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Garlic butter herb prime rib is melt in your mouth tender, cooked to medium-rare perfection, and marbled with fat. The seared garlic butter herb crust is incredible!
Impress your family with this beautiful cut of meat! When making this prime rib add Green Beans, Mashed Potatoes, and Rolls for a complete meal.
The Best Prime Rib
The holidays wouldn’t be complete without a prime rib roast. Well, I am here to bring you the best prime rib recipe with a few tips and tricks for cooking the perfect tender and juicy meat every single time. You are going to bring your A-game to Christmas dinner with a flavorful and bold beef rib roast that is actually really simple to make! Cook up some grilled asparagus or some Brussels sprouts. They will go so well with this!
With these easy-to-follow steps, you will have a perfect Christmas dinner that will be loved by all. Prime rib is top-of-the-line meat that tastes just as AMAZING as it looks. The marbled cut and beautiful bone structure are just what you need to have this slice of heaven on your plate. Cooking this beef does not have to take long. It is best to have a crispy outside and a tender, juicy inside. With this garlic butter herb prime rib recipe you will have the PERFECT decadent holiday dinner!
Herb Garlic Butter Prime Rib Ingredients
I always buy my roast with the bone. The butcher at our local grocery store cuts the bone but leaves it partially attached and ties it onto the roast. This makes it easier to carve the meat and the bone creates a rack for the meat to cook on. See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact measurements.
- Prime Rib: I like to get a cut that is bone-in and tied.
- Butter: Make sure that the butter is softened so that it will blend well with the herbs and seasonings.
- Garlic Cloves: If you don’t have any fresh garlic cloves on hand then you can use minced garlic! 1/2 teaspoon equals about 1 clove.
- Thyme, Oregano and Fresh Rosemary: I like to use freshly chopped herbs to make the flavor taste top notch!
- Salt and Pepper: Use these to taste!
How to Cook Prime Rib
Preparing steakhouse-worthy prime rib isn’t as tricky as it seems. Enjoy this decadent recipe this holiday season with friends and family!
- Prepare the Meat: Remove the meat from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before to bring it to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
- Mix Together Garlic Butter Herb Sauce : In a small bowl mix butter, garlic, thyme, oregano, rosemary, salt and pepper. Then, rub all of the butter on the outside of your prime rib and place in a roasting pan or large skillet with the fat side up.
- Cook Prime Rib: Cook for 15 minutes and reduce the temperature to 325 degrees. It is about 15 minutes per pound of meat. Bake until it reaches an internal temperature of 110 degrees.
- Let the Meat Rest: Remove from oven and let it rest with foil for at least 20 minutes. The temperature will rise to 130 degrees for a medium rare prime rib.
What Cut Of Meat Is Best?
A prime rib roast (or a standing roast) is cut from the back of the upper rib section of the steer. It usually is a total of 7 ribs. To make this slow-roasted prime rib then you will need a 3 bone rib roast. This is cut from either the chuck or the loin end of the rib sections. Here are some tips on how to choose the best meat!
- Bone IN: You will want a bone in prime rib. On average a 2 to 6 pound prime rib has 2 to 3 bones.
- Tied: When ordering from a butcher, ask to keep the strings on it if possible. This will ensure cooking it evenly and keeps its form while cooking.
- Deckle: If possible, ask to have the largest deckle. The deckle is tender and the most flavorful piece of meat.
Cooking Information Per Pound
The bones create a natural roasting rack for the meat. Cook the prime rib at a higher temperature of 450 degrees for 15 minutes. Then reduce the temperature to 325 degrees and continue to cook until the thermometer reads 110 degrees. About 15 minutes of cooking time per pound.
Cooking Tips
Melt-in-your-mouth garlic herb prime rib is just what you need to celebrate the holidays this year! These quick and simple tips will help cook it to perfection!
- Use a Thermometer: Using a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the meat is the best way to ensure a perfect prime rib every time.
- Take it Out of the Fridge: Take your prime rib out of the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to let it rest before cooking. This will ensure an even cook time.
- Keep the Bone In: You can remove the bones before cooking, but it is unnecessary. The bone in adds to the flavor and helps keep the prime rib tender and juicy.
- Let it Rest! Remove your prime rib from the oven when it is about 5 degrees lower than the temperature you want. Cover your meat and let it rest. It will slowly cook as it is resting.
