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Rosemary & Garlic Crusted Prime Rib (An Easy Holiday Recipe!)

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

A classic and elegant recipe for a Rosemary-Salted Standing Rib Roast, a perfect centerpiece for a holiday meal. This showstopper dish features a large, 4-rib prime rib roast. Deep slits are cut into the meat and stuffed with slices of garlic. The roast is then coated in a fragrant, homemade paste made from kosher salt, black peppercorns, fresh rosemary, and bay leaves. It’s cooked in a preheated roasting pan until perfectly medium-rare, then rested to ensure a juicy and tender result.

Ingredients

  • 1 (4-rib) standing beef rib roast (9 to 10 pounds), bones frenched
  • 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
  • 1/3 cup fresh rosemary leaves (from 3 sprigs)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

  1. Remove the beef from the refrigerator 30 minutes before roasting to let it come to room temperature.
  2. Place a roasting pan on the lowest oven rack and preheat the oven to 425°F.
  3. Using a paring knife, make deep slits all over the roast and insert a slice of garlic into each slit.
  4. In a spice grinder, grind the 2 tablespoons of salt, the peppercorns, rosemary, and bay leaves. Transfer the ground spices to a small bowl and mix with the olive oil to form a paste.
  5. Rub the paste all over the roast.
  6. Carefully place the roast, fat-side up (with bones on the bottom acting as a rack), into the hot roasting pan.
  7. Roast for 1 hour 50 minutes to 2 hours, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the roast registers 120°F for medium-rare.
  8. Transfer the roast to a platter or cutting board, tent it with foil, and let it rest for at least 30 minutes before carving and serving.

Notes

  • This is a showstopper main course that is perfect for a special holiday dinner like Christmas.
  • Letting the roast come to room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking is a crucial step that helps it to cook more evenly.
  • Preheating the roasting pan in the oven is a key technique that helps to create a good initial sear on the bottom of the roast.
  • Resting the roast for a full 30 minutes before carving is essential for the juices to redistribute, ensuring the meat is moist and tender when sliced.