This standing rib roast is an elegant holiday beef roast that is perfect for any special occasion, gathering, or holiday! It is a succulent cut of bone-in prime rib that is roasted low and slow until it has a delicious, crusty exterior and a perfectly tender center. Any dinner with this show-stopping standing rib roast as the main course is sure to be a meal people will remember!
Standing Prime Rib Roast
It's no secret that I love a great roast recipe, but there is something special about a perfectly cooked standing prime rib roast. I think everyone can appreciate a whopping bone-in roast that slices like butter.
Don't let all the talk about preparing a high-quality roast deter you from giving it a try, even if you're not an experienced cook. All it needs is a simple dry rub and some time in the oven, then you have an unbelievably tender and flavorful roast that's worthy of any celebration.
Jump to:
- Standing Prime Rib Roast
- 🍖 How To Pick A Standing Rib Roast
- 🥘 Ingredients For A Standing Rib Roast
- 🔪 How To Make A Standing Rib Roast
- 💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- 📚 More Tips & Tricks For Preparing A Prime Rib Roast
- 🥡 Storing & Reheating
- ❓ Recipe FAQs
- 🥩 More Beefy Main Courses
- 📖 Recipe Card
- 💬 Comments & Reviews
🍖 How To Pick A Standing Rib Roast
When looking for a bone-in prime rib, you will have 3 USDA grades to choose from: Select, Choice, and Prime.
Select - A great budget-friendly option, select-grade meat has less marbling which makes can make it less flavorful and/or tender than pricier choices, though it is still not a bad cut of meat.
Choice - High-quality beef with moderate marbling. Juicy, tender, and flavorful.
Prime - Very expensive, best-quality choice. Not as easy to find as the other grades. Extremely tender and juicy with heavy marbling.
Let it be clear that all of these grades are still a great cut of beef, it is just helpful to understand the grading system so you can find what suits your needs! Be sure to stop by my page on how to select prime rib roast for even more tips!
🥘 Ingredients For A Standing Rib Roast
All you need is a quality cut of meat and a few herbs and spices for the dry rub! Remember, if possible it's best to let your roast come to room temperature for 1-2 hours before going in the oven for the best results.
Standing Prime Rib Roast
- Bone-In Prime Rib - A 5-pound bone-in prime rib.
Prime Rib Rub
- Salt - 1 ½ tablespoons of Kosher salt.
- Pepper -1 Tbsp coarse ground pepper (freshly ground is best).
- Garlic Powder - ½ tablespoon of garlic powder.
- Smoked Paprika - 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika or regular paprika.
- Rosemary - 1 teaspoon of dried rosemary.
- Ground Sage - 1 teaspoon of ground sage.
- Thyme - 1 teaspoon of dried thyme.
- Oregano - ½ teaspoon of dried oregano.
- Onion Powder - ½ teaspoon of onion powder.
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
🔪 How To Make A Standing Rib Roast
Your friends and loved ones will be wowed by this beautiful roast and they won't have any idea the oven did all the work! You are going to need measuring utensils, a baking dish or sheet, a roasting pan, and a meat thermometer.
I usually plan to serve about 1 rib per person when preparing a standing rib roast.
Preparation
- Rinse. Place a 5-pound bone-in prime rib roast under cool running water and use paper towels to pat it dry. If desired, use a sharp knife to remove any excess silver skin or fat.
Prime Rib Rub
- Make dry rub. In a small bowl, combine 1 ½ tablespoons of Kosher salt, 1 tablespoon of coarse ground pepper, 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika, ½ tablespoon of garlic powder, ½ teaspoon of onion powder, 1 teaspoon of ground sage, 1 teaspoon of dried rosemary, and 1 teaspoon of dried thyme until everything is evenly distributed and set it to the side.
- Season. Place your standing rib roast in a baking dish or on a baking pan and sprinkle the dry rub over it, using half of the seasoning on each side. Massage the dry rub into the meat, rolling the edges of your roast in any excess dry rub that falls off. Coat the entire surface of the roast with the dry rub, don't be shy with the seasoning!
- Dry brine. Once your roast is seasoned, place it uncovered in the refrigerator to dry brine overnight (or at least 8 hours, but up to 2 days at the most). *For the best results, remove your roast from the fridge for at least 1 hour, but preferably 2, hours before cooking so it can come to room temperature.
