Prime Ribs Recipe

Bring roast to room temperature

Remove the prime rib from the refrigerator 2 to 3 hours before cooking (at least 1 hour per 500 g is ideal) so the center warms to room temperature. Pat the roast dry with paper towels.

Preheat oven

Preheat the oven to 230°C (450°F). Position a rack in the lower third of the oven so the roast will be centered and there is room above for browning.

Prepare seasoning rub

In a small bowl combine kosher salt, coarsely ground black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, chopped rosemary and thyme. Stir in olive oil to make a paste. Rub the softened butter over the fat cap and exposed meat, then massage the herb-salt paste all over the roast, making sure to coat the sides and between any exposed bones.

Sear and start roasting

Place the roast bone-side down (fat cap up) on a rack in a roasting pan. Insert an oven-safe probe thermometer into the thickest part of the roast, avoiding bone. Roast at 230°C (450°F) for 20 minutes to develop a browned crust.

Lower temperature and continue roasting

After 20 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 135°C (275°F) for medium-rare (adjust to 140°C / 285°F for medium). Continue roasting until the internal temperature reaches 52–54°C (125–130°F) for rare, 55–57°C (131–135°F) for medium-rare, or 60–63°C (140–145°F) for medium. As a guideline, estimate about 20–25 minutes per 500 g at 135°C, but rely on the thermometer for accuracy.

Rest the roast

Remove the roast from the oven when it reaches the desired internal temperature. Tent loosely with foil and let rest for 20–30 minutes. During resting the internal temperature will rise about 5–7°C (10–12°F). Resting also redistributes juices for a moist slice.

Carve

Move the roast to a cutting board. If bone-in, you can slice between bones or remove the bones and slice the meat against the grain into 1–1.5 cm (1/2 inch) thick slices. Serve immediately with au jus.

Collect pan juices

When roast is done resting, place the roasting pan over two burners on medium heat (if using a gas stove) or transfer pan drippings to a saucepan. Add the minced shallot and smashed garlic clove to the drippings and sauté for 1–2 minutes until fragrant, scraping up browned bits with a wooden spoon.

Deglaze

Carefully add the red wine to deglaze the pan, scraping any brown bits. Let the wine reduce by about half (2–3 minutes). If not using wine, skip to adding stock.

Simmer with stock

Add the beef stock and thyme sprig. Bring to a simmer and reduce by about one-third, 6–8 minutes, until slightly concentrated. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.

Finish and strain

Remove the thyme and garlic. Whisk in the cold cubed butter off the heat to slightly thicken and gloss the sauce. Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a warm sauceboat or small pitcher. Keep warm until serving.