Classic prime rib roast

Prime rib roast makes a classic and surprisingly easy special holiday dinner. For me, this is the perfect rib roast recipe. It takes just a few minutes to prepare and then the oven does all of the work. The garlic studded roast is coated with a generous amount of ground porcini mushrooms, salt and pepper that results in an umami mouth-watering crust. Who knew 5 ingredients could be so delicious.

This recipe is slightly modified from a recipe published in the December 2006 issue of Gourmet Magazine. The original recipe includes an unbelievable red wine and porcini sauce. I post the sauce as a separate recipe because it is terrific on any steak. I really encourage you to make this sauce! The good news is it can be made a day or two ahead of time.

How much prime rib do you buy?

The answer to this question ranges depending on your appetite for meat. Anywhere from 3/4 to a pound per person is safe. Another rule-of-thumb is to allow for one bone per two people, so a 4-bone roast will serve 8 people. This, however, is a very generous way to estimate and will be more than enough to provide for seconds and leftovers.

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How long to cook your prime rib roast?

Cook your roast until the internal temperature is 120 degrees.  As the roast rests, the internal temperature will continue to rise to 140 degrees, or medium-rare. The beauty of a prime rib roast is one piece of meat yields slices with a variety of doneness. The well-seasoned and very tasty end-cuts will be well-done and the center slices will be medium-rare. So everyone can have their perfect slice of meat!

7 Tips for a perfect prime rib

1. The downside to prime rib is it is expensive. I buy mine from Celestino's an old-school butcher in Costa Mesa, California who cuts and hand-ties it for me. Costco sells a high-quality prime rib roast for a very good price. As of December 2014, Costco's prime rib roast cost $16.99 per pound. It usually goes on sale in mid-December.
2. Buy bone-in prime rib for the best flavor.
3. Use a roasting rack set into a roasting pan that is not too big as you may want to collect the rendered fat for Yorkshire pudding.
4. Use a thermometer! Internal temperature is the only way to tell when the roast is done. Read the thermometer by sticking it into multiple meaty places on the roast, avoiding contact with the bones.
5. Let your roast rest on a platter for 30 minutes after the temperature reaches 120 degrees. Use the 30 minutes of resting time to toss your salad and finish up any other accompanying dishes. Or maybe have a glass of wine.
6. Save any juices that accumulate under the roast while it is resting. This meat juice is great for making sauce. I use the collected juices to make Porcini and red wine sauce with prime rib.
7. If you want to really make your prime rib meal special, serve it with Yorkshire pudding.

The best prime rib roast

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Prime rib roast is a classic holiday dish that sets a festive mood. If you thought prime rib was only for restaurants you will be pleasantly surprised at how easy it is to make.

• Author: Something New For Dinner
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
• Total Time: 2 hours 40 minutes
• Yield: 10 servings 1x

Ingredients

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• 1 9-10 pound bone-in prime rib roast (also called standing rib roast)
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and cut into slivers
• 1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
• 1 T kosher salt
• 1 t freshly ground black pepper

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Instructions

1. Bring the roast to room temperature by taking the rib roast out of the fridge 1-2 hours before you prepare it.
2. Heat the oven to 450 degrees. With a paring knife, poke holes every few inches throughout the roast. Push a garlic sliver into each hole.
3. Put dried mushrooms in a food processor or blender and whirl until mushrooms are ground into a fine powder. Mix mushroom powder, salt and pepper together. Rub the entire surface of the roast with the mixture.
4. Place roast in a roasting rack set inside of a roasting pan. Roast at 450 degrees for 20 minutes. Turn heat down to 350 degrees and roast until a thermometer stuck in the middle of the roast reads 120 degrees, 1 1/2 to 2 more hours.
5. Put the roast on a platter while it rests so you can collect its juices. After 30 minutes, the internal temperature of the roast should should be about 140 degrees, or medium rare.
6. Transfer to a carving board. Cut the strings from your roast and slice.