These are the Four Secrets to the Best Prime Rib Ever

Prime rib is a holiday staple, and for good reason – it feels special and impressive, worthy of a celebratory holiday meal but doesn’t require a ton of hands-on time. Although it’s a roast, it can be on the pricey side so you want to make sure to get it right; there’s nothing more disappointing than a dry prime rib. So what is the secret to the best prime rib ever? It comes down to a few simple tips – read on to find out!

Quality Counts

This goes without saying, but opt for the highest quality prime rib you can. Look for lots of marbling (fat is your friend when it comes to prime rib), bone-in, and opt for prime if you’re able. For truly outstanding results that will knock your socks off, get your hands on dry-aged prime rib.

Plan Ahead

For the best prime rib, salt it ahead of time (preferably the day before), and use plenty of it. Take it out of the fridge for at least an hour or up to two hours before cooking. We love this prime rib recipe with an herbs de Provence crust that gets coated 12 to 48 hours in advance Bonus: this means less work on the big day.

Start out Hot, then Low and Slow

It’s no secret that roasts need to cook slow and slow, but for that killer crust on a prime rib the secret is to hit it with a lot of heat first. Like our other prime rib recipes, this rosemary-rubbed prime rib cooks at 450F for 20 minutes before cooking for another 60 to 90 minutes at 350F. Use an instant read thermometer (rather than an exact time) to indicate when you’re done (115 to 120°F for medium rare, or 125 to 130°F for medium – remember these temperatures will rise by about 5 degrees after resting).

Let it Rest

Finally, allowing for the best prime rib you need to let it rest at least 15 minutes, but ideally closer to 30 minutes. This will make it juicier and easier to cut. Plus, while it roasts you can whip up a killer sauce like this red wine jus and rosemary butter or this horseradish cream that just bring the whole thing to a another level.

Get more gift guides, recipes, and holiday ideas at our Williams Sonoma Holiday Headquarters.