The best standing prime rib roast recipe rubbed with a mix of spices, then oven roasted and served with horseradish cream sauce. Perfect every time! This is the ultimate holiday or dinner party meal.
The Best Prime Rib Roast - Spice Rubbed and Oven Baked
If you've never cooked a standing prime rib roast before because you felt the task was too daunting, I'm here to tell you that cooking prime rib roast is much easier than you think.
To be honest, standing rib roast is one of the easiest meals to prepare. I love a good rib roast.
Prime rib certainly is a pricey meal endeavor, for the cost alone of the bulky prime rib roast will stretch your budget, but in the end, this meal is SO worth it.
And usually you can find some great deals on both boneless or bone in rib roast around the holidays, when big meals are in order.
I wrote an article for Chile Pepper Magazine's holiday issue a while back - Beef for the Holidays - and THIS prime rib recipe was the star.
Call your butcher! Buy a prime rib roast!
Turkey is more traditional around the holidays or other special occasion, though I often prefer beef. Sure, turkey is more budget friendly, but beef brings the SERIOUS flavor.
Prime Rib Roast from the Butcher - Some Tips
If you're cooking up a standing rib roast this year, I suggest contacting your butcher in advance and asking him or her to cut and tie your rib roast for you.
It will save time.
The butcher will trim off the rib bones, then tie them back onto the roast.
You will roast the prime rib the same as you would normally, but the ribs will easily fall away after roasting, saving both time and energy. This is how I usually order mine, when possible.
How Many People Can You Serve with a Prime Rib Roast?
Typically, 1 rib will serve 2 people on average, though you will mostly likely have leftovers. It is standard to buy one pound per person.
For this recipe, we ordered up a 4-rib prime rib roast, which was somewhere between 8 and 9 pounds.
Yes, we had PLENTY of leftovers, which you will see in future recipes. FYI, leftover prime rib is AWESOME for many, many meals.
Think prime rib hash with potatoes and eggs, all manner of prime rib sandwiches, stews...so many possibilities.
So let's get cooking!
How to Cook a Prime Rib Roast - the Recipe Method
First, ensure your prime rib roast is brought to room temperature. Rub it completely dry before cooking. More on the prime rib rub below.
Slice quarter inch slits into the roast at short intervals and give it a good rub down with your preferred prime rib rub.
The slits will help the seasonings reach deeper into the meat. In this case, I used a thick chili paste made from jalapeno and sweet peppers, thyme, parsley, olive oil and salt and pepper. I also used my prime rib rub, which is listed below.
You can go completely NUTS here, but don't overdo it, as you want the taste of the ribs to take front and center.
Roast your prime rib roast at 425 degrees for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 325 degrees and roast another 1.75 to 2.25 hours, basting every half hour or so with the juices, until a your meat thermometer reads an internal temperature of 120 degrees for rare. Use a good roasting pan to catch any dripping juices.
Remove the roast from the oven and cover with aluminum foil. The roast will continue to cook and should reach an internal temperature of 125 to 130 degrees, closer to medium rare.
This will take 20 minutes to 30 minutes for a bone-in roast.
Let it rest so the juices within redistribute several minutes before slicing.
WOW. Just look at it. Perfect prime rib roast, medium rare.
The outer edges will be cooked a bit more than the insides, forming a nice crust, as with any larger cuts of meat. Just as delicious.
Here is a slice further in. Nice and medium-rare, but obviously cook it to your own personal preferences.
Remove the bones easily by cutting the string ties and carve them or serve them as-is. Get gnawing on those chili rubbed ribs!
Carve it and serve the pieces of meat with vegetables sides, all topped with this creamy horseradish sauce that whips together quickly.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Well Marbled Meat. If you can, choose well marbled prime rib, which is juicier and more deeply flavored.
- Bone-In Prime Rib. Choose a bone-in standing prime rib roast for more depth of flavor. The bones provide some insulation, making the meat around the bones very tender and juicy. However, a boneless prime rib roast is very delicious, and usually more affordable.
- Dry-Aged. With dry-aging beef, the meat is held in a room that is both temperature and humidity controlled for days, weeks or months, allowing the beef to become more tender and flavorful.
Prime Rib Roast Cooking Time Per Pound
Practical wisdom says to cook a prime rib roast 15 minutes per pound. However, use this as a general guideline when planning your meal.
