Serves 8

Ingredients:
6 lb prime rib roast
1 tbsp Sea Salt
1/2 cup whole peppercorns
(black, white, yellow, green, pink)
2 tbsp room temperature butter

Directions:
1. Remove roast from refrigeration about 4 hours before cooking.
2. Grind peppercorns to “fine”, mix in salt
3. Pat the room-temperature standing rib roast (prime rib roast) dry with paper towels or napkins.
3. Coat roast evenly with butter
4. Coat all outside surfaces of roast generously with the peppercorn/salt mixture
5. Allow roast to sit on counter for up to four hours to reach room temperature (may take longer for a roast larger than the six pounds listed here)
6. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
7. Place the roast, ribs down (fat cap up), in a heavy roasting pan that has sides at least 3-inches deep. (The rib bones are a natural rack; you will not need a metal one.) Do not cover the roast.
8. Cook the rib roast for 15 minutes (20 minutes for larger roasts, then reduce the oven to 325 degrees F. for the remainder of the cooking time.
9. About an hour before the estimated end of the roasting (bake) time, begin checking the internal temperature (use a good instant-read digital meat thermometer, probe inserted into the center of the roast, evenly between two ribs).
10. Remove from heat when the internal temperature reaches 125 degrees F.
11. Cover with two layers of tin foil, shaping it loosely around the roast.
12. Allow to sit on the counter, covered, for at least 15-30 minutes to rest. Cutting into the meat before this resting stage will cause a significant loss of juice. Do not skip the resting stage.

COOKS NOTES:

1. Internal temperature, not time, is the best test for doneness. Invest in a good quality oven safe meat thermometer and insert the probe into position before placing the roast in the oven. You will now be able to monitor the internal temperature without having to open the oven. Insert meat thermometer so tip is in thickest part of beef, not resting in fat, or touching bone.

2. Residual Heat or Carry-Over Cooking: Remember, the rib roast will continue to cook as it rests on the counter. The temperature will rise to 135 degrees F. to 140 degrees F. internal temperature (medium rare) in 15 to 20 minutes.

If allowed to rest as long as an hour, the temperature will rise even higher. So, pay attention to how long you let the cooked prime rib roast sit. Remove the foil cover when the internal temperature is within 5 degrees of the desired finish.

Carry-over cooking is caused by residual heat transferring from the hotter exterior of the meat to the cooler center. As a general rule, the larger and thicker the cut of meat, and the higher the cooking temperature, the more residual heat will be in the meat, and the more the internal temperature will rise during resting due to carry-over cooking. This means the meat must be removed from the heat at an internal temperature lower than your desired final internal temperature, allowing the residual heat to finish the cooking.

Holding the Cooked Rib Roast Until Service:

To hold cooked roast until serving time, immediately turn off the oven and leave door ajar after removing roast, and then after the rest period, return the roast to the oven, door closed, for up to an hour.

How to Determine What Size Prime/Standing Roast You Need

The term “standing” means the rib bones are included, thus the roast can stand by itself. No rack needed. A full prime rib/standing rib roast is seven (7) ribs, which will be about 15 to 18 pounds, and enough to feed a crowd of 14 or more.

For a generous serving of thick cut roast, figure on two to three people per rib (depending on appetites). That means if you plan to serve:

four (4-6) people you need a two-rib roast (about 6 lbs)
six (6-8) people you need a three (3) rib roast
eight (8-10) people = four (4) rib roast
ten (10-12) people = five (5) rib roast
twelve (12-14) people = six (6) rib roast
fourteen (14-16) people = seven (7) rib roast