01 of 05
Cooking the Roast Cold
Cooking cold meat is one of the biggest cooking mistakes there is because chilled meat needs to spend more time exposed to the heat, causing the outer parts of it to overcook. With prime rib, this mistake is amplified many times because of how massive the roast is. This extra weight means it takes a while to come to room temperature.
The problems that occur if you fail to let your prime rib come to room temperature will vary depending on which cooking technique you use. With the closed-door method, the weight-to-cooking-time ratio won't work if the prime rib starts ice-cold, and you'll end up taking it out of the oven too early. With the traditional method, you'll simply end up with an overcooked roast.
Start on the right foot by letting your prime rib sit at room temperature for a full 3 hours before roasting it.
02 of 05
Worrying About Seasoning
Yes, it's important to season your prime rib, but worrying about whether to season it the night before or three hours before—or even right before it goes in the oven—is not a good use of your cooking bandwidth. The fact is that no amount of seasonings you apply to the surface (including soaking in a marinade) are going to penetrate beyond about 2 millimeters into that massive roast. (This is why people inject brine into roasts.)
In fact, the longer the salt sits on the surface of the meat, the more moisture will get sucked out of it, which is the complete opposite of what you want. So by all means, salt and pepper generously, but you only need enough on the surface to season every bite, including the non-edge sections.
Just don't lose sleep about it. The most logical time to season your prime rib is at some point during the 3 hours you have it sitting on your counter coming to room temperature.
03 of 05
Overcooking the Prime Rib
Prime rib comes from the rib primal cut, which is the second-most tender of all the cuts of beef (after the tenderloin). That's why prime rib is so expensive: it's a huge piece of extremely good beef. Therefore, it's important not to cook it beyond medium-rare. Going past that temperature means the roast will no longer be tender.
This is not to say that you shouldn't cook your beef any way you like, but if you prefer your beef roasted medium, medium-well or well-done, you may want to consider cuts other than prime rib—perhaps a sirloin or a rump roast, for instance. You'll save at least $50, and you won't be missing out on the tenderness.
04 of 05
Poking the Prime Rib Full of Holes
The different levels of doneness are measured by temperature and medium-rare is defined as a peak temperature of 135 F. (You'll wait for it to cool to 120 F before slicing it, but more on that below.) But that doesn't mean you should determine doneness by taking repeated measurements using an instant-read thermometer. It's a prime rib, not a pincushion!
Fortunately, there are better methods. The standard prime rib roasting technique employs a probe thermometer that you insert into the meat and leave in while it cooks. When it reaches your target temperature, it's done, and you take the roast out of the oven, having only poked one hole in it. Even better is the closed-door method, which doesn't require a thermometer at all.
Remember, prime rib should be tender and juicy. Poking it full of holes causes those juices to leak out. Don't do it!
How Long Should You Cook Prime Rib?
The exact cooking time will depend on the size of your roast and the oven temperature, so it's best to gauge doneness by temperature. For a medium-rare roast (which is recommended!) cook your roast to an internal temperature of 130F - 135F.
At an oven temperature of 325F - 350F, estimate 13 to 15 minutes per pound for medium rare.
Continue to 5 of 5 below.
05 of 05
Not Resting the Prime Rib
Letting your prime rib sit at room temperature for around 30 minutes before slicing it is called resting it, and resting your prime rib helps ensure it will be as juicy as possible. When you roast a piece of meat in a very hot oven, the juices from the outer regions flee toward the center of the roast. The heat causes the proteins in the meat to contract, which literally squeezes the juices out of the cells. Slicing into the meat right away will just cause all those juices to come spilling out onto your cutting board.
If you let the meat cool to 120 to 125 F, those juices are reabsorbed into their cells, and when you slice it, very little juice actually escapes, which means each bite will be as moist as possible. If you're using one of the traditional methods with a probe thermometer, simply leave the probe in after you take the meat out of the oven. When the temperature dips to at least 125 F, go ahead and slice. The beauty of the closed-door method is that it requires barely any resting at all. Same with the slow-roast method.
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FAQs
The 5 Biggest Mistakes to Avoid When Cooking Prime Rib? ›
How do restaurants make prime rib so tender? The secret to restaurant-style prime rib is cooking the meat super slow at low temperatures. I recommend cooking prime rib at no higher than 200 degrees F. This cooks the meat very slowly, turning the fat into butter and rendering the proteins juicy and soft.
How do restaurants make prime rib so tender? ›How do restaurants make prime rib so tender? The secret to restaurant-style prime rib is cooking the meat super slow at low temperatures. I recommend cooking prime rib at no higher than 200 degrees F. This cooks the meat very slowly, turning the fat into butter and rendering the proteins juicy and soft.
