Standing Rib Roast is such an elegant dish and it feeds a crowd. But here is the secret...it is one of the easiest main dishes you will ever make!
Because my husband is not a turkey fan, we have made this rib roast for Thanksgiving. The pictures above were taken rather quickly, without proper lighting, staging, etc. because I had a hungry family waiting to eat! So the pictures don't give this beautiful roast justice.
Standing Rib Roast is a beautiful presentation. The roast looks very difficult and fancy, but in reality, it is just a few steps to prep, and then it goes in the oven for a little over 2 hours- less time than cooking a turkey. And I have yet to find a meat eater who does not like rib roast!
Note: I have two sets of pictures below which I took on two separate holidays. In the darker pic, the top of the roast looks a little brown because I forgot to put it on the lowest rack when cooking. But I cooked it to the correct temperature so both roasts tasted great!
Tips and Suggestions
Do not skip step number one in the directions- spreading the butter and herbs on the roast (dry-brining). Chill uncovered in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours. Do not use margarine as a substitute.
Before putting the roast in the oven, be sure to let the roast come to room temperature before roasting- about an hour and up to two hours. This ensures the roast will be cooked perfectly, not overdone on the outside, and undercooked on the inside.
The picture above is of the rib roast after resting for 20 minutes after roasting. Let the roast rest before cutting the first slices or the juices will flow out of the roast making it dry. I will show you how to cut the ribs off first, so you can easily cut the roast.
The rib roast above is cooked to medium rare which is preferred by most. The end pieces will be closer to medium.
I recommend you purchase a digital thermometer that shows the internal temperature of the meat on a display outside the oven so that you know exactly when the roast is at the perfect temperature. But any meat thermometer will do. However, you DO need a thermometer, but I don't recommend an instant-read thermometer. You cannot guess or use intuition with this recipe.
Be sure to put the rib roast on the lowest rack of the oven so the top does not get too brown. Keep an eye on the roast towards the last hour of cooking and loosely cover it with foil if needed to prevent over-browning.
Serve with Roasted Carrots and a pretty Root Vegetable Salad with Pumpkin Vinaigrette. See the recipes below.
I included a link to my Maple-Glazed Acorn Squash recipe which beautifully accompanies the rib roast. But of course, use the sides that you love. I usually include a potato dish, at least one vegetable dish, bread, and maybe a salad.
Click on the highlighted title for the recipe!
Don't forget dessert! See my beautiful Rum Cake recipe for a wonderful finale!
Click on the highlighted title for the recipe!
The Ingredients For The Rib Roast:
1/2 cup of butter (or more if needed to cover the roast), softened
2 Tablespoons of kosher salt
2 Tablespoons of coarsely ground black pepper
1-2 Tablespoons of chopped rosemary
1 Tablespoon each of chopped sage and thyme
1 Tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1 8-pound, 4-rib prime rib roast. Note: Each rib serves approximately 2 people, so a 4-rib prime rib roast will feed 8 people. Ask the butcher to increase or decrease ribs accordingly.
Directions:
1. Mix softened butter, salt, pepper, chopped herbs, and oil in a small bowl.
2. Spread the mixture all over the roast.
3. Chill in the refrigerator, uncovered for 12 to 24 hours. This process (dry-brining) allows the salt to more effectively permeate the meat, and tenderize it at the same time.
4. Remove the roast from the refrigerator and let come to room temperature for at least l hour and up to 2 hours.
3. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place roast on a greased or sprayed rack in a roasting pan. Insert the thermometer into the thickest portion of meat. Bake in the oven on the lowest oven rack for 35 minutes. If the roast starts over-browning, cover loosely with foil.
4. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees for approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until the meat thermometer registers 120- 130 degrees for medium-rare or 135 degrees for medium. I usually take the meat out around 125 degrees. The meat will continue to cook after you take it out of the oven; the middle will be medium rare, and the end pieces medium.