Cooking Temperatures
Prime rib can be a little intimidating to make because you are trying to achieve the perfect medium-rare temperature. The closed oven method is where you roast the meat at 500 degrees for 5 minutes per pound. Then, you leave the oven closed for 2 hours and it slowly cooks. If using this method then I highly recommend putting a thermometer inside of the meat so that you can check on it without opening the oven while it cooks.
- Rare: 120 to 130 degrees Fahrenheit
- Medium-Rare: 130 to 135 degrees Fahrenheit
- Medium: 135 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit
- Medium-Well: 145 to 155 degrees Fahrenheit
- Well-Done: 155 degrees Fahrenheit
Storing Prime Rib
Having leftover meat is just another way to enjoy it a little longer! You still have all the tender, juicy flavors infused into the prime rib. Enjoy another slice of heaven a second time around with these storing ideas.
- How Long Does Prime Rib Last in the Refrigerator? It can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5 to 7 days.
- Can You freeze Prime Rib? Yes! Let it rest until completely cooled. Once it’s cooled then place in an ziplock freezer bag, letting all the air out. Lay flat in the freezer for 1 month. When ready to warm it up to eat it then place in the refrigerator overnight until thawed.
- Reheating: If it’s been frozen, let it thaw completely. Place in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until it has reached the desired internal temperature. Enjoy!
A Reader’s Review
This was absolutely amazing! The flavor was phenomenal. I like my meat well done and it was still super tender.
More Beef Recipes to Enjoy
This prime rib recipe is one of my very favorites! If you loved it as much as I do, then I have a few more that you should try! They are all so different but super delicious! Try one or try them all…. you can’t go wrong with any of them! Your family will thank you later!
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Garlic Butter Herb Prime Rib Recipe
Ingredients
- 2-6 pounds bone prime rib boned and tied
- 1 cup butter softened
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 1 Tablespoon thyme finely chopped
- 1 Tablespoon oregano finely chopped
- 1 Tablespoon rosemary finely chopped
- 1 Tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Remove the prime rib from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before to bring it to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
- In a small bowl mix butter, garlic, thyme, oregano, rosemary, salt and pepper. Rub all of the butter on the outside of your prime rib and place in a roasting pan or large skillet with the fat side up.
- Cook for 15 minutes and reduce the temperature to 325 degrees. It is about 15 minutes per pound of meat. Bake until it reaches an internal temperature of 110 degrees.
- Remove from oven and let it rest with foil for at least 20 minutes. The temperature will rise to 130 degrees for a medium rare prime rib.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi, I’m thinking about making this on Saturday night, but all I have is dry herbs. What will the measurements be for dry herbs??
You will want to use less dried herbs than fresh. I would recommend starting out but using only 1/2 of the measurements. The fresh herbs are the way to go if possible though. Enjoy! XOXO
The reason your closed oven method failed you is that you leave it for only one hour after you have cooked for 5 min per pound. @ 500 degrees without opening the door at all during the cooking and the 1 hour after. Then it will be perfect med rare (2 hours was too long) I have never had this fail me. The key is DO NOT OPEN THE DOOR AT ALL!
Oh thank you! I’ve been craving prime rib for over a year. This was delicious!
This recipe is with fresh herbs, correct? Also, what does it mean to “plave” in the roasting pan? I’ve never heard this term before. Thanks in advance. I’m REALLY looking forward to making this.
Yes, it is all fresh herbs. Plave is actually place. I have corrected the typo. Thank you for letting me know! XOXO
Never heard the term plave before can you please elaborate as what this means.
I’m pretty sure it was a typo, and should have been “place”
Absolutely the best prime rib I’ve ever made. Very flavorful. Followed the recipe exactly as written. Will definitely share the recipe and make it again.
I saw that you said 2 6lb roasts, did you cook both at the same time? Also about how many people would this fead?
It is between 2 pounds and 6 pounds for your roast. Depending on the size of you roast you will be able to feed 6 to 8 people. Hope that helps! XOXO
This looks and sounds incredible. It Looks delicious taste.
Is there a gravy recipe you would recommend with this?
Here are some sauces or gravy mixes that would go well with this prime rib: https://therecipecritic.com/?s=gravy. Enjoy! XOXO
Hello,
I made this for Thanksgiving and it was the first time I’ve cooked a Prime Rib.
My family was so impressed and so was I. It was like we were eating out at a upscale restaurant
This will be a KEEPER recipe for sure.
Love it absolutely Love it and the directions were on Target.
PERFECT Medium Rare
OMG was totally ORGASMIC
Thank you!~!
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