Holiday Prime Rib

I don’t know about you, but there are some years when I just feel like doing something other than turkey of ham for the holidays. 

If you grew up like I did, you might be wondering what other choices are there?  You see no way out of this holiday rut…

To be honest though, there are a lot of great go-tos for your holiday main course that don’t involve reinventing the whole meal. Wild game is always a good option.  Or maybe a roast.

But I have to admit that one of my most favorite holiday turkey alternatives is prime rib.

It is the choicest of beef cuts.  It is called prime, after all.   Rich, tender, elegant– but still the utmost of traditional family dishes– it harkens back to the golden days of those large family Sunday dinners.

So come holiday time, prime rib might just be that perfect traditional, but unexpected, main dish you’ve been looking for to grace your family table.

Holiday Prime Rib (feeds 7-9)
This recipe hits all the right notes. It’s a traditional alternative to turkey and uses the flavors of the season.

A good prime rib has bright red meat, some nice marbling, and a layer of white fat- no more than one inch.  The bones should be cut away and tied to the bottom of the roast with kitchen  string. (The bones are important. They add flavor while cooking.)  You may have to ask the butcher for this cut.  

Ingredients

• 5lb. standing rib roast or rib-eye roast
• 4 sprigs thyme
• 2-3 sprigs rosemary
• 3 cloves garlic
• 3-4 teaspoon salt
• 3-4 teaspoon pepper
• ½ C olive oil
• Beef stock, warmed

Procedure:

-Remove chilled roast from the refrigerator about 3 hours before you want to cook it. Prime rib should be at room temperature when cooked.

-Don’t trim the fat! That fat is what makes a prime rib juicy and tender. Keep it on for cooking.

-Preheat the oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit when you are ready to begin.

-Finely chop the rosemary, thyme and garlic.

-Add the herbs, garlic, salt, and pepper to the olive oil. Mix together.

-Place the prime rib in a roasting pan bone side down and fat side up. Pour about ¼ inch of beef stock in the bottom of the pan. Besides the fat, this also keeps the prime rib from drying out while cooking.

-Rub the olive oil and herb mixture on the top and sides of the prime rib and put it in the oven.

-Cook at 500 degrees for 15 minutes to brown the outside.

-Reduce the temperature to 325 degrees and cook 15 minutes for every pound. For 5lb, expect to cook 1 hour and 15 minutes for a medium rare prime rib. Prime rib is usually not cooked past medium.

-Use a meat thermometer to test the prime rib after 30-45 minutes of cook time. A medium prime rib should read 125-135 degrees on the thermometer. Baste with a little of the stock after you check the temp each time (every 20-30min).

-When it has reached the proper temperature, take the prime rib from the oven and place it on a cutting board to rest for 30 minutes.

-Cut away the strings holding the roast together and remove the ribs from the bottom. (The bones can be kept to make great stock. I feed mine to my dog. After all, he needs a holiday meal too.)

-Carve the prime rib in thin slices across the grain of the meat to serve.  Your family  will love this delicious classic with all of their favorite holiday side dishes!

Holiday Prime Rib

Perfect for holidays, special occasions and Sunday dinners, Prime Rib is a rich cut of beef that cooks up easily in your oven!

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Resting Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 8

Author: Stacey | SouthernDiscourse.com

Ingredients

• 5 lb. standing rib roast or ribeye roast
• 4 sprigs Thyme finely chopped
• 2-3 sprigs Rosemary finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
• 3-4 teaspoon salt
• 3-4 teaspoon pepper
• ½ C olive oil
• beef stock warmed

Instructions

• Remove chilled roast from the refrigerator about 3 hours before cooking.  Should be at room temperature when cooked.
• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Add the herbs, garlic, salt, and pepper to the olive oil in a small bowl or measuring cup. Mix together.
• Place prime rib in a roasting pan bone side down and fat side up. Pour about ¼ inch of beef stock in the bottom of the pan.
• Rub the olive oil and herb mixture on the top and sides of the prime rib and put it in the oven.
• Cook at 500 degrees for 15 minutes to brown the outside.
• Reduce the temperature to 325 degrees and cook 15 minutes for every pound. For 5lb, 1 hour and 15 minutes for a medium rare prime rib or until it reads 125-135 degrees on a meat thermometer.
• Use a meat thermometer to test the prime rib after 30-45 minutes of cook time. Baste with a little of the stock after you check the temp each time (every 20-30 min).
• When it has reached the proper temperature, take the prime rib from the oven and place it on a cutting board to rest for 30 minutes.
• Cut away the strings holding the roast together and remove the ribs from the bottom.
• Carve the prime rib in thin slices across the grain of the meat to serve.

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Looking for other great holiday ideas?  Check out these ASD favorites!

Bacon, Cranberries, Walnuts, and Collards Stuffed Tenderloin

Southern Cranberries & Cheddar Skillet Dip

The Mini Natchitoches Meat Pie