It's an iconic holiday table scene; you carving a juicy, perfectly pink prime rib while a roomful of friends and family watches, in awe of your awesomeness.Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, it's sometimes more like you cutting through a dry, overcooked roast while they stare daggers at you.
You can almost hear them thinking, "Way to screw up $80 worth of beef, jerk. I hope there's lots of gravy."
Well, hopefully this proven mathematical method will increase your chances for success significantly. This is a new video revisiting the same method I featured in this Prime Rib post a few years ago, which only used photos. There are lots of great comments on the original post, and if you're skeptical, you should go check them out.Here is the formula for what was called, "Method X." The rib is brought to room temperature. Overnight is good, but at least 6 hours (this is CRITICAL)! Season anyway you like. Then multiply the exact weight times 5 minutes. For me it was 5.35 x 5 = 26.75 minutes, which we round up to 27.
The rib is cooked at 500 degrees F for exactly that many minutes. Then the oven is turned off. You wait 2 hours without opening the door. You then remove the prime rib and slice into the most perfectly medium-rare meat you've ever seen. By the way, I will be posting a short how-to for a quick au jus soon. Enjoy!Special Notes:
- To use this method you must have a full-sized, modern oven. It must have a digital temperature setting that indicates when it is preheated. Older ovens with manual controls can vary greatly, and the doors may not have the proper insulation.
- I've heard from lots of people that have used electric ovens and reported great results.
- This is a specific formula for achieving a perfectly pink prime rib cooked somewhere a shade under medium rare. I have no info on altering it for other degrees of doneness.
Ingredients:
4 to 8 pound Prime Rib of Beef, bone-in, fat cap removed (ask the butcher to explain)
kosher salt as needed
1/4 cup soft butter
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence (this is just a dried herb blend - you can use any thing you like, or just salt and pepper)
For more traditional methods of cooking Prime Rib of Beef, check out these other great recipes:
Simply Recipes' Prime Rib
Serious Eats' The Food Lab: How to Cook a Perfect Prime Rib
Mark Bittman's Prime Rib Roast for a Small Crowd
217 comments:
1 – 200 of 217 Newer› Newest»how about grilling the rib? will that work for this recipe? reason i'm asking is, we grill every new year's eve with out friends at their B&B - the only thing they have is a grill. i'm planning to do this for the celebration.
no, i'm afraid it wouldn't translate to a grill. :-(
wow nice!
omg, that is so awesome!
hey are you sick? no garlic on the seasoning ????
Hello there Chef! I've been following your videos for a while, and I really admire your dedication and how refreshing is to watch each of your videos and posts.
I was just wondering, in this recepie, what would be the ecuation to have this prime bif well done? Since we are not too much into medium rare meats.
Thanks and I will be commenting more often on your videos.
Gusto en saludarle! Desde Mexico con afecto!
Warmest regards.
sorry, can't help you! You just have to use a traditional recipe, BUT this is a bad cut to cook well done. It's very dry and tough.
Awesome recipe. It has worked for me on several occasions. I actually found this blog by looking for a prime rib recipe a while back and found "method X" to be right on the money.
I really can't wait for the au jus recipe to follow this up.
To the person asking if you can do a prime rib on the grill. Absolutely, I've done quite a few but the problem is temp control. While I would normally argue that everything taste better on the grill, this is one piece of meat I prefer in the oven.
Rock on Chef John.
chef john, i have a VERY important question. i haven't made steak my whole 21 yrs of living and the problem is i don't have an oven, only a broiler. can i cook steak on a broiler?
p.s.
-i take your word over my eyes every single time ;)
Sure, you can do a London Broil http://foodwishes.blogspot.com/2009/06/cooking-grass-fed-beef-episode-1-top.html
Chef John, this looks delightful. We're going to make this for the Xmas dinner party.
And to answer the question you posted on YouTube, Yes, I would pay $5 plus shipping for a freakishly tiny wooden spoon. BUT only if you sign them. :D
Hi Chef John,
This beef looks amazing! I've always used the low heat 250 deg method from "the best recipe" cookbook & setting my oven probe for 135deg for medium rare with great results. But this is intriguing & I have to try it!
My question is this, do we always have to leave it in the oven for 2 hours even if roasting just one bone? And what about a bigger joint say 4 bones? Thanks and your videos are phenomenal!
cheers, C
Hi Chef John,
This is C again. Ignore my questions abt the 2 hr wait for 1 or more ribs, obviously it gets taken care of by the math formula...don't u just hate it when the lightbulb goes on in your head only after u hit the send button?
Anyway thanks & cant wait for your au jus video!!
C
Chef John,
Why not cook the prime rib (or standing rib roast) sous vide and then finish it in a 500-degree oven for 25 minutes? That's my plan for Christmas dinner.
I have a medium-sized beer cooler that I use as my sous vide station. I heat the water to a boil then add enough room-temp water to get it to within 2 degrees of my desired temperature then monitor it every 30-45 minutes and add enough boiling water to keep it at the temperature I'm looking for (normally 135) and let it sit in the sous vide for four hours (then crust it in a pre-heated 500 degree oven). Perfect every time!
This is my favorite thing on earth--and it's tonight's dinner (happy birthday to ME!!)
I love this method CJ, thanks for bringing it to us!
