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How to Make the Perfect Rib Roast

Here's my easy method for making a perfect rib roast.

Prep Time 1 day
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 1 day 3 hours
Servings 4 people

Ingredients

  • 1 (3 to 8-pound) bone-in rib roast (also called standing roast or prime rib)
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. The night before cooking, remove the roast from its packaging. Pat dry. Season all over with kosher salt and pepper. Place the roast, bone-side down, onto a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan. If you don’t have a wire rack, place the roast right into the pan.
  2. Refrigerate uncovered overnight.
  3. Remove the roast one hour before you plan to start cooking. Let it sit on the counter. Do not leave it out more than one hour.
  4. Heat oven to 250 degrees F. Cook roast until desired temperature is reached. Check the temperature after two hours of cooking and every 30 minutes after that to ensure it does not overcook.
  5. Remove the roast from the oven. Leave it in the pan. Cover with foil. You can let it rest for up to one hour.
  6. Increase oven temperature to 550 F. If there is a lot of drippings and fat in the bottom of the roasting pan, carefully remove them to prevent smoking. The best way to do this is to remove the roast and set it on a platter. Wipe out the pan and then return the roast to the pan.
  7. Brown the roast for about 10 minutes.
  8. Remove from the oven. Let cool for about 7 minutes. Cut into slices. To prevent hte roast from slipping, hold it vertically by a bone and slice. I like to hold the bone with a clean cloth.

Recipe Notes

Roasting Temperature for Doneness
120°F-125°F (49-52°C) for rare

125°F to 130°F (52°C-54°C) for medium-rare
130 or 135°F (54°C-57°C) for medium
135°F to 140°F (57°C-60°F) medium-well.