This Prime Rib roast recipe is a deliciously decadent holiday dinner that is surprisingly easy to make at home. This recipe shows you how to cook prime rib that is perfectly tender, flavored with a fresh herb crust, and served with au jus gravy and horseradish sauce to boot.
Herb Crusted Prime Rib Recipe
The classic prime rib roast is one of the best, most iconic Christmas dinners. Sure it’s more expensive than other cuts, but you get what you pay for. A perfectly cooked prime rib roast is mouthwateringly tender, full of flavor, and serves a large group of people all at once.
This recipe will show you how to cook prime fib perfectly every time and make homemade au jus gravy and even a delicious horseradish sauce. Serve with any of your favorite holiday sides such as Garlic Parmesan Mashed Potatoes, Lemon Garlic Roasted Green Beans, or these soft and fluffy Potato Rolls.
Tips on How to Choose Prime Roast
Buying prime rib, or standing rib roast, is the first step to cooking it. The best place to buy it is from your local butcher because the meat is often better quality and you can ask them to prep it a bit for you. However, even your local grocery store will typically carry USDA choice-grade Prime Rib.
You will typically have a choice of either boneless Prime Rib or bone-in Prime Rib. If you choose the bone-in, you can ask your butcher to cut the bone off and tie it to the roast for you so it eliminates an entire step. Note that the bones act as a sort of rack in the bottom of the pan, so if you do choose a boneless Prime Rib you will need to place a small rack in the bottom of your pan.
Ingredients You Will Need
- Butter – you can use either salted or unsalted butter for the herb butter
- Garlic – I like to use fresh finely minced garlic, but you could substitute garlic powder.
- Fresh herbs – this recipe calls for fresh minced thyme and rosemary.
- Dry Mustard – dry mustard powder adds loads of flavor and tastes amazing with the fresh herbs and other ingredients in this butter.
- Beef Broth – any kind of beef broth or stock will work great for cooking along with the pan drippings.
- Cornstarch – this helps to thicken the au jus gravy.
- Worcestershire Sauce – this adds a classic savory flavor to your sauce.
- Sour Cream – I prefer full fat sour cream for this recipe. You could try using lite if you want.
- Mayonnaise – just like the sour cream, I prefer a full fat mayonnaise for this sauce.
- Horseradish – try to use horseradish in vinegar.
- Dijon Mustard – make sure to use dijon mustard, or another type of brown mustard, rather than yellow mustard.
- White Wine Vinegar – this adds a nice tanginess to the sauce. Apple cider vinegar could work, too.
How to Cook Prime Rib
- Prepare the Prime Rib. Set the roast on the counter for 2-3 hours before baking so it can come up to room temperature. If your butcher hasn’t already done this, cut the bone away using a sharp knife then use butcher string to tie the bones back onto the roast. Pat it dry using paper towels and season with salt and pepper on all sides.
- Make the herb butter. In a small bowl, combine the room temperature butter, garlic, thyme, rosemary, onion powder, and dry mustard. Use a fork to mash and combine all of the ingredients until smooth. Using the back of a spoon, spread this butter mixture evenly over the top and sides of the roast.
- Roast the Prime Rib. Set the roast, rib side down, in a cast iron pan. The ribs will act as a rack. Place an instant-read meat thermometer into the roast and put into your preheated 350 degree oven. Cook for approximately 15 minutes per pound of roast, or until the roast reaches an internal temperature of 125 degrees F (for medium rare). (Note: If the roast gets too dark on the top, cover loosely with aluminum foil until it finishes roasting)
- Let the meat rest. Remove the roast from the oven and tent with aluminum foil for about 30 minutes before slicing into large slabs or off the bone entirely and slicing into thin pieces. Make the au jus and horseradish sauce while the roast rests.
- Make the au jus. Pour pan drippings into a large glass measuring cup. Let it for a few minutes, then use a spoon to ladle and discard the fat that rises to the top. Add the remaining drippings and beef broth to the cast iron skillet. Use a whisk to loosen any crust brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the worcestershire sauce, whisk, and bring to a boil. In a small bowl, add 1 tablespoon of cornstarch to 2 tablespoons of cold water, stirring until combined and smooth. Slowly whisk the cornstarch slurry into the broth mixture while heating and constantly whisking until the au jus thickens.
