Whether you are celebrating big moments, hosting Christmas dinner, or simply enjoying an evening together at the table, a beautiful bone-in rib eye roast is a mouthwatering centerpiece.
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And cooking this iconic cut of beef to medium-rare perfection is easier than you might think!
Try our slow roasted prime rib recipe to make the best tender and flavorful ribeye roast that all of your guests will love!
What You’ll Learn IN THIS POST:
- What Makes This The Best (and easiest) Prime Rib Eye Roast Recipe
- What is a Prime Rib?
- How to Choose the Best Rib Roast
- Bone-in or Boneless Roast?
- Expert Tips for Cooking a Bone in Ribeye Roast
- What to Serve with This Slow Roasted Prime Rib Recipe
- Frequently Asked Questions
- The Best Beef Rib Roast Recipe
- Get More Classic Dinner and Holiday Party Recipes
What Makes This The Best (and easiest) Prime Rib Eye Roast Recipe
You know it’s a special occasion whenever a Prime Rib Roast is being prepared. This dinner party staple is one of my favorites to enjoy on holidays, birthdays, and anniversaries.
By popular demand, we always make roast beef either for Christmas Eve or Christmas dinner.
Our slow roasted prime rib recipe is so easy and foolproof that it has been shared with countless friends and family. And I’m so excited to share it here!
But as impressive as this celebratory staple is, the secret is that prime rib is actually quite easy to make. To make this recipe you simply need:
- Standing rib roast or rib eye roast (more on this below)
- Kosher salt and pepper
- Vegetable or olive oil
By using just a few ingredients you really let the luxurious flavor of the bone-in rib eye roast shine.
And while it might take some time to properly cook a standing rib roast, I promise each melt-in-your-mouth bite will be so worth the patience.
Here you’ll find our best tips for choosing and cooking a bone-in ribeye roast at home.
What is a Prime Rib?
Prime Rib is also known as a standing rib roast. Or you might be familiar with it served as roast beef for Christmas dinner or Easter.
The roast comes from the same part of the animal that the ribeye does: the primal rib section.
Although prime rib contains “prime” in its name, this does not mean that it is USDA Prime beef. Therefore be sure to double-check the grading of your beef before you purchase it.
That way you make sure you’re actually buying USDA Prime meat for this bone-in rib eye roast recipe.
How to Choose the Best Rib Roast
We typically get our Prime cut Prime Rib roasts from Costco, because of the quality of their meat and because their roasts are larger.
You can also find quality prime rib roasts at Albertsons (Safeway/Vons), specialty grocery stores, or a butcher shop.
When I can’t find a prime cut of prime rib, I often get what’s labeled a rib roast, rib eye roast, or rib steak.
They all refer to the same general rib area of the animal, hence the “rib” portion of its name. You can find them at your local grocery store.
FYI, to be considered a ribeye the steak must be cut before the roast is cooked. The cuts are then labeled and sold as ribeye steaks.
Prime rib cuts are larger than ribeye cuts since they include the ribeye and the bone. A choice cut of rib eye roast will yield similar results with this ribeye roast bone in the recipe.
Bone-in or Boneless Roast?
While both options are delicious, I prefer to buy a bone-in prime rib or rib roast. The bones actually add flavoring and marrow during roasting. You won’t want to miss that!
Not only are these cuts of meat more flavorful, but you can also actually use the bones to create your own v-rack for roasting. Here’s how:
- With a sharp knife, carefully remove cut bones from the roast.
- Once removed, invert the bones beneath the roast.
- Use cooking twine to anchor them to the prime rib by tying them on.
When inverted, the bones will elevate the roast from the roasting pan, but still provide flavoring and release marrow into the au jus.
If your roast is boneless, use a V-rack for roasting as described in the recipe below.
Expert Tips for Cooking a Bone in Ribeye Roast
First, make sure that you take the time to properly prepare the beef before cooking:
- Use a sharp knife to make cross-cuts in the fat pad on top of the rib eye. Be careful to not cut into the meat.
- Then, rub the rib roast with oil and salt.
- Refrigerate for at least 24 hours, up to 4 full days.
This prep-ahead recipe is great if you plan to make roast beef for Christmas dinner with lots of other dishes.
The next step in this nearly foolproof ribeye roast bone recipe is to preheat the oven to 200°F. Cooking low and slow is what gets the prime rib to that classic medium-rare temperature.
Then you want to briefly sear the standing rib roast in a hot skillet with oil. This locks in the flavor and creates a wonderful outer crust.
Let the ribeye rest for 10 minutes, and place it on a V rack (or wire rack, as mentioned above) inside of a rimmed or roasting pan. Season generously with more salt and ground black pepper.
Place on the middle oven rack, and let roast for 3-4 hours. After 3 hours check the temperature with a meat thermometer. Turn off the oven heat as soon as it reads 110°F.
Then the secret to cooking a bone in ribeye roast to medium-rare perfection is to let it sit in the off oven for another 60 minutes until the temperature reaches 125°F.
Remove the prime rib from the oven, and let rest for 15 minutes before slicing. If you cut the meat too soon you’ll lose all of the flavors in the juices, so don’t rush!
Then slice in 1″ to 1.5″ thick slices, like a steak cut, and serve.
What to Serve with This Slow Roasted Prime Rib Recipe
Here are some of my favorite sides to serve with a prime rib beef roast:
- Instant Pot Cheesy Hash Brown Potatoes
- Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
- Loaded Potato Casserole
- Kale Salad with Tahini Dressing
- Homemade Yeast Rolls
- Drop Biscuits
- Sunken Apple Cake
- Easy Bisquick Cherry Cobbler
- Sourdough Apple Cake
Frequently Asked Questions
Bold and tangy horseradish sauce is classic to pair with tender prime rib. Or try spicy horseradish mustard. You also can serve the pan juices (au jus) on the side.
Leftovers will keep well for up to 4 days in the refrigerator or 3 months in the freezer. Let the roast beef cool completely before transferring to an airtight container. If freezing, I also suggest you wrap the container in a layer of aluminum foil.
Enjoy this ribeye roast bone in recipe roast warm or cold by itself, or used to make other dishes. It’s great on sandwiches and in wraps, salads, or with cheese and crackers for a snack.
The Best Beef Rib Roast Recipe
Prime Rib Roast
Equipment
- A v-rack and baking sheet with high sides
- Temperature probe (leave in or instant read)
Ingredients
- 7 pounds prime rib, standing rib roast, rib eye roast (see notes below for bone-in roasts)
- kosher salt and pepper
- vegetable or olive oil
Instructions
- Make cross-cuts through the fat pad on top of the roast, only cutting through the fat – not the meat. Rub about 2 Tbsp. of kosher salt all over the roast. Refrigerate at least 24 hours and up to 4 days.
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Heat 2 tsp of vegetable oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet until just smoking. Brown the roast on all sides, 6-8 minutes total. Let rest for 10 minutes.
- Place the roast on a V-rack or wire rack inside of a roasting or rimmed pan. Season with salt and pepper, and place the oven on a middle rack. Roast until meat reaches 110 degrees (about 3-4 hours).
- Turn off the oven, leaving the roast inside, until meat reaches 125 (for medium-rare). This will take between about 60 minutes.
- Let rest for 15 minutes, then slice into 1" to 1½" thick slices, like a steak and serve.