Mastering The Perfect Prime Rib Roast Timing

Prime rib, also known as a standing rib roast, is a large cut of beef that can be an expensive yet impressive centrepiece for a special occasion. The cooking time for prime rib depends on a number of variables, including the weight of the joint, the desired level of doneness, and the temperature of the oven.

As a general rule of thumb, prime rib cooked at 325 degrees F will take 15-20 minutes per pound to reach medium-rare, 20-25 minutes per pound to reach medium, and 25-30 minutes per pound to reach medium-well.

How to cook a prime rib roast in the oven

Preparation

Firstly, remove your prime rib roast from the refrigerator about one hour before cooking to allow it to reach room temperature. Season it with salt and cover it with plastic wrap.

Oven Temperature

Preheat your oven to 500°F (or the highest temperature your oven will reach if it's under 500°F).

Seasoning

Pat the roast dry with paper towels and sprinkle salt and pepper all over. You can also make an herb rub by combining salt, pepper, fresh thyme, rosemary, garlic and olive oil and rubbing it all over the outside of the roast.

Cooking

Place the roast fat-side-up in a roasting pan and insert an ovenproof meat thermometer into the thickest part of the roast, ensuring it isn't touching a bone.

Place the roast in the oven and cook at 500°F for 15 minutes. Then, lower the oven temperature to 325°F and continue cooking for:

• 10-12 minutes per pound for rare
• 13-14 minutes per pound for medium-rare
• 14-15 minutes per pound for medium

The cooking time will depend on the shape of the roast, how chilled it is, and your particular oven. A flatter roast will cook quicker than a thicker one, and a chilled roast will take longer than one closer to room temperature.

Check the temperature of the roast using a meat thermometer an hour before you expect it to be done.

If the roast is cooking too quickly, lower the oven temperature to 200°F.

Resting

Once the roast has reached the desired temperature, remove it from the oven and place it on a carving board. Cover with foil and let it rest for 15 to 30 minutes before carving. The internal temperature of the roast will continue to rise while it rests.

Carving

Cut the strings holding the roast to the rack of rib bones and remove the bones. Using a sharp carving knife, slice the meat across the grain, making slices about 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch thick.

Gravy

To make gravy, remove the roast from the pan and remove excess fat, leaving about 1/4 cup of fat and the browned drippings and meat juices in the roasting pan. Place the roasting pan on the stovetop on medium-high heat and use a metal spatula to scrape up the drippings.

Sprinkle 1/4 cup of flour over the fat and drippings in the pan and stir with a wire whisk to incorporate. Let the flour brown, then slowly add 3 to 4 cups of water, milk, stock, or beer. Continue to cook slowly and whisk constantly, breaking up any flour lumps.

Season the gravy with salt and pepper to taste.

Serving

Prime rib is best served rare or medium-rare. It is typically served with mashed potatoes, wedge salad, and homemade rolls.

How to smoke a prime rib

Smoking a prime rib is a great way to add exceptional flavour to the meat while producing a tender and delicious roast. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to smoke a prime rib:

Preheat your smoker

Preheat your smoker to a temperature between 225°F and 235°F. You can use a variety of woods such as apple, hickory, pecan, oak, mesquite, cherry or alder to add a unique flavour to your prime rib.

Prepare the prime rib

Trim any unwanted fat from the prime rib roast, leaving some fat to help flavour the meat. You can ask your butcher to truss the roast for you, or you can do it yourself using butcher's twine. Coat the roast with olive oil and season generously with sea salt and black pepper.

Make a garlic and herb rub

Combine olive oil with fresh or dried herbs such as thyme, rosemary and parsley, and finely grated garlic cloves. Coat the prime rib roast with this mixture, ensuring it is completely covered.

Smoke the prime rib

Place the prime rib on the top rack of your smoker and put an aluminium pan underneath to catch any drippings. Smoke the prime rib until it reaches an internal temperature of 100°F, which should take about 2.5 to 3 hours.

Finish cooking

Bump up the temperature of your smoker to 500°F and continue cooking until the prime rib reaches an internal temperature of 118°F to 120°F.

Rest and serve

Remove the prime rib from the smoker and spread on any remaining garlic and herb rub. Let the meat rest for about 20 minutes before slicing and serving.

Tips for smoking prime rib:

• Make sure your smoker has enough capacity to handle the size of your prime rib roast.
• Plan on one rib bone serving two people, or about one pound of prime rib per person.
• The smoking process will take about 20 to 30 minutes per pound, depending on various factors such as weather conditions and the type of smoker used.
• Tell your butcher that you will be smoking the prime rib so they can trim the fat accordingly.
• Season the prime rib generously with salt to bring out the flavours of the meat and the smoke.
• Let the prime rib come to room temperature before smoking, as this will help it cook more evenly.

How to grill a prime rib

Grilling a prime rib is a great way to add extra flavour to your meat. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to grill a prime rib:

Prepping the Prime Rib

First, remove the silver skin from the back of the bones. This is a tough membrane that can ruin a good bite. You can skip this step if you don't mind it, as you will be eating the prime rib with a knife and fork, usually not biting down near the bone.

Next, run a sharp knife between the bones and the meat, slicing down until you almost reach the bottom. Be careful not to separate the two. This will allow your rub to reach further into the meat. You may want to use butcher's twine to secure the bones back to the roast, especially if you're cooking this on a rotisserie.