What is the most important thing to do before roasting a prime rib roast? ›A roast is a large cut of meat: it needs more seasoning than you might expect. Season it generously with kosher salt the day before roasting it and let it sit in the fridge uncovered overnight. When you take it out of the fridge before roasting, add pepper and any additional herbs.
Is it better to cook prime rib at 325 or 350? ›Start by cooking your prime rib at 500°F for 15 minutes and then lower the oven temperature to 325° F and cook for 10-12 min per pound for rare, or 13-14 min per pound for medium rare, or 14-15 min per pound for medium well. A meat thermometer is essential to ensure you cook it perfectly!
What is the best temperature to cook a prime rib roast? ›Brown the roast at 500°F (or as high as your oven will go) for 15 minutes. Lower the oven to 325°F to finish roasting: Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F. Roast in the oven until the thermometer registers 115°F for rare or 120° for medium rare, and 130°F for medium.
What is the 500 rule for prime rib? ›Here's the formula for cooking medium-rare prime rib:
Take the weight of your prime rib roast and multiply it x 6 minutes. For example, a 6 lb. rib eye roast multiplied x 6 minutes = 36 minutes in the oven at 500 degrees F.
Putting a dry rub on too early increases the likelihood of it being washed off or knocked loose before you get the beef cooked. Aside from seasoning mixes designed to go on up to one day before cooking for brining purposes, you'll only want the dry rub on the Prime Rib in time for the start of cooking.
Why do you salt prime rib before cooking? ›The salt helps trap the heat to better cook the prime rib. “It conducts the heat and seals it,” says Betz.
Is prime rib better cooked slow or fast? ›Cooked low and slow in the oven and finished with a blast of heat for the juiciest, most flavorful, evenly cooked prime rib roast. Kenji is the former culinary director for Serious Eats and a current culinary consultant for the site.
Should I put water in the bottom of my prime rib roast? ›This will allow the meat to cook more evenly. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Pour 1-2 cups of water or beef broth in the bottom of a roasting pan. As the fat from the roast drips into the pan as it cooks, this will prevent it from burning in the bottom of the pan.
How long should prime rib sit out before roasting? ›
Preparing the Prime Rib Roast
Pull the rib roast out of the fridge and let temper on the counter for three hours. USDA guidelines requires food not be held above 33°F (1°C) for more than 4 hours. A three-hour rest on the counter is well within time constraints.
Searing is an important part of roasting a prime rib. Searing the roast first will kill the surface bacteria, which is a nice touch, especially when you are roasting at lower temperatures.
How many minutes per pound for prime rib at 325 degrees? ›Prime Rib Cooking Time
Reduce heat to 325˚F and continue baking: 10-12 min per pound for rare. 13-14 min per pound for medium-rare. 14-15 min per pound for medium.
APPROXIMATE COOKING TIMES for the prime rib cooked at 350°F after the 20 minute cooking time at 450°F. Rare; cook 12-13 minutes per pound or to 130°F. Medium-rare; cook 14-16 minutes per pound or to 140°F (I would not recommend cooking a prime rib any more than medium-rare).
Should prime rib be cooked fat up or down? ›Place the roast fat side up, bone side down, in a large roasting pan. Cook for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 325°F. This allows the heat to sear the roast, trapping the juicy flavors inside while the rest of the meat cooks. On average, each pound of rib needs 15 minutes to cook (i.e., a 4 lb.
What makes prime rib so delicious? ›Prime rib has a large “eye” of meat in the center, which is juicy, tender, and marbled with fat. This eye has a fat-marbled muscle around it, and the whole thing is surrounded by a thick cap of fat. This means that prime rib is tender, juicy, and extremely flavorful because the muscles aren't heavily used.
What is the best way to get prime rib cooked? ›Cook the prime rib at 500 F for 20 minutes. Then, turn the heat down to 325 F and cook it for another 1.5 hours – or until the internal temperature reaches. Once it's done, allow it to cool for 40 minutes under a foil tent. Then, slice it, serve with your favorite mashed potatoes, and enjoy!
Why is my prime rib always tough? ›Overcooking the Prime Rib
That's why prime rib is so expensive: it's a huge piece of extremely good beef. Therefore, it's important not to cook it beyond medium-rare. Going past that temperature means the roast will no longer be tender.
The Benefits of Slow Roasting
First, slow roasting produces a Prime Rib that is tender, juicy, and has evenly cooked meat.