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Close-up of a perfectly cooked Easy Prime Rib for Busy Nights, sliced to show the medium-rare interior and herb crust.

Easy Prime Rib for Busy Nights

This recipe provides instructions for preparing a bone-in prime rib roast with a simple herb and salt rub. The cooking method involves an initial high-heat sear followed by a lower-temperature roast until the desired internal temperature is reached. Plan for about one pound of raw roast per person.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Marinating Time 2 hours
Total Time 5 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 1 pound raw weight
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 709
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Roast Preparation
  • 1 bone-in prime rib roast See note 2 if roast is 6 lbs or less
  • 1/3 medium onion Large dice or thickly sliced; approx. 1/3 medium onion per pound, up to 4-5 total
Marinade
  • 1 teaspoon per pound Kosher or coarse sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon per pound freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon per pound minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon per pound fresh rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon per pound fresh thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon per pound olive oil

Equipment

  • Flat roasting rack
  • Roasting pan
  • Meat thermometer
  • Fine mesh strainer

Method
 

  1. Rinse the prime rib roast with cold water and pat it dry with paper towels. Leave the fat layer on top.
  2. Place a flat roasting rack inside a roasting pan. Spread the onions on top of the rack, or rest the roast directly on the onions if you skip the rack.
  3. Mix the salt, pepper, garlic, herbs, and olive oil in a bowl. Rub this marinade mixture evenly all over the roast.
  4. Cover the roast with plastic wrap and marinate it in the refrigerator overnight, for at least 8 hours.
  5. Take the roast out of the refrigerator 2 hours before cooking. Preheat your oven to 450°F/230°C. Place the roast on a lower oven rack, possibly at the bottom of the oven for the first hour to prevent quick browning.
  6. After 30 minutes in the oven, add ½ cup of water to the bottom of the roasting pan to keep drippings from burning and smoking. Limit the water to prevent steaming the beef.
  7. Turn your roast 180 degrees and cook for another 30 minutes until it starts to brown. Position any side with more fat toward the inside of the oven for even browning.
  8. Once the roast is browned on the outside (about 1 hour total), lower the oven heat to 350°F/175°C.
  9. Continue cooking for 90-120 minutes. Baste every 30 minutes. Add ½ cup of hot water at a time if the roasting pan becomes dry. For medium rare, remove the roast when the internal temperature reaches 125°F/51°C. If the top starts to char, lightly cover it with foil, leaving the sides open. Turn the roast 180 degrees again if needed for even cooking.
  10. Set the prime rib on a cutting board or platter and cover it lightly with aluminum foil. Let it rest for 20 minutes.
  11. While the roast rests, pour the pan juices through a fine mesh strainer into a fat separator. If you need more liquid, add ½ cup of water to the hot pan and stir lightly. Pour the separated juices into a small pot, warm the au jus, and serve it alongside the prime rib. You can thin the au jus with hot water if it is too salty.

Notes

Plan to use about 1 pound of raw roast per person. If you have a roast of 6 pounds or less, reduce the initial high-heat cooking time at 450°F/230°C to 40 minutes. Then, reduce the temperature to 325°F/160°C and follow the 15 minutes per pound rule for total cooking time. Use a meat thermometer to confirm doneness, as ovens vary.