Seasoning the Prime Rib

Unlike turkey, prime rib gets a dry brine and is left out on the counter. Leave it on the counter for 2-3 hours so that it can gradually come to temperature before hitting the grill. This will ensure that the meat cooks evenly.

Slather the meat with robust herbs mixed with Brisket Rub, garlic, olive oil, and allspice.

Grilling the Prime Rib

The cooking method has three stages: slow cook, crust creation, and rest.

For the slow cook, grill the prime rib at a low heat of 250°F over indirect heat, fat side up. Aim for an internal meat temperature of 110°F. This will take about 2 hours for a 6-pound rib roast.

For the crust, crank the grill heat up to 400°F. Continue to cook the prime rib over indirect heat until the internal temperature reaches 135°F. This will take about 30 minutes.

Resting the Prime Rib

Remove the prime rib from the grill and cover it loosely with aluminium foil. Let it rest for 30 minutes while you finish the rest of the dinner. This step is important as it allows the juices to reabsorb into the meat, ensuring every bite is juicy. The meat will continue to rise in temperature by 5-10°F during this time.

Carving and Serving the Prime Rib

If you are serving to a group with varying meat doneness preferences, you can cut slices for those who like their beef well done and throw them back on the grill until they reach their desired doneness.

Prime rib is best enjoyed at medium-rare doneness, but rare and medium are also acceptable. Whenever prime rib is cooked above medium, it begins to toughen and lose its characteristic texture.

How to season a prime rib

Seasoning a prime rib is a simple process, but it's important to get it right as prime rib is an expensive cut of meat. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to do it:

Step 1: Remove the Prime Rib from the Fridge

Take the prime rib out of the fridge about one hour before you plan to start cooking. This will give the meat time to come up to room temperature, which is essential for even cooking.

Step 2: Prepare the Herb Rub

In a small bowl, combine salt, pepper, fresh thyme, rosemary, garlic, and olive oil. Mix these ingredients together to form a herb rub. You can adjust the quantities of each ingredient to taste, but a typical recipe might include:

• 2 teaspoons of freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons of fresh rosemary
• 1 teaspoon of fresh thyme
• 8 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup of olive oil

Step 3: Apply the Herb Rub

Pat the prime rib dry with paper towels. Then, take the herb rub and spoon it over the meat, rubbing it onto all sides of the roast. Make sure you get into all the nooks and crannies for an even coating.

Step 4: Place the Prime Rib in the Roasting Pan

Place the seasoned prime rib in a roasting pan. If you're using a bone-in roast, put it in the pan with the bones facing down. If you're using a boneless roast, place it on a rack inside the pan.

Step 5: Cook the Prime Rib

Follow your chosen recipe for cooking instructions, typically starting with a high-temperature sear and then reducing the heat to finish roasting. The length of time you cook the prime rib will depend on how rare you want the meat, so use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature and don't overcook it!

Step 6: Rest the Prime Rib

Once the prime rib has reached the desired internal temperature, remove it from the oven and tent it with foil. Let it rest for about 30 minutes before carving. This step is crucial, as it allows the juices to seal back into the meat, ensuring it's juicy and tender.

Step 7: Carve and Serve

After the prime rib has rested, remove the kitchen string holding the roast to the bones (if using a bone-in roast) and take out the bones before carving. Then, slice the meat against the grain into approximately 1/2-inch thick slices. Serve and enjoy!

Tips:

• Use a meat thermometer to ensure your prime rib is cooked to perfection.
• Don't overcook the prime rib. It's better to take it out a little early if you're unsure, as the meat will continue to cook while it rests.
• Always let the prime rib rest after cooking to allow the juices to settle, making the meat juicier and more tender.
• Cut the meat across the grain for more tender slices.

With these steps, you'll be on your way to seasoning and cooking a delicious prime rib!

How long to rest a prime rib for

The length of time you should rest a prime rib for depends on the weight of the roast, the desired level of doneness, and the cooking temperature.

As a rule of thumb, a prime rib should be rested for 15 to 30 minutes after cooking. During this time, the internal temperature of the roast will continue to rise by 5 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit. This means that if you want a rare roast (120°F), you should remove it from the oven when it reaches 115°F and let it rest for 15 to 20 minutes. For a medium-rare roast (130°F), remove it from the oven at 120°F and rest for 15 to 20 minutes. For a medium roast (135°F), remove it from the oven at 130°F and rest for 15 to 20 minutes.

It is important to note that the size of the roast will also affect the resting time. For a 5-pound roast, the total cooking and resting time is approximately 2 hours. For larger roasts, estimate an additional 10 minutes per pound.

Additionally, the cooking temperature will impact the resting time. For example, when cooking at 225°F, a rare roast will take 35 minutes per pound to cook, while a medium roast will take 40 minutes per pound. At 325°F, a rare roast will take 20 to 25 minutes per pound, and a medium roast will take 25 to 30 minutes per pound.

When resting the prime rib, it is essential to cover it loosely with foil to keep it warm. This will also help the juices seal back into the meat, making it juicier and more tender.

In summary, the resting time for a prime rib depends on various factors, but it is generally recommended to rest the roast for 15 to 30 minutes, during which the internal temperature will rise by 5 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit.

Frequently asked questions