“When it comes to Christmas, many people opt for holiday ham or turkey. As for my family, we go for the BEEF! The juiciest, tastiest, BEST roast beef in the entire world is prime rib” says Erin with Farm Fresh Meats.
Also known as a standing rib roast, this roast is slathered in herb and garlic butter and then roasted to juicy perfection. By using a lower oven temperature, you will have a beautiful even cook throughout the whole roast, and have it on the table within just a couple of hours. A meat thermometer is a must-have for this recipe.
INGREDIENTS:
5 lb. standing prime rib roast (BRT, Boned, Rolled and Tied)
1 onion, unpeeled and quartered
1 head of garlic, unpeeled, halved horizontally
5 sprigs fresh thyme
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
Garlic Herb Butter:
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
5 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
Red Wine Sauce:
1 ½ cups beef broth/stock
2.5 cups dry red wine
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Directions:
1. Bring your beef to room temperature! Crucial to making the perfect Prime Rib! Pat dry with a paper towel.
2. Preheat oven to 460* F and adjust oven rack to the middle position.
3. Garlic Herb Butter, mix together.
4. Place onion, garlic, and herbs in a heavy- based oven-proof skillet or roasting pan.
5. Spread a thin layer of butter on the underside of the beef. Place roast on top of the onion, garlic, and herbs butter side down. Spread most of the rest of the butter on the top and sides. Reserve a bit for basting.
6. Roast for 20 minutes.
7. Remove roast from oven and spread over remaining butter. Turn oven down to 250*F and slow roast for 1 1/2 hours, basting the roast every 30 minutes with the juices in the pan. Once the roast has reached an internal temperature of 118 degrees in the center (medium-rare) remove from the oven and transfer the beef to a plate. Cover loosely with foil and rest for 20-30 minutes. The Internal temperature will rise to 125 degrees F.
8. Remove string and bone and slice for serving.
Red Wine Sauce:
1. Place the skillet with onion and garlic left in it on the stove over high heat. Add wine and beef stock, then rapidly simmer for 10 minutes until it reduces by ⅔.
2. On medium heat, mix cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water, drizzle in half. Stir. The sauce will thicken within a minute, add more if a thicker sauce is desired.
3. Strain, pouring into serving ramekin.
NOTES:
Standing Rib Roast aka Prime Rib.
Use any cut of prime rib - with the bones attached, trimmed and frenched (I.E. bones scraped clean of meat and excess fat, excess fat mostly trimmed away) or with bones removed but then re-attached by tying it with string, with or without a thick layer of fat. The choice is yours!
Get the best quality you can afford.
Prime rib is graded by the USDA: Prime is best, then Choice then Select.
Beef stock/broth - it is important to use low sodium otherwise, the sauce may end up too salty.
Use any red wine that’s not sweet or too oaky and good enough to drink. Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlots are all good options. If you cannot drink red wine, skip the wine and just use beef stock to make a terrific beef-flavored garlic gravy.
Internal Temperature of Cooked Prime Rib: The internal temperature will rise by 5 - 7°F while it is resting so it needs to be taken out of the oven before it reaches your desired doneness.
The internal temperatures of cooked beef:
Rare is 49°C/120°F. Remove from oven at 46°C/115°F.
Medium rare is 51.7°C / 125°F. Remove from oven at 48°C / 118°F.
Medium is 55°F / 130°F. Remove from oven at 51°F/123°F.
Medium well done is 57°C/135°F. Remove from oven at 53°C/127°F.
Cook times vary for different sizes: Add 10 -15 minutes for each additional 2 lb. increase. Check temperature early due to variations.
Once the internal temp hits 104°F, the internal temp increases by 10°F every 10 to 15 minutes. Cornstarch is optional. This thickens the sauce slightly for a thinner sauce you can skip this.
Unpeeled onion and garlic hold together better and will keep the prime rib elevated off the base of the skillet. They are strained out later when making the sauce.