Roasting The Prime Rib
- Preheat the oven. Preheat your oven to 200°F (93°C).
- Roast. Place your dry brined roast into a roasting pan and put it in the oven bone-side-down. Roast for approximately 3 hours and 45 minutes (roughly 45 minutes per pound for a 5-pound prime rib), or until it reaches your desired level of doneness as listed in the next step.
- Rest. When your standing rib roast reaches an internal temperature of 120-125°F (49-52°C) for RARE, 125-129°F (52-54°C) for MEDIUM-RARE, 130-139°F (54-59°C) for MEDIUM, or 140-145°F (60-63°C) for MEDIUM-WELL, remove it from the oven. Loosely tent a piece of foil over the top and allow it to rest for 20-30 minutes before slicing.
(Optional) Reverse Sear
- Increase the heat. To reverse sear your roast before serving for a better crust, remove it from the oven 10°F (5.5°C) shy of your ideal temperature. Transfer the roast to a cutting board and loosely cover it with foil while you increase the oven temperature to 500°F (260°C).
- Reverse sear. Once the oven has preheated, return the roast to the oven and let it sear until it reaches your desired internal temperature as listed above. *Watch your roast closely because the searing step will go quickly.
- Rest. Remove your standing rib roast from the oven and loosely tent foil over the top. Let it rest for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
I always like to serve my prime rib roasts with a sauce like prime rib au jus, horseradish sauce, or both! For recommendations on side dishes, stop by my page 'what to serve with prime rib'. Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- If you prefer, you may wrap the seasoned standing rib roast in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge to 'cure' for 4 hours or up to overnight. Otherwise, I recommend dry brining the roast overnight uncovered.
- Check the internal temperature of your roast at the thickest portion of the roast, as well as a few other areas toward the center of your roast to determine its degree of doneness.
- The internal temperatures listed above are not the final temperature your roast will be after removing it from the oven. While resting, 'carryover cooking' occurs which will increase the internal temperature 5-7°F (3-4°C) before serving. Try to pull your roast out just shy of your desired temperature.
📚 More Tips & Tricks For Preparing A Prime Rib Roast
- How Long Can You Keep Prime Rib In The Freezer
- How Long Can You Keep Thawed Prime Rib In The Refrigerator
- Prime Rib Cooking Temperatures
- Prime Rib vs Ribeye
- How To Reheat Prime Rib
If you like planning for leftovers, take a look at all the fabulous dishes you can make with your leftover prime rib roast!
🥡 Storing & Reheating
Wrap leftover roast tightly in plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 5 days or wrap it in foil and freeze for up to 6 months.
Reheating Standing Rib Roast
Thaw frozen roast in the fridge overnight before reheating (see how to safely thaw prime rib). Slices may be steamed or reheated in a skillet over medium heat.
An intact roast can be wrapped in foil with a splash of beef broth and placed in a baking dish. Put it in the oven at 300°F (150°C) until it reaches your desired internal temperature.
Times may vary depending on the size of your leftover roast, but it is a good idea to check the temperature every 10 minutes.
>>>>See all of my recipes here<<<<
❓ Recipe FAQs
A general rule of thumb when making any roast is to prepare for serving 1 pound per person. For a standing rib roast, I usually count on serving 1 rib per person. Generally, a standing rib roast includes 6 to 7 ribs, so that would be 6-7 portions.
The term 'standing rib roast' primarily refers to the bone roast and method of cooking. A prime rib is specifically cut from the 6-12 ribs, so ribs outside of that section may not be 'prime rib' but can still make a standing rib roast.
Leave your roast uncovered while cooking so the outside can brown sufficiently. Don't worry, it shouldn't dry out unless you overcook it!
🥩 More Beefy Main Courses
- Crockpot BBQ Beef Short Ribs - Juicy fall-off-the-bone beef ribs that are so easy to make with your slow cooker!
- Smoked Beef Roast - Fire up the smoker for this juicy beef roast that is filled with smokey flavor!
- Beef Bourguignon - A hearty stew loaded with chopped veggies and red wine-roasted beef chunks!
- Chateaubriand - This delectably tender and flavor cut of beef is easy to prepare and full of flavor!
- Yankee Pot Roast - A delicious chuck roast braised with red wine, beef broth, carrots, potatoes, and onions.
