Prime Rib Dinner with Red Wine Sauce

 

** Updated: 12/23/2020 **

This Prime Rib Dinner made with the juiciest and most tender melt in your mouth goodness is cooked to perfection using a butter-herb mixture and finished in a delicious red wine sauce.

Cooking prime rib in the comfort of your home is actually easier than you think. 

With the holidays only a few days away, this delectable cut of meat will most likely grace many dinner tables this holiday season.  Although the holidays will look a little different this year, doesn't mean that you have to be stuck with a boring dinner menu. 

Whether it's you and your partner or a small group of 4 to 5 people, I'm hoping this holiday season brings you joy in one way or another. 

This recipe was actually inspired when I heard couples saying that they would be spending the holidays with just the two of them.  With that in mind, I decided to dish up a prime rib dinner that would be perfect for 2 or just a small group. 

Ingredients

• Prime rib
• Butter
• Fresh rosemary (and/or thyme, sage)
• Fresh garlic
• Kosher salt
• Black pepper
• Red wine (pinot noir, cabernet sauvignon, merlot)
• Low sodium beef broth

What is prime rib (standing rib roast)

Prime rib is an excellent cut of steak that comes from the primal rib section of the cow.

It is well-marbled which simply means that it has a good amount of fat that runs throughout the meat.  The amount of marbling makes for a tender, juicy, and flavorful cut of meat.  In other words, as the fat renders during the cooking process, it naturally bastes the prime rib making it extra moist and soft.

Prime rib is the entire rib roast which you can buy either bone-in or boneless; however, bone-in will provide you with the juiciest and mouthwatering bite.  So, I will say to choose one with the bone-in which may be a little less expensive than boneless.

It's worth noting that although prime rib contains the word prime does not mean that it is considered USDA prime beef; therefore, before purchasing, double check with the butcher to ensure that you're getting the quality of meat that you're expecting.

If you're interesting in learning the differences between Prime Rib and Ribeye, check out this article.

How to cook prime rib

For this recipe, you'll need a 2 lb beef rib roast which can feed 2 people.

Butter-Herb Rub:  Mix soften butter, freshly minced garlic, and chopped rosemary until well combined and set aside.

Prime Rib: 

• Wash and pat dry with paper towels.  Smear a generous amount of the butter-herb mixture over the fat cap of the prime rib and the remaining mixture over the surface of the prime rib. 
• Season liberally with kosher salt and black pepper and place in the skillet bone side down on top of a bed of shallots and garlic.
• Cook at 450 degrees F for 25 minutes then lower oven temperature to 325 degrees F and continue cooking until desired done-ness.  Please refer to the internal temperature chart below which indicates cooking times for your desired done-ness.
• Remove the prime rib from the oven and place on a clean plate or platter to rest and loosely cover with foil paper.  Meanwhile prepare the sauce.

Sauce: 

• Place the same skillet on the stove top, remove the rosemary from the skillet and discard. 
• Drain the excess grease from the skillet keeping the remaining drippings including the cooked shallots and garlic.
• Add 1/2 cup of beef broth PLUS 1/2 cup of dry red wine to the skillet and bring to a gentle boil.
• Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until sauce reduces.
• Place a sieve over a gravy bowl or container and run the sauce through to catch the shallots and garlic and discard the shallots and garlic.
• Use the sauce as a dipping sauce or drizzle over the top of the prime rib.

How long to cook prime rib

The amount of time it takes to cook prime rib will depend on your desired done-ness. 

I highly recommend that you invest in a digital meat thermometer to check the internal temperature during the cooking process if you do not already have one. 

Please refer to the internal temperature below to gauge how you like your prime rib cooked.

• Rare: 120 - 125 degrees F (center is bright pink and pink towards exterior)
• Medium rare: 130 - 135 degrees F (center is pink and very slightly brown towards exterior)
• Medium: 140 - 145 degrees F (center is light pink and exterior is brown)  as shown in photos
• Medium well: 150 - 155 degrees F (not pink)
• Well done: 160+ degrees F

When the internal temperature has been reached, the residual heat will continue to cook the prime rib even after it has been taken out of the oven.

In my family, some of us prefer medium well while others prefer well done.  For us, cooking the prime rib until it reaches an internal temperature of 146 degrees F is perfect.  The center is light pink and the outer portion is brown.

This way after resting and carving, I can place additional slices in the oven to cook a little longer for those who prefer not seeing any pink.

Tips

• Bring prime rib to room temperature before cooking by placing it on your counter top and letting it sit it can take up to 1 hour depending on the size.
• Check the internal temperature after 45 minutes of cooking and thereafter to ensure that you do not overcook.
• Cook with the fat cap up and the bone down.  If the prime rib falls on its side during cooking, that's okay just place on the bed of shallots and garlic.
• Prime rib needs salt.  Do not skimp on the kosher salt.
• For a thicker sauce, feel free to add a slurry which is a mixture of cornstarch and cold water.
• It's important to cook the prime rib at a very high temperature for 20 to 25  minutes, then lower the oven to a low temperature.

You may also like these side dishes

Stir Fry Cabbage with Chicken Sausage

Rice Dressing

Candied Yams Recipe

Herb Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Sweet Buttermilk Cornbread

Sauteed Green Beans

Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese

 

For more recipe ideas and inspiration, be sure to connect with me on Instagram and Pinterest.

 

Thanks for visiting,

 

Cree