- Make the horseradish sauce. In a small mixing bowl, combine the sour cream, mayo, chopped green onion, horseradish, mustard, vinegar, and salt. Stir until combined.
- Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
How long to cook Prime Rib in the oven depends on how large your roast is and what temperature you cook it at. A general rule of thumb for a medium rare Prime Rib roast is to cook Prime Rib for about 15 minutes per pound of meat. Cooking times also depend on how often you open the oven door so try to set the thermometer where you can see it without having to open the door.
I like to cook Prime Rib at 350 degrees F. I find this to be a sweet spot, allowing the roast to cook evenly throughout without overcooking the outside. If you want to get a good sear on the outside, you can start roasting at 450-500 degrees F for just about 15-20 minutes, then reduce to 350 for the rest of the time. Just make sure you set a timer so you don’t forget to turn the oven down.
You should always pull your Prime Rib out of the fridge 2-3 hours prior to roasting. This allows the temperature to even out gently so that it cooks evenly, making your finished roast incredibly moist and juicy. If you don’t pull it out first, the outside will begin to cook far quicker than the inside giving you an unevenly cooked roast.
Storing and Reheating
- Refrigerator: wrap any leftovers tightly with plastic wrap and store for up to 5 days in the fridge.
- Freezer: you can also wrap and freeze leftover Prime Rib for up to 2 months.
- To reheat: the best way to reheat Prime Rib is to place is a roasting pan or baking dish with a little extra au jus, cover with foil, and reheat slowly in a 300 degree oven until warmed through.
- Au jus: store in the fridge for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 2 months.
- Horseradish Sauce: store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Herb-Crusted Prime Rib Recipe
Ingredients
Herb-Crusted Prime Rib
- 6 pound Prime Rib Roast, bone cut off and tied
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
- 8 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 tablespoon thyme, fresh, minced
- 1 tablespoon rosemary, fresh, minced
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 tablespoon dry mustard
Au Jus
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water, cold
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
Horseradish Sauce
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon green onion, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon horseradish, in vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Set the roast on the counter for 2-3 hours before baking so it can come up to room temperature. If your butcher hasn't already done this, cut the bone away using a sharp knife then use butcher string to tie the bones back onto the roast. Pat it dry using paper towels and season with salt and pepper on all sides.
- In a small bowl, combine the room temperature butter, garlic, thyme, rosemary, onion powder, and dry mustard. Use a fork to mash and combine all of the ingredients until smooth. Using the back of a spoon, spread this butter mixture evenly over the top and sides of the roast.
How to Cook Prime Rib
- Set the roast, rib side down, in a cast iron pan. Place an instant read thermometer into the roast and put into your preheated oven. Cook for approximately 15 minutes per pound of roast, or until the roast reaches an internal temperature of 125 degrees F (for medium rare).
- Remove the roast from the oven and tent with aluminum foil for about 30 minutes before slicing into large slabs or off the bone entirely and slicing into thin pieces. Make the au jus and horseradish sauce while the roast rests.
How to Make Au Jus
- Pour pan drippings into a large glass measuring cup. Let it for a few minutes, then use a spoon to ladle and discard the fat that rises to the top. Add the remaining drippings and beef broth to the cast iron skillet. Use a whisk to loosen any crust brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the worcestershire sauce, whisk, and bring to a boil.
- In a small bowl, add 1 tablespoon of cornstarch to 2 tablespoons of cold water, stirring until combined and smooth. Slowly whisk the cornstarch slurry into the broth mixture while heating and constantly whisking until the au jus thickens.
How to Make Horseradish Sauce
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the sour cream, mayo, chopped green onion, horseradish, mustard, vinegar, and salt. Stir until combined.
Notes
Nutrition
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This Prime Rib recipe shows you how to cook Prime Rib perfectly every single time. It also includes a delicious herb butter, au jus, and homemade horseradish sauce for serving.
