Garlic Butter Prime Rib Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (2024)

Garlic Butter Prime Rib Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (1)

By: Becky Hardin

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Garlic Butter Prime Rib is the star of any holiday meal. It is juicy, tender, and full of flavor. It’s an easy-to-make beef dinner that everyone will love. Learn how to make this garlic herb rib roast for your next holiday.

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Table of Contents

What’s in this Garlic Butter Prime Rib Recipe?

This recipe starts with a 4-pound piece of beef that is then coated in garlic herb butter. The butter keeps the meat moist and infuses it with flavor.

  • Prime Rib: You’ll want a boneless beef prime rib, also known as a standing rib roast. Make sure to let it come to room temperature so that it cooks evenly.
  • Unsalted Butter: Helps the spices stick and adds a rich, buttery flavor to the roast.
  • Garlic: Adds an earthy flavor and a pungent aroma.
  • Olive Oil: Helps the spices stick to the roast and helps prevent them from burning in the oven.
  • Spices: A combination of salt, pepper, dried thyme, and rosemary adds a mouthwatering herbal flavor.

Pro Tip: Make sure your butter is softened before mixing your herbs and spices. You want it to be soft but not melted.

Variations on Perfect Prime Rib

You can customize the herbs and spices in this recipe. Feel free to use your favorite herbs or spices on the prime rib. I like Italian seasoning or herbs de Provence. Check out my ultimate list of cooking herbs for more inspiration!

Garlic Butter Prime Rib Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (3)

Garlic Butter Prime Rib Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (4)

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What is prime rib?

Also known as a standing rib roast, it is a cut of beef from the primal rib that is roasted and served with au jus. It refers to the entire rib roast, rather than individual cut steaks.

Is prime rib the same as ribeye?

Ribeye is cut from the rib roast. To be considered a ribeye, the steak must be cut before the roast has been cooked.

How much prime rib per person?

The rule is to have 1 pound per person. If you have a 4-pound prime rib roast, it will serve 4 people.

How long do you cook prime rib?

That depends on how you like your meat. For medium rare, I recommend 30-35 minutes per pound!

How do I know when prime rib is cooked through?

You can check the temperature with an instant-read thermometer. The internal temperature should be between 120°F and 135°F at the center.

What is the best way to carve this roast?

It’s simple! Remove any excess fat and then slice against the grain into slices.

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How to Store and Reheat

Place any leftover rib roast in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To reheat, place the roast in an oven-safe pan covered with foil, add some leftover au jus or beef stock, and roast in a 300°F oven for 20-30 minutes, or until warmed through.

How to Freeze

Slice the roast and place the slices between parchment paper. Put slices in a Ziplock bag and keep it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Serving Suggestions

I love to serve this roast with holiday classics, like green bean casserole, scalloped potatoes, asparagus almondine, or brown sugar glazed carrots.

Use leftovers to make beef stroganoff, French dip sandwiches, cottage pie, beef tacos, or open faced roast beef sandwiches. Yum!

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Recipe

Garlic Butter Prime Rib Recipe

4.58 from 126 votes

Author: Becky Hardin

Prep: 5 minutes minutes

Cook: 2 hours hours

Total: 6 hours hours 5 minutes minutes

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Serves4 people

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Make an impressive main dish for Christmas or any other holiday with this garlic herb prime rib. It is an easy to make dinner that everyone will love.

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Ingredients

  • 4 pounds boneless prime rib roast (aka: standing rib roast)
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter room temperature (½ stick)
  • 5 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

  • Place rib roast in a roasting pan and bring to room temperature, about 4 hours.

    4 pounds boneless prime rib roast

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  • Preheat the oven to 400°F.

  • Place butter, garlic, salt, olive oil, thyme, rosemary, and pepper in a small bowl, then mix until combined.

    ¼ cup unsalted butter, 5 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, 2 teaspoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

    Garlic Butter Prime Rib Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (10)

  • Spread butter mixture evenly over the outside of the roast.

    Garlic Butter Prime Rib Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (11)

  • Roast the beef for 25 minutes.

  • Reduce the oven temperature to 225°F. Cover the roast with foil and cook for another 1-1½ hours, checking for internal temperature at the 45-minute mark.

  • Remove roast from the oven. See recipe notes for internal temperature guide.

  • Allow the roast to rest for at least 20 minutes before slicing and serving.

Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!

Becky’s tips

    • Taking the prime rib out to raise it to room temperature is an important step. You will need to take it out at least 4 hours before adding the butter and baking it.
    • Make sure your butter is softened before mixing your herbs and spices. You want it to be soft but not melted.
    • You can customize the herbs and spices in this recipe. Feel free to use your favorite herbs or spices on the prime rib.
    • Temperature guidelines:
      • Rare: 120°F. Remove at 115°F internal temp.
      • Medium Rare: 125°F. Remove at 118°F internal temp.
      • Medium: 130°F. Remove at 123°F internal temp.
      • Medium Well: 135°F. Remove at 127°F internal temp.
    • If using a larger or smaller prime rib, follow these cooking guidelines:
      • Rare: 25-30 minutes per pound.
      • Medium Rare: 30-35 minutes per pound.
      • Medium: 35-40 minutes per pound.
      • Medium Well: 40-45 minutes per pound.
    • Oven temperature can vary; always check your prime rib on the earlier side of the recommended cook time!
    • You will need a sharp knife to cut the prime rib. Be careful when cutting it, but make sure your knife is sharp enough to go against the grain of the meat.

