Prime Rib Roast (Easy Garlic-Herb Recipe)
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This Christmas Prime Rib Roast is everything a holiday main dish should be: special, impressive, incredibly delicious, and surprisingly easy. With a simple garlic-herb rub and a hands-off roasting method, it's a no-stress centerpiece for your Christmas Prime Rib Dinner Menu or any celebratory event!
For more ideas to round out your holiday menu, visit: Festive Christmas Dinner Recipes.
Recipe Overview
• Skill level: Easy, hands-off holiday roast
• Flavor: Garlic-herb crust with a tender, juicy interior
• Roast type: Works with bone-in or boneless prime rib
• Feeds: 6-10 people, depending on roast size
• Cooking Time: Varies by weight; use internal temperature for perfect doneness
• Perfect for: Christmas dinner and special celebrations
What I Love About This Holiday Meal
Every Christmas, without fail, I roast a prime rib for our family dinner. It's one of my favorite traditions, and I look forward to it each year.
With simple step-by-step instructions and pro tips designed to help you cook it perfectly, this recipe will be one you come back to time and again!
Here's why I love this recipe:
- Easy and hands-off. Christmas Day is full of activity, and this roast practically cooks itself.
- Holiday-worthy flavor. Rich, juicy, and infused with garlic and fresh herbs-it tastes like a celebration.
- Perfect for feeding a crowd. One roast makes a beautiful centerpiece and serves many guests.
Looking for more simple, holiday-worthy main dishes? Try this easy Roast Turkey Recipe, or this easy Herb Roasted Leg of Lamb. For a lighter but equally festive dish, try Irish Baked Salmon with cream sauce, or a quick and easy Grilled Steaks with a garlic mushroom sauce.
Jump to:
- Recipe Overview
- What I Love About This Holiday Meal
- What is Prime Rib Meat?
- How Much Prime Rib Per Person?
- Ingredients
- Prime Rib Cooking Times
- Prime Rib Cooking Times
- How to Cook Prime Rib Overview
- Prime Rib Doneness & Pro Tips
- How to Carve Prime Rib
- What to Serve with Christmas Prime Rib
- Recipe FAQs
- More Holiday Main Dish Recipes to Try
- Side Dishes to Pair with Prime Rib
- Easy Prime Rib Recipe for the Holidays
- 💬 Comments
What is Prime Rib Meat?
Prime rib comes from the cow's rib primal and is available in USDA Prime or USDA Choice grades. Prime has more marbling and a richer flavor, while Choice is still excellent and more budget-friendly.
Around the holidays, Costco often has high-quality bone-in and boneless Prime Rib Roasts worth checking out.
Pro Tip: For bone-in roasts (Standing Rib Roast), ask the butcher to remove the bones and tie them back on. This adds flavor and makes carving much easier.
How Much Prime Rib Per Person?
A whole seven-rib roast typically serves 14-16 people.
Use this simple rule:
- One rib feeds two people
- ½ to ¾ pound per person for boneless roasts
If your menu includes hearty side dishes, the servings stretch even further.
Ingredients
A simple handful of ingredients transforms this classic Christmas Prime Rib Roast into a beautifully seasoned, holiday-worthy centerpiece.
- Prime Rib Roast: Choose a bone-in standing rib roast or a boneless prime rib, depending on your preference. Bone-in often has a deeper flavor, while boneless is easier to carve. Either way, look for good marbling-it's the key to a tender, juicy roast.
- Olive Oil: Helps the seasoning adhere to the roast and promotes a beautifully browned crust.
- Fine Sea Salt and Ground Black Pepper: Enhance the beef's natural flavor and create a savory, seasoned crust. Fine salt distributes more evenly than coarse varieties, and freshly ground black pepper adds warmth and depth.
- Fresh Rosemary and Thyme: A classic pairing with prime rib. Rosemary infuses the roast with piney, aromatic flavor that's perfect for holiday dinners, while fresh thyme adds an earthy, subtle taste that complements rosemary to create a beautifully balanced herb crust.
Prime Rib Cooking Times
Cooking time for prime rib depends on the side of the roast and the desired doneness. This chart will help you determine roasting time. An instant read meat thermometer is helpful to have on hand to determine doneness accurately.
Prime Rib Cooking Times
Use an instant-read thermometer for the most accurate results.
- Rare: 120-125°F (about 10-12 minutes per pound)
- Medium-rare: 130-135°F (13-14 minutes per pound)
- Medium: 135-140°F (14-15 minutes per pound)
- Medium-well: 145°F (15-16 minutes per pound)
Remember that the roast will rise 5-10 degrees while resting.
How to Cook Prime Rib Overview
Here's a quick overview of how to cook a perfectly juicy, flavorful prime rib for your Christmas dinner.
- Remove the roast from the refrigerator 1 hour before cooking.
- Preheat the oven while the roast rests.
