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Prime Rib (with Foolproof Yorkshire Pudding!)

The whole, homemade, impressive, and crusted Prime Rib being carved as the centerpiece at a fun and sophisticated Christmas party.

A classic and impressive recipe for a showstopper Prime Rib roast, perfect for a holiday centerpiece. The boneless rib-eye roast is coated in a fragrant, crust-forming rub made from crushed peppercorns, fresh herbs, and garlic. It’s cooked using a two-temperature method—starting at a very high heat to create a crust, then roasting low and slow until perfectly medium-rare. The meal is completed with a classic accompaniment: light, airy, and savory Yorkshire Puddings, which are baked in the hot, rendered beef drippings from the roast.

Ingredients

  • For the Prime Rib:
  • 1 (10-to-14-pound) boneless rib-eye roast
  • 4 tablespoons tricolor peppercorns
  • 3 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves removed
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed
  • 1/3 cup kosher salt
  • 8 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • For the Yorkshire Pudding:
  • 5 large eggs
  • 1 cup half-and-half
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • Drippings from the prime rib

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Roast: Preheat the oven to 500°F with a rack on the bottom position.
  2. In a plastic bag, crush the peppercorns with a rolling pin. In a bowl, use your fingers to mix the crushed peppercorns, rosemary and thyme leaves, salt, and minced garlic.
  3. Place the beef, fat-side up, on a rack in a roasting pan. Drizzle with olive oil and rub it in. Press the peppercorn-herb mixture all over the surface of the beef.
  4. Roast the beef at 500°F for 45 minutes.
  5. Reduce the oven temperature to 300°F and insert a meat thermometer into the roast. Continue to roast for an additional 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes, or until the thermometer registers 120°F to 135°F for medium-rare.
  6. Remove the beef from the pan and let it rest for about 15 minutes before carving.
  7. Make the Yorkshire Pudding: While the roast is resting, make the batter. In a bowl, whisk the eggs and half-and-half until combined. Sift the flour and 2 teaspoons of salt into the bowl and whisk until the batter is smooth. Refrigerate the batter.
  8. After the beef is removed from the pan, increase the oven temperature to 450°F. Use a slotted spoon to remove the large herb and peppercorn pieces from the pan drippings.
  9. Pour about 1/2 teaspoon of the hot drippings into each cup of a standard muffin pan. Place the pan in the hot oven for a couple of minutes, until the drippings are just about to smoke.
  10. Carefully remove the pan from the oven and immediately fill the muffin cups about 1/2 to 2/3 full with the chilled batter.
  11. Bake for 13 to 14 minutes, until the puddings have puffed up and are golden brown.
  12. Serve the sliced prime rib with the warm Yorkshire puddings.

Notes

  • This is a showstopper main course, perfect for a special holiday dinner like Christmas.
  • The two-temperature roasting method—starting very high and then finishing low—is a key technique for developing a flavorful crust while ensuring a tender, perfectly cooked interior.
  • Resting the roast for 15 minutes before carving is crucial for the juices to redistribute, ensuring the meat is moist and tender.
  • For the best Yorkshire puddings, the batter should be cold and the beef drippings in the muffin pan must be smoking hot before the batter is added.