    Storage:Store leftover prime rib in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

    Nutrition Information

    Serving: 1pound Calories: 1480kcal (74%) Carbohydrates: 2g (1%) Protein: 62g (124%) Fat: 134g (206%) Saturated Fat: 58g (363%) Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g Monounsaturated Fat: 57g Trans Fat: 0.5g Cholesterol: 305mg (102%) Sodium: 1949mg (85%) Potassium: 1030mg (29%) Fiber: 0.3g (1%) Sugar: 0.1g Vitamin A: 368IU (7%) Vitamin C: 1mg (1%) Calcium: 53mg (5%) Iron: 7mg (39%)

    Did You Make This?I want to see! Be sure to upload an image below & tag @thecookierookie on social media!

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    Garlic Butter Prime Rib Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (13)

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    More Beef Roast Recipes We Love

    • Prime Rib Roast
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    FAQs

    Is it better to use olive oil or butter on prime rib? ›

    If you are searing a roast with butter before or after cooking it, it is more likely to burn due to its low smoke point. Instead, David Rose recommends home cooks use olive oil or grapeseed oil to lessen any chance of the roast charring.

    What is the secret to a good prime rib? ›

    The secret to making perfect prime rib, according to a Michelin-...
    1. Go with bone-in. You could always buy boneless, but, Syhabout says, a bone-in cut yields juicier, more flavorful meat. ...
    2. Use a wet rub, not a marinade. ...
    3. Cook it medium to medium-rare. ...
    4. Slice it thin. ...
    5. Doctor up the drippings.
    Dec 26, 2021

    Should prime rib be covered while baking? ›

    Leaving prime rib roast uncovered while roasting allows the meat to develop a nice brown crust. You should only cover the roast with aluminum foil if it is becoming too brown.

    What is the best temperature to cook a prime rib roast? ›

    Brown the roast at 500°F (or as high as your oven will go) for 15 minutes. Lower the oven to 325°F to finish roasting: Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F. Roast in the oven until the thermometer registers 115°F for rare or 120° for medium rare, and 130°F for medium.

    How do restaurants make prime rib so tender? ›

    How do restaurants make prime rib so tender? The secret to restaurant-style prime rib is cooking the meat super slow at low temperatures. I recommend cooking prime rib at no higher than 200 degrees F. This cooks the meat very slowly, turning the fat into butter and rendering the proteins juicy and soft.

    Should I sear my prime rib before baking? ›

    Searing is an important part of roasting a prime rib. Searing the roast first will kill the surface bacteria, which is a nice touch, especially when you are roasting at lower temperatures.

    What should I put on my prime rib before cooking? ›

    Combine the salt, pepper, fresh thyme, rosemary, garlic and olive oil then rub it all over the outside of the roast. Place a bone-in roast with the bones down, in a cast iron, roasting, or other oven safe pan. Place a boneless rib roast on top of a rack, and then in your pan.

    What makes prime rib so delicious? ›

    Prime rib has a large “eye” of meat in the center, which is juicy, tender, and marbled with fat. This eye has a fat-marbled muscle around it, and the whole thing is surrounded by a thick cap of fat. This means that prime rib is tender, juicy, and extremely flavorful because the muscles aren't heavily used.

    What is the prime rib cooking trick? ›

    You'll cook your room-temperature prime rib at 500 degrees F for exactly that many minutes. (Twenty-seven minutes, in my case.) Then turn off the oven and wait 2 hours without opening the door. When the time's up, remove the prime rib and slice into the most perfectly medium-rare meat you've ever seen.

    Should you put water in the bottom of the roasting pan when cooking prime rib? ›

    Preheat the oven to its highest setting — usually 500 or 550 degrees. Put the roast on a rack (or on top of some carrots, celery and sliced onion, which will flavor the drippings nicely) in the roasting pan, and add just a little water to the bottom of the pan — it shouldn't touch the meat.

    Do you put fat side up or down prime rib oven? ›

    Cook the Rib

    Preheat the oven to 450°F. Place the roast fat side up, bone side down, in a large roasting pan. Cook for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 325°F. This allows the heat to sear the roast, trapping the juicy flavors inside while the rest of the meat cooks.

    How long should prime rib sit out before roasting? ›

    Preparing the Prime Rib Roast

    Pull the rib roast out of the fridge and let temper on the counter for three hours. USDA guidelines requires food not be held above 33°F (1°C) for more than 4 hours. A three-hour rest on the counter is well within time constraints.

    What is the secret of cooking a prime rib roast? ›

    It's no secret that roasts need to cook slow and slow, but for that killer crust on a prime rib the secret is to hit it with a lot of heat first. Like our other prime rib recipes, this rosemary-rubbed prime rib cooks at 450F for 20 minutes before cooking for another 60 to 90 minutes at 350F.

    Is it better to cook prime rib at 325 or 350? ›

    Cook Time and Temperature:

    Start by cooking your prime rib at 500°F for 15 minutes and then lower the oven temperature to 325° F and cook for 10-12 min per pound for rare, or 13-14 min per pound for medium rare, or 14-15 min per pound for medium well. A meat thermometer is essential to ensure you cook it perfectly!

    Is it better to cook prime rib slow or fast? ›

    Cooked low and slow in the oven and finished with a blast of heat for the juiciest, most flavorful, evenly cooked prime rib roast. Kenji is the former culinary director for Serious Eats and a current culinary consultant for the site.

    Is it better to cook steak with butter or olive oil? ›

    Much to our surprise steak cooked with olive oil brought out the natural flavors of meat and helped maintain a desirable texture much better than butter.

    Is it better to cook with butter or olive oil? ›

    Because olive oil has more monounsaturated fats (the heart-healthy fats) than butter, it stands to reason it's also healthier to cook with.

    Should I oil my prime rib before cooking? ›

    Smear 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil on all sides of the prime rib. Use your fingers to rub Kosher salt and black pepper over the meat. Press any other desired herbs on the meat and then set the meat fat side up in a roasting pan.

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