Garlic Butter Prime Rib Roast (with Au Jus)

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This Garlic Butter Prime Rib recipe, with an herb crust and au jus gravy, is simple to prepare for a special and delicious holiday dinner!

AN ELEGANT HOLIDAY DINNER

Prime Rib is one of those meals that we usually only eat on special occasions. This Garlic Butter Prime Rib has been my go-to recipe for years and we usually make it for Christmas dinner. Cooked to perfection, you have melt in your mouth beef with a buttery herby crust. Serve it with the optional Au Jus sauce recipe below and you have the most amazing meal. Making prime rib roast does not have to be hard or time consuming! And the leftovers make amazing sandwiches! If you are looking for a foolproof prime rib recipe, then I recommend that you try this Garlic Butter Prime Rib recipe!

Sliced Garlic Butter Prime Rib on cutting board.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

What is a prime rib called at the grocery store?

Prime rib can definitely go by different names when shopping at different stores. What you want to look for is “Prime Rib Roast”, “Standing Rib Roast”, or even just “Rib Roast”. You should find it where all the other fresh beef is located in your grocery store.

What cut of meat is prime rib?

It is just like the name suggests – it’s a cut from the cow’s rib section called the primal rib section (top middle part of the cow). This area is going to be a very tender cut of meat because it is in a very protected area of the cow and so it’s not going to endure the strains and stresses like a shoulder cut of meat would, for example. It also has lots of fat in and around it because of its location so the means you are going to get great flavor from the marbling of that fat.

Is prime rib the same as ribeye?

Well kind of. Prime rib roasts and ribeye steaks are taken from the same area on the cow (the primal rib section) but they are cut and prepared differently. The prime rib cut is going to be larger and usually contain the bone. The ribeye is a smaller piece cut of steak that can contain partial bone or be boneless. Because they are cut different, you’ll find that they have slightly different textures as well and are cooked differently to achieve optimal flavor.

Should I buy a bone-in or boneless prime rib?

If you are able to talk to your butcher about cutting the bones and reattaching them to the bottom of your roast, it makes a big difference in the cooking and flavor of your roast. The bones act as a rack to cook the roast on and allows the heat to circulate around for even cooking. The bones can be used to make soup, bone broth, or beef broth. If this service is not available, feel free to use a rack in your roasting pan instead. It will achieve the same results.

How long do you cook prime rib?

After you remove your roast from the oven it will continue to cook about 10 degrees more so here is a handy guide to know when to remove the roast based on your taste preference. Medium is recommended as the optimal doneness.

Remove roast at 110 degrees for rare.
Remove roast at 120 degrees for medium-rare.
Remove roast at 125 degrees for medium.
Remove roast at 135 degrees for medium-well.

How do I store leftovers?

Prime rib can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Leftovers can either be heated in a 200-degree oven covered in foil or in a buttered pan on the stovetop on medium-low heat until the desired temperature is reached. Microwave reheating is not recommended. These make for amazing prime rib sandwiches!

Pinterest image of sliiced Prime Rib on plate with garlic bulbs in background and au jus.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST)

Prime Rib Roast
unsalted butter
minced garlic
sea salt
pepper
thyme
rosemary
parsley flakes
beef drippings (from the cooked roast pan)
all-purpose flour
beef broth
worcestershire sauce

Ingredients needed: prime rib roast, unsalted butter, garlic, sea salt, pepper, thyme, rosemary, parsley flakes, beef drippings, all-purpose flour, beef broth and worcestershire sauce.

HOW TO MAKE GARLIC BUTTER PRIME RIB:

Remove prime rib from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature for 2-3 hours. Once the roast has come to room temperature, pat it dry with paper towels and place it in a roasting pan. Set aside while you prepare the garlic butter. Finely mince 5 cloves of garlic on a cutting board and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the butter, minced garlic, sea salt, thyme, rosemary, and parsley with a spoon or small spatula.

Garlic, butter and herbs mixed together in bowl.

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Using your hands or a pastry brush, apply the garlic herb butter to the roast, concentrating most of the mixture on the top and thinner layer on the sides as the butter and garlic can drip down and burn in the roasting pan. Place the roast in the bottom third of the oven and roast for 15 minutes.

Prime Rib Roast rubbed with butter mixture.

After 15 minutes remove the roast from the oven. Lower the temperature to 325 degrees and insert an oven-safe probe thermometer in the thickest part of the meat and avoid touching bones. Return the roast to the oven and cook until the thermometer reaches 120 degrees. This will produce a medium-rare roast. See notes for additional cooking times and preferences.

Roast showing a cooking temperature of 120 degrees F.

Allow the meat to rest tented with foil for 20-30 minutes before carving. You can monitor the temperature and it will continue to cook when it is resting. At 130 degrees it will be a perfect medium-rare.

While the meat is resting, prepare the jus. In a medium saucepan on medium heat melt the beef drippings and whisk in the flour until thick and combined.

Beef drippings whisked with flour in pan.

Slowly add in the beef broth and whisk to incorporate.

Allow the mixture to cook for about 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the Worcestershire sauce and the salt and pepper.