Prime Rib - How To Cook A Prime Rib Roast

There are many different prime rib recipes as far as the type of seasonings you can put on them, but the most important thing to know is how to cook a prime rib. No matter what seasonings or marinades you choose to use on your prime rib, the outcome of your roast depends on these three things. Preparation, cooking time and resting time. If you get those right you will have success. Below I will cover each one in detail.

Choosing Size

Before you go out and spend your hard earned money on such an expensive cut of meat, you should know how much you need to buy. An easy rule of thumb is to buy one rib for every two people you are going to serve. A full prime rib roast has seven ribs, weighs about 15 to 19 pounds and will normally feed fourteen hungry people. Another helpful tip is to ask the butcher to cut off the rack of ribs and then tie them back on. That way it will be much easier to carve the roast when it's done.

Preparation

Using a good roasting pan that is NOT lined with Teflon or any other anti-stick surface is very important. In order to make the best Au Jus and Yorkshire pudding, you want bits of meat and fat to stick to the pan while cooking so you can scrape the sides and bottom to release the browned bits into the Au Jus or Yorkshire pudding which add to the flavor.

Place the roast in the pan with the fat side up and bones down. The bones will serve as a cooking rack while in the pan.

Before popping your roast into the oven to cook, you should let it set on the counter until it reaches room temperature. In some cases this could take a couple of hours so don't rush it. Using an instant-read meat thermometer will help you to know when it's ready to cook. You can go ahead and put your seasoning on the meat as soon as you take it out of the refrigerator but waiting until it is at room temperature before putting it in the oven will guarantee a more perfect turnout.

Cooking Time & Temperature

There is no set time for any size of prime rib roast. The only way to know when it is done to perfection is with an instant-read meat thermometer. There is an "estimation of cooking time" depending on the size of the roast, but never go by time alone. Always use the thermometer to tell you when your roast is done. At the bottom of this article there is a link to a website that has an estimated cooking time chart and a doneness chart to help you know when your meat is rare, medium rare, medium, medium well and well done.

The best temperature for cooking a prime rib roast is 350 degrees F, but first preheat your oven to 500 degrees and then put the roast in, uncovered, for 15 minutes. This will sear the outside of the roast and help to seal in the juices. After 15 minutes turn the temperature down to 350 and continue to cook, uncovered, for the remainder of time. About 45 minutes before the estimated cooking time chart says your meat should be done, start checking the internal temperature of your roast. When your roast is 10 degrees away from the temperature you want it to be according to the doneness chart, remove it from the oven. It will continue to raise in temperature another 10 degrees during the resting period.

Resting Period

Letting your roast rest for 20 to 30 minutes before carving will do two things. It will allow the roast to raise another 10 degrees in temperature which will get it to the perfect doneness according to the doneness chart and it will let the juices relax back into the meat ensuring a more juicy roast. If you cut it too soon the juices will run out making the meat less juicy.

To rest your roast, remove it from the oven and make a tent out of aluminum foil to cover the roast. This will help to retain the heat while it is resting. While your roast is resting you can make the Au Jus, Yorkshire puddings, sauces and other things that you want to go with your prime rib to make the perfect meal.