- Prepare the garlic-herb rub and coat the roast generously.
- Place the roast fat-side up on a roasting rack.
- Roast until your preferred internal temperature is reached.
- Let the roast rest 20-30 minutes before carving.
Prime Rib Doneness & Pro Tips
- Use a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the roast.
- Tent loosely with foil during the rest to help redistribute the juices.
- For bone-in roasts, take the temperature between the bones.
- Slice against the grain for the most tender result.
How to Carve Prime Rib
After the roast has rested, transfer the prime rib to a meat cutting board to carve. Insert a sharp knife between the meat and rib bones, separating the meat from the ribs in one piece. Carve the boneless meat into ½-inch thick slices.
You'll want to cut against the grain for the most tender slices. To find the grain, look for the lines that run along the cut of meat, then slice in the opposite direction.
If your roast is bone-in and tied:
- Snip and remove the kitchen twine.
- Lift off the bones in one piece.
- Slice the roast into ½ to ¾-inch slices.
- Add the bones to the platter-someone will always want them!
What to Serve with Christmas Prime Rib
Here are a few of my favorite sides to serve with a Christmas Prime Rib Dinner Menu:
• Garlic Mashed Potatoes
• Yorkshire Pudding
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts
• Creamy Horseradish Sauce
• Green Beans Almondine
• Crusty Artisan Bread or simple homemade dinner rolls
Round out the menu with your favorite holiday dessert, from Christmas cookies to festive cakes or a traditional Christmas trifle.
Recipe FAQs
Both are delicious. Bone-in often has deeper flavor, while boneless is easier to carve. If you choose bone-in, ask your butcher to remove and tie the bones back onto the roast.
No. The oven will create a beautiful crust. Some cooks like a high-heat finish for extra browning, but it's optional.
You can season the roast up to 24 hours ahead. For best results, cook the roast just before serving.
Warm slices gently at low heat (around 250°F), or place slices in au jus to keep them juicy.
Happy Holidays
There's something timeless and comforting about gathering around a Christmas table with a beautifully roasted prime rib at the center. If you make this Christmas Prime Rib Roast, I'd love to hear how it turns out for your family. Wishing you a warm, joyful, and delicious holiday season from our table to yours.
More Holiday Main Dish Recipes to Try
If you love serving a spectacular and delicious holiday main dish, here are more recipes to try:
Side Dishes to Pair with Prime Rib
- Easy Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Toasted Pecans
- Wild Rice Pilaf with Maple Glazed Carrots and Pecans
- Green Beans Almondine Recipe
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Easy Prime Rib Recipe for the Holidays
Ingredients
- 4-5 pound Prime Rib bone-in or boneless
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons fine sea salt
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 3 tablespoons fresh thyme chopped
- 3 tablespoons fresh rosemary chopped
Instructions
- Remove the roast from the refrigerator, place on a roasting pan, and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 425℉ and brush the roast with olive oil.
- In a small bowl, combine the salt, pepper, garlic, thyme, and rosemary. Rub the seasoning evenly over the meat. Roast in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
- Without opening the oven door, reduce the temperature to 350℉ and continue roasting until an instant-read thermometer inserted near the center of the roast reads your desired doneness.
- Remove the roast from the oven and let rest for 20 minutes before carving.
- Transfer one side down to a cutting board to carve after the roast has rested. Insert a sharp knife and slice cross grain into ½-inch thick slices.
Notes
- Choosing Your Roast: Both bone-in and boneless prime rib work beautifully. Bone-in offers deeper flavor, while boneless is easier to carve. For bone-in roasts, ask the butcher to remove the bones and tie them back on-they add flavor and make serving easier.
- How Much Prime Rib to Buy: Plan on ½-¾ pound per person for boneless, or 1 rib for every 2 people for bone-in. A full 7-rib roast serves 14-16 people.
- Making Ahead: For deeper flavor, season the roast up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerate uncovered. Bring to room temperature before roasting.
- Doneness: For perfect doneness, an instant-read thermometer is essential. Remember, the roast will rise 5-10 degrees while resting. Here is an internal temperature guide:
Use an instant-read thermometer for the most accurate results.
- Rare: 120-125°F (about 10-12 minutes per pound)
- Medium-rare: 130-135°F (13-14 minutes per pound)
- Medium: 135-140°F (14-15 minutes per pound)
- Medium-well: 145°F (15-16 minutes per pound)
- Roasting Tips: Place the roast fat-side up so the fat bastes the meat as it cooks. Use a roasting rack for even heat circulation.
- Carving Tips: Let the roast rest at least 20-30 minutes before slicing. This helps the juices redistribute and prevents dryness. If your roast has tied-on bones, cut the twine and lift them off before slicing. Slice the roast against the grain for the most tender pieces.
- Storing & Reheating: Store leftovers tightly wrapped in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat gently at 250°F or slice and warm in au jus to keep the meat tender.
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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