d inviting cliks too..;)
Tasty Appetite
Lizzy- That roast looks like heaven to me. Wishing you a wonderful 2012. Look forward to more of your posts and recipes.
This looks absolutely perfect….
I fail to understand men liking with rare meat… Anyway seems all men are alike.
Beautiful presentation Liz
Wishing you and your loved one a Very Happy New Year 2012 my dear.
Looks great! We had prime rib on New Year’s day. Love it rare.
I love that you put a warning. Lol. You know me and rare but I’d try this out. I always hear people rave about it rare. I’m just a scaredy cat for some reason. Add this to the adoption dinner list. Lol!
Mmm my family always does prime rib for xmas day dinner. I like my beef medium and slathered with horseradish! Yum. Happy New Year!
Whoa Liz!!!
LL