Ideal for entertaining and holidays, Perfect Medium Rare Oven Roasted Prime Rib makes an impressive and elegant main course recipe. It’s full of flavor, moist, and practically melts in your mouth!
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Once or twice a year we splurge on this expensive cut of meat for a holiday or birthday celebration. When cooked correctly, a ribeye roast is juicy, tender, and will practically melt in your mouth!
We made it this year for Big Daddy’s birthday dinner celebration. We served it with these recipes.
- How to Assemble a Charcuterie Platter
- Scalloped Hasselback-style potatoes
- Green Goddess Avocado Orange & Cashew Salad
Perfect Medium Rare Oven Roasted Prime Rib
Perfect Medium Rare Oven Roasted Prime Rib is mouth-watering and very simple to make in the oven. It will take approximately 90 minutes for a 4-pound roast. Watch your thermometer carefully, you do not want to overcook this expensive cut.
First, season the roast liberally, rubbing the seasoning in all sides and crevices.
The method I use to cook this roast is to cook in the oven on very high heat for the first few minutes. This sears the meat and seals in the juices. That wonderful sear also will have a lot of flavor!
I highly recommend an instant-read thermometer when cooking one. Otherwise, you will have to cut into the roast which will release all those juices you’re trying to keep in!
Always, always allow the roast to rest before carving. (This is a very good Chef Knife for carving for the price. If you don’t mind spending a little more, this Chef Knife will stay sharper for much longer. It has a great blade and fits your hand well.) I like to lay a large sheet of aluminum foil over the roast and allow it to sit for 10 to 15 minutes. By allowing it to rest, the juices will redistribute throughout the meat.
You’ll enjoy these recipes too!
- Jalapeno Basil Pork Chop
- Ground Beef Mongolian Noodles
- Crock Pot Crack Chicken
- Old Fashioned Blue Ribbon Pound Cake
- Superfood Blue Spirulina Mermaid Smoothie Bowl

Perfect Medium Rare Oven Roasted Prime Rib
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Save To Your Recipe BoxIngredients
- enough butter to smear over entire roast
- sea salt to taste
- cracked black pepper
- 3 tablespoons minced garlic
- 4 pound boneless ribeye roast at room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat an oven to 500 degrees F.
- Rub butter all over roast and season meat with salt, black pepper, and garlic.
- Place roast, fat-side up, in a roasting pan.
- Roast in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, reduce heat to 325 degrees F and continue cooking until roast is reddish-pink and juicy in the center, approximately 60 minutes. Time will really depend on size and thickness of the ribeye.
- An instant-read thermometer is a must. When inserted into the center of the roast, it should read 130-135°F for medium-rare.
- When thermometer registers 130-135°F, remove it from the oven
- Transfer roast to cutting board; loosely tent with foil and let rest 15 minutes. Slice roast across the grain
Notes
Nutrition
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Mark says
As a butcher we always recommend 8 oz per person. The correct size according to the dietary council is 3 – 4 oz.
Suzanne Schorg says
11.6 lb prime rib roast. So 500 degrees for 20 minutes and about how long for medium rare?!?
June says
Came out perfect!! I added some onion and celery to the roasting pan and it made a fantastic au jus! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Rod says
Will fix this for Christmas dinner.
Paula says
It’s our favorite. Hope you guys enjoy it!
Michael Patee says
Do you season the PR before the butter?
Natalie says
Hey! I’m cooking a 9.42 pound prime rib roast. Would you roast it in the oven on 500 for longer than 20 minutes or no?
Paula says
I wouldn’t roast it longer than 20 minutes.
Kim says
Do I cook with the lid on or off?
Paula says
lid off
Dee says
Your Prime Rib recipe is in the oven now. It smells wonderful! Thank you for sharing your recipes.
Brent says
I think your portions are a little off… a four-pound roast after cooking, cannot possibly serve 10. We figure a five-pound roast for 4-5 servings. Most restaurants up here that serve Prime on Saturday nights, serve 14-16 oz. as the Queen cut and 20-24 oz. as the King Cut. So if you want 12-14 oz. portions figure a pound per person. I also take slivers of garlic cloves and insert them into the roast, surrounding the roast with quartered onions and eventually mushrooms for the roasting process.
Paula says
Maybe…. but I got that number from what we actually served at a dinner party at one steak per person.
Mercedes says
A pound of meat per person is quite a lot. I know when going out you get more meat because of the price you are paying. Cooking in your home, meat is usually the smallest portion on your plate. Good advice, though, for those wanting larger portions 💜
Cassidy says
Most of the time when you’re serving this for a group, you serve smaller portions as you have numerous sides. For holidays, for example, you may have mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, mac and cheese, dinner rolls, some steamed veggies etc. So you only serve 3/4 lb per person (or 1/2 for lighter bites).
lois says
It looks perfect and I would like it slightly pink. Will you send the temp. pink to my Email ?
Jennifer says
could you suggest how to make for 15 people?
Paula says
We served 13 with this and had a few steaks left so I would use this amount for 15 as well.
Mary // Chattavore says
Medium-rare prime rib is basically my perfect food! This is what my mom makes every Christmas. Love it!
Paula says
I’m not a big meat eater and this we so good.