I love using a digital thermometer that you can leave in the roast and see the temperature outside of the oven.
This keeps the cook from opening up the oven, which can slow down cooking time, and takes the guesswork out of when the roast is at the correct temperature.
The thermometer has two prongs to put in different parts of the roast. If you have one prong, put it in the thickest part of the roast.
Of course, you can use a regular leave-in thermometer.
*In this pic, I did not put the roast on the lowest rack, so the outside was a little more browned than I prefer, but the inside was perfect! You can usually see the green of the rosemary.
Tip: Be sure to put the roast on the lowest rack when cooking. Keep an eye on the roast, and cover loosely with foil if needed to prevent over-browning.
5. Very Important: Let the roast rest for 30 minutes, loosely covered with foil. While the roast is resting, make the gravy below. Also, if you are serving roasted carrots or vegetables like I did put the vegetables in the oven at this point. See recipe below.
6. Stand up the rib roast with the bones facing you. Using a long sharp slicing knife or chef's knife, follow the contour of the bones, slicing downwards. Since the roast is cooked, the bones should come off fairly easily. Note: You can ask the butcher to cut the bones off beforehand and have the butcher tie on the bones for easy removal.
7. Lay the roast flat, and save the bones/ribs for eating. Cut between the bones to make individual ribs to nibble on. Slice the roast across the grain into your desired thickness. I like to cut 1/2 to 3/4 inch slices.
8. Transfer to a platter or leave the roast on the cutting board. I like to lightly salt and pepper the sliced roast, and drizzle it with gravy and/or juices.
I served this rib roast with roasted carrots. Any combination of roasted vegetables would work. (Roasted carrots, parsnips, and beets are a pretty and tasty combination for example.) Garnish the roast with rosemary sprigs and pomegranate seeds for a pretty presentation. Put carrots around the roast, and serve gravy on the side.
Gravy Recipe- No Fail
This is an easy recipe that can be partially made ahead of time, for a no-stress gravy. I learned this method from my mother and Rachel Ray. Rachel Ray has an easy recipe and video that shows you how to exactly make the gravy. I will provide the link below. I added a couple of items in my gravy below. If you prefer, you can skip the gravy and serve the roast with pan juices.
Ingredients For the Gravy:
5 Tablespoons of butter
Cracked black pepper
4 Tablespoons of flour
1 quart of beef stock
2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce
1 Tablespoon of Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon of Kitchen Bouquet (optional)
1/2 to 1 cup or more of pan drippings, fat skimmed or separated
Directions for Gravy:
1. Melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in pepper and flour. Cook for 2 minutes then whisk in all other ingredients except the pan drippings. Note: you can make this part ahead of time. Turn off the burner, and cover the pot until you are ready to add the pan drippings.
2. When the roast is done, pour the drippings into a fat separator, or use the following method. Put a large resealable plastic bag in a bowl; pour in the drippings. Seal the bag and let it stand for several minutes, or until the fat rises to the top. Skim off the fat from the top. Add the drippings t0 the gravy mixture above, and whisk.
3. Raise the heat to thicken the gravy until it lightly coats a spoon.
Strain the gravy or drippings if you prefer a smooth gravy. Keep warm, and serve in a gravy bowl or small bowl.
For Rachel Ray's video on how to make the gravy (It is turkey gravy, but the same method) see the link below:
Roasted Carrot Recipe:
2-3 bunches of smaller carrots peeled with a small amount of the tops left on
2 Tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil, or regular Olive oil
2 teaspoons of salt
1 teaspoon of pepper
2-3 teaspoons of garlic powder
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Toss together all the ingredients in a large bowl. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or sprayed with cooking spray. Bake until tender, and slightly browned for about 30 minutes, stirring after 15 minutes. If the carrots are thick, reduce the heat to 400 degrees, and roast for 45 minutes.
I hope you enjoy these recipes! Spend some special time with family and friends.
Merry Christmas and Bon Appetit! 🎄 xoxo p
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