How Long To Cook Prime Rib (And Why)?

Exact Answer: Approximately 20 minutes

A standing rib roast, also known as prime rib, is a cut of beef from the primal rib that is one of the nine primal cuts of ribs. The prime rib may contain anywhere from two to seven ribs. It is most roasted standing on the rib bones so that the meat does not touch the pan. The center portion of prime rib is juicy, tender, marbled with fat, and extremely flavorful because the muscles are not heavily used. It is an expensive cut of beef.

To prepare the perfectly pink prime rib, it should be cooked somewhere to a shade under medium-rare. After roasting the prime rib for appropriate duration and letting it rest for about two hours inside the closed oven, one will have the most succulent, juicy, amazing prime rib that is perfectly medium rare and thoroughly cooked, all ready to serve and enjoy.

How Long To Cook Prime Rib?

The cooking time will vary depending on the size of the prime rib. To calculate the cooking time, one can multiply the exact weight of the roast in pounds by the number five. Round the resulting number to the nearest whole number. The prime rib is cooked at 500 degrees F for exactly that many minutes.

The internal temperature for a medium-rare prime rib is 120 degrees F at the center of the roast. As the most reliable way of checking whether the meat is thoroughly cooked or not is by using an instant-read meat thermometer, one can use the same to determine the prime rib’s internal temperature once it is removed from the oven.

After ensuring that the ribs are completely cooked, turn off the oven and wait for a while before opening the door. This final step ensures that after removing the prime rib after resting, it can be sliced into the most perfectly cooked medium-rare meat one has ever seen.

Why Does It Take So Long To Cook Prime Rib?

Prime rib claims the center stage during the holiday season, especially Christmas. It is also called the king of beef cuts. This rich, tender, and juicy feast requires to be cooked properly for enjoying its magnificent and delicious taste.

One must start cooking the rib at a high temperature in the beginning and later at a lower temperature to ensure that the meat in the center does not get overcooked.

The steps in brief for cooking prime ribs are enumerated as follows:-

• Step 1 – Placing the rib roast on a plate and bring it to room temperature.
• Step 2 – Preheating an oven to 500 degrees F i.e 260 degrees C.
• Step 3 – Combining butter, pepper, salt, and various other herbs in a big bowl.
• Step 4 – Mixing the spice mixture until they are well blended with each other.
• Step 5 – Spreading evenly the prepared mix over the entire prime rib.
• Step 6 – Roasting and cooking the 4-pound prime rib in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes.
• Step 7 – After 20 minutes, turn the oven off, leaving the roast in the oven with the doors closed. Let the roast sit for about 2 hours.
• Step 8 – Remove the roast from the oven, slice, and serve.

Prime ribs can be roasted in preheated oven until they are cooked as per the desired degree of doneness according to individual preferences. It must be roasted to an internal temperature of 120 degrees F (49 degrees C) for medium-rare; 130 degrees F (54 degrees C) for medium; or 140 degrees F (60 degrees C) for well done.

Once the roast has finished cooking, one can take it out of the oven and cover it up with aluminum foil. The prime roast must be allowed to rest properly in a warm spot for about 2 hours before slicing for maximum flavor. As the prime rib rests, the internal temperature will rise by 5 to 10 degrees.

Conclusion

Preparing prime rib is perfect for any special occasion. Making perfectly tender and juicy prime ribs is completely easy and doable when all the steps are thoroughly followed. It is not only special and delicious but enables the cook to do the entire roast in the oven in one shot.

One must always keep in mind that roasting and resting are both very important steps for producing medium-rare, tender and juicy, perfectly cooked slabs of prime rib. Most folks feel that prime rib should be served medium-rare for the best dining experience.

References

1. https://academic.oup.com/jas/article-abstract/43/1/114/4701422
2. https://meridian.allenpress.com/jfp/article-abstract/42/1/4/188227