The best way to cook beef is by temperature rather than time, so be sure to invest in a good meat thermometer.
Prime Rib Cooking Temperatures
- Rare: 120 F degrees (48.9 degree Celsius)
- Medium Rare: 130 F degrees (54.45 degrees Celsius)
- Medium: 140 F degrees (60 degrees Celsius)
- Medium Well Done: 150 F degrees (65.5 degrees Celsius)
- Well Done: 160 F degrees (71.1 degrees Celsius)
Be sure to use a good meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of meat. It is the smartest way to cook beef, especially a more expensive cut like a prime rib roast. I recommend Thermoworks thermometers - I am an affiliate there. The Thermapen is great for cooking a beef roast.
About the Horseradish Cream Sauce
It is made from crema or sour cream, prepared horseradish, Dijon mustard, white wine vinegar and salt and pepper. Just whisk it all together and you're good to go.
About the Prime Rib Rub - My Recipe
My preferred ingredients for a great prime rib rub include the following:
- 3 tablespoons paprika
- 2 tablespoons cayenne
- 2 tablespoons granulated garlic
- 2 tablespoons onion powder
- 1 tablespoon mustard powder
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon extra spicy chili powder, optional
Just mix it all together and rub down your prime rib. Then, get cooking!
Truly, the only hard part of this recipe is the waiting. If you have the ability to time yourself and are comfortable with a cooking thermometer, there is the barest of efforts, and the end result is an impressive meal any beef lover will appreciate. I hope you enjoy it!
Recommended Prime Rib
Snake River Farms decadent prime rib is superbly marbled and is robust in flavor. With a smooth texture and fine grain, it's an impressive centerpiece to any meal.
Buy Prime Rib from Snake River Farms (affiliate link, my friends!)
Got leftover prime rib?
Try These Recipes for Leftover Prime Rib
Try Some of My Other Popular Holiday Recipes
- Spinach, Cheese and Chili Stuffed Flank Steak
- Chipotle-Honey Glazed Ham
- Sausage Stuffing
- Cornbread Dressing
- Chipotle Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Papas con Chile – Cheese Tex-Mex Mashed Potatoes
- Spicy Deviled Eggs with Bacon and Jalapeno
- Chimichurri Steak
- Smothered Turkey Wings
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS.Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Prime Rib Recipe with Horseradish Cream Sauce (Spice Rubbed)
Ingredients
- 1 4-rib rib roast 8-9 pounds
- 5 cloves garlic
- 1 jalapeno pepper chopped
- 1 red sweet pepper chopped
- 3 tablespoons fresh thyme
- ¼ cup fresh parsley
- ¾ cup olive oil
- Rib Rub (See Ingredients Below)
FOR THE HORSERADISH CREAM SAUCE
- 1 cup sour cream or crema
- ¼ cup prepared horseradish
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
- Salt and pepper to taste
PRIME RIB RUB RECIPE
- 3 tablespoons paprika
- 2 tablespoons cayenne
- 2 tablespoons granulated garlic
- 2 tablespoons onion powder
- 1 tablespoon mustard powder
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder (spicy variety) optional
Instructions
- Ensure your rib roast is completely thawed and brought to room temperature. Pat dry with a towel.
- Add the garlic, jalapeno, sweet pepper, thyme, parsley, olive oil and prime rib rub ingredients to a food processor. Process to form a paste. Add more oil if it is too dry.
- Slice quarter inch slits into the roast at intervals, then rub the entire surface of the meat with your seasoning paste. Get it into the crevices.
- Bake the rib roast for 15 minutes at 425 degrees.
- Reduce heat to 325 degrees and cook another 1.75 to 2.25 hours, basting every half hour or so with the juices, until an instant read thermometer reads an internal temperature of 120 degrees for rare.
- Remove from heat and cover with aluminum foil. The roast will continue to cook and should reach an internal temperature of 125 to 130 degrees, closer to medium rare.
- For the horseradish cream sauce, whisk all of the ingredients together in a bowl and transfer to a serving dish.
- Carve the rib roast and serve with the sauce.
Nutrition Information
NOTE: This recipe was updated on 12/18/2019 to include new information and photos. It was originally published on 12/5/2016.
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