Prime Rib Roast

This is the second time in my entire life that I have made a prime rib roast. My Dad first introduced me to prime rib YEARS ago and it quickly became my "meat of choice" to order while dining out. The first time my husband tried prime rib was actually the night we got engaged...November 2, 2001. We went to a steakhouse in Bloomington (the town we initially met) and he seemed to quite enjoy it, other than being a nervous wreck about proposing! When I was home recently, my parents made a rib roast and it was SO good...this is the recipe my Mom used!!! It definitely is a cut of meat that ordinarily isn't in my budget, but being Easter time, I found it on sale for $4.99/lb. (Certainly better than $10-$12/lb!) I did end up taking the meat out a bit too soon...I think I must have had the thermometer up against a bone or fat, because it registered higher than it was. It wasn't until I went to slice it, that I realized it was a bit on the "raw" side for our liking! (Nothing that placing it back in the oven for 10 minutes couldn't fix, though!)

Prime Rib Roast

Prime Rib Roast
Butter
Kosher Salt
Pepper
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Use a paper towel to pat the roast dry. Rub butter on the cut ends of the roast. Create a seasoning rub with the above spices. Make a series of 1/4 inch deep slits all over the top of the roast, as well as the sides. Rub seasonings all over the roast, covering all exposed meat.

Place the roast in a heavy metal roasting pan, bone side down. Regardless of the size of your roast, you will start it in a 450 degree preheated oven for 15 minutes and then reduce the temperature to 325 degrees for the balance of cooking time.

Every half hour or so, baste the ends of the roast with the drippings. Use your meat thermometer about a half hour before the expected end of the roasting time. Make sure to insert it in the thickest part of the meat, not touching the fat or bone. When the internal temperature reaches 120°, pull it out of the oven and cover with foil. Let the roast sit for twenty to thirty minutes. It will continue to cook during this time, reaching a temperature of about 125° to 130°. This resting period allows the juices and flavors to permeate the roast.

Note: We prefer to eat our meat medium rare. Below, is a list of temperatures according to how well done you prefer your meat.

Rare: 120-125 degrees
Medium Rare: 130-135 degrees
Medium: 140-145 degrees
Medium Well: 150-155 degrees
Well: 160 degrees

***Just as an estimate for cooking time, if you are wanting your meat rare and you have a 7-8 pound roast (3 ribs), you can expect to cook for 15 minutes at 450 degrees and 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours at 325 degrees.

Source: Adele Fine