The Perfect Reverse Sear Prime Rib Recipe

If you're a Prime Rib family for the holidays - look no further. This Perfect Reverse Sear Prime Rib Recipe is exactly what you want on your table. It's made with the reverse sear method which results in the most perfectly succulent meat and I'll never make another large format piece of meat any other way!

Looking for other impressive main dishes - try my tenderloin, short ribs or brisket!

Why I Love This Recipe

If you have my last cookbook, you know I'm obsessed with a reserved seared steak. It's the most trusted way to get a perfectly cooked piece of meat. And for YEARS (almost a decade at this point) you guys have been asking me to do a prime rib recipe for Christmas. So naturally, the smartest thing to do was to combine both of these into the perfect prime rib.

If you're not familiar with a reserve sear - here's what you need to know. Most steaks are cooked on the grill or in a cast-iron pan. Obviously that is delish but a reserve sear is the most accurate way to cook meat. It involves cooking the meat to perfection on a very low heat in the oven with an internal meat thermometer to tell you exactly when the meat reaches your desired doneness. From there the steak is seared on a cast-iron skillet to create a delightful crust that gives you the perfect crunch while the inside is moist and tender. It's absolute perfection.

Keep these internal temperatures in mind when you're deciding how long to cook your prime rib in the oven. Take note, that seared on the cast iron will raise the internal temp a few degrees. I always aim for 115 when I take it out of the oven, then allow it to rest and then do the sear.

• 115-120˚F for rare
• 125-130˚F for medium rare
• 135-140° F for medium
• 145-150 F° for medium well

Ingredients & Substitutions

• Bone-in standing rib roast
• Kosher salt
• Butter, softened
• Rosemary
• Thyme
• Gaby's Everyday Seasoning
• Freshly cracked black pepper

How to Make

• Season roast generously with kosher salt. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
• Remove the roast from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature and preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.
• Mix the butter, rosemary, thyme, seasoning and black pepper together in a small bowl. Slather the butter mixture over roast and place roast in a large roasting pan.
• Transfer the roast to a preheated oven and roast until the internal temperature reaches 115 degrees F for medium-rare, about 3 ½-4 hours. Remove from the oven and tent with aluminum foil; allow to rest, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat a large cast iron skillet over high heat. Carefully transfer the roast into the cast iron once hot and sear on all sides for 1-2 minutes until there is a nice sear.
• Remove from the cast iron skillet and let rest for another 3-5 minutes. Remove the ribs and slice into ⅓ inch thick pieces and serve.

Tips & Tricks

• For a reverse sear you'll need to have either a thermometer that comes hooked up to your oven. Or a great meat thermometer that you can either leave inside the meat while it cooks (or a quick read thermometer) to ensure you know when it's reached the desired doneness.
• When it comes time to serve - I serve this with mashed potatoes, gravy and a popover! The gravy can be made with the drippings from the prime rib reverse sear!

FAQ's

Similar Recipes