- Grilled Tomahawk Ribeye - An epic grilled tomahawk ribeye is always an impressive entree!
Do you love a recipe you tried? Please leave a 5-star 🌟rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page.
Stay in touch with me through social media @ Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter! Subscribe to the newsletter today (no spam, I promise)! Don't forget to tag me when you try one of my recipes!
📖 Recipe Card
Standing Rib Roast
Ingredients
Standing Prime Rib Roast
- 5 lb prime rib (bone-in prime rib)
Prime Rib Rub
- 1 ½ tablespoon Kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon coarse ground pepper (freshly ground is best)
- ½ tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (or regular paprika)
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon ground sage
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
Preparation
- Place your bone-in prime rib roast under cool running water and use paper towels to pat it dry. If desired, use a sharp knife to remove any excess silver skin or fat.
Prime Rib Rub
- In a small bowl, combine the salt, pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, ground sage, dried rosemary, and dried thyme until everything is evenly distributed and set it to the side.
- Place your standing rib roast in a baking dish or on a baking pan and sprinkle the dry rub over it, using half of the seasoning on each side. Massage the dry rub into the meat, rolling the edges of your roast in any excess dry rub that falls off. Coat the entire surface of the roast with the dry rub, don't be shy with the seasoning!
- Once your roast is seasoned, place it uncovered in the refrigerator to dry brine overnight (or at least 8 hours, but up to 2 days at the most). *For the best results, remove your roast from the fridge at least 1 hour, but preferably 2, hours before cooking so it can come to room temperature.
Roasting The Prime Rib
- Preheat your oven to 200°F (93°C).
- Place your dry brined roast into a roasting pan and put it in the oven bone-side-down. Roast for approximately 3 hours and 45 minutes (roughly 45 minutes per pounds for a 5-pound prime rib), or until it reaches your desired level of doneness as listed in the next step.
- When your standing rib roast reaches an internal temperature of 120-125°F (49-52°C) for RARE, 125-129°F (52-54°C) for MEDIUM-RARE, 130-139°F (54-59°C) for MEDIUM, or 140-145°F (60-63°C) for MEDIUM-WELL, remove it from the oven. Loosely tent a piece of foil over the top and allow it to rest for 20-30 minutes before slicing.
(Optional) Reverse Sear
- To reverse sear your roast before serving, remove it from the oven 10°F (5.5°C) shy of your ideal temperature. Transfer the roast to a cutting board and loosely cover it with foil while you increase the oven temperature to 500°F (260°C).
- Once the oven has preheated, return the roast to the oven and let it sear until it reaches your desired internal temperature as listed above. *Watch your roast closely because the searing step will go quickly.
- Remove your standing rib roast from the oven and loosely tent foil over the top. Let it rest for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- If you prefer, you may wrap the seasoned standing rib roast in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge to 'cure' for 4 hours or up to overnight. Otherwise, I recommend dry brining the roast overnight uncovered.
- Check the internal temperature of your roast at the thickest portion of the roast, as well as a few other areas toward the center of your roast to determine doneness.
- The internal temperatures listed above are not the final temperature your roast will be after removing it from the oven. While resting, 'carryover cooking' occurs which will increase the internal temperature 5-7°F (3-4°C) before serving. Try to pull your roast out just shy of your desired temperature.
- To store: Wrap leftover roast tightly in plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 5 days or wrap it in foil and freeze for up to 6 months.
- To reheat: Thaw frozen roast in the fridge overnight before reheating. Slices may be steamed or reheated in a skillet over medium heat. An intact roast can be wrapped in foil with a splash of beef broth and placed in a baking dish. Put it in the oven at 300°F (150°C) until it reaches your desired internal temperature. Times may vary depending on the size of your leftover roast, but it is a good idea to check the temperature every 10 minutes.
Anonymous says
Bought a 3-bone cut and tied prime rib roast (8lbs). Did a dry salt brine on Tuesday night, Wednesday afternoon used this recipe dry rub until Thursday morning. Cooked at about 230 degrees for 3 hours and 45 minutes on a pellet stove to 124 degrees which is warmer than I prefer.
Rested for 30 minutes and all were very impressed. Those not really happy with a nice medium rare did not require placing thier serving in a skillet and getting rid of the red. This recipe is a keeper.