Chef John. The issue I have had with this recipe is that after the 2 hours the meat is luke warm at best. My guests want a nice hot piece of meat. Not luke warm/cold.
Any advice here? I cooked a 9 pounder last night actually and used the 20 minutes at 500 degrees and then 15 minutes per pound at 350 degrees. Turned out perfect and hot.
What are your thoughts on these two methods?
Both work great if done properly! Yes, traditional is warmer, but much less gently cooked, which can effect the texture. This internal temp of 125 is only going to be so warm anyway. I've never really seen true "hot" rare prime rib.
Looking forward to the Au Jus Chef!
Have done the Prime Rib a couple of times over the year. Came close to blowing it this Thanksgiving...room temperature was 77 degrees and I left it in 15 mins extra...beef came out 139 degrees...Ouch! It was a 6.55 pound bone-in roast.
Chef:
Given the vagaries of ovens, wouldn't it make more sense to cook by temperature using a probe thermometer rather than time?
Alton Brown says "never trust an oven" and I tend to agree.
By the way, have you seen the Good Eats terra cotta pot method?
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/dry-aged-standing-rib-roast-with-sage-jus-recipe/index.html
http://goodeatsfanpage.com/Season5/EA1E02.htm
Comments?
I made this for the first time last year for Christmas. I hope Trader Joes brings back their prime ribs - perfect size for a small group. Method X is truly the secret weapon you must have to achieve the ultimate in prime rib perfection. Used it 2 or 3 times now - perfect - always perfect! Thanks Chef John! Really looking forward to receiving Michele's BBQ sauce too.
Hi Chef John,
You are one of my Fav.
How would this be done in an electric convection oven, or should I just use roast setting without convection.
David
Sorry, never tested in convection oven!
Hi Chef John,
Will this method also work on larger sized standing rib roasts as well? Example maybe 15 to 20 pounds?
Jason
will this technique work on a 20 pound roast as well?
Theoretically, but for one that big, I would just just a traditional method.
Chef John. I have just discovered your site and must say am looking forward to trying out some of these recipes. I noticed however, that you list the ingredients and not the actual instructions. Therefore, while I watch the video, I usually take notes. This is fine by me, but I am just curious if you will start putting instructions down for your recipes?
I hate to type, so I just do the video and ing. and you guys are in charge of the rest. :-)
Looks delicious Chef! What if I'm using a convection oven, do I need to decrease the heat to make up for the convection? Or should I use the regular baking mode? There's also a convection roast setting, as well as a regular roast setting, would it be better to use one of those?
Sorry, no idea! Only used conventional oven.
Hi Chef John,
Would this method work with a 12 pounder? Cooking one up for a Christmas party tomorrow and wondering since the recipe calls for a 4 to 8 pound roast.
Thanks!
i've heard it does, but never tested myself! sorry!
Man, I was hoping to try out this recipe for Christmas but my parents come home with a rib eye roast. Any idea how long it should be cooked per pound? My dad wants to cut the thing in half so we can serve different wellness's but won't that affect the juiciness?
sorry, don't understand, this recipe is for rib eye. just use the formula given.
I was wondering if this would work for a boneless prime rib?
Thanks! I really enjoy your videos.
don't believe so, but never tried
Whoa whoa whoa, Chef John!!! An iPhone 3g(s)!? What happened to your Sexy Nexus!!! The Nexus S was just released :) Great looking piece of meat, by the way :)
I want to make this tomorrow morning for a work lunch, I have a 7.85 lb rib roast, so that's like 39 minutes. I'm worried that after it's done and I'm ready to transport it like 15 minutes away that the roast will go past the medium to medium rare mark and be over done. Chef John, would you recommend slicing it at home or keeping the roast intact (without rib bones of course) and slicing at work? Hopefully someone can give me some good advice!
It wont be over done, it will be too cold. Prime rib is not really something you can cook and take to someones home. After the 2 hours in the oven it is just warm. If you used a traditional method, and drove it over during the 20 minute resting time, you would be ok, but I wouldn't use this method.
CJ, thanks! That helps a lot. So I would then cook this beast to medium rare (or even rare)using the traditional method, then the 20 minutes resting on my drive to work will get it to the sweet spot. It stinks because I really wanted to use this method!
no need to under cook it, it has to rest anyway.
Thanks for the help, I have hence moved the operation to a co-workers house which is literally 2 minutes away! The hot au jus will compensate!
I have a 20lb prime rib bone in. You suggested cooking it the traditional method. Should I cut it in half. I am concerned I will have to cook the ends well done in order to get the center rare. What are your thoughts and what is a good traditional method? Silly me, first time cooking a prime rib and I buy a 20lb, prime grade no less. I must be nuts.
don't cut it! :-) try this http://americanfood.about.com/od/meatsandpoultry/r/primerib.htm enjoy!
Well I hope this works, I am 1:38 away from the finished product! My friend was kind enough to open her kitchen like 2 minutes away from work so I'll be able to bring in nice warm beef! Cross your fingers everyone!!
Thanks again CJ
around here they include the bone but is already cut off and tied. Guess this wont work or will it ? thank you
WOW everything came out great, beautiful pink from end to end! Thanks for the awesome recipe.
Is 11 lbs. too big? It would be 500 degrees for 55 minutes and then turn the oven off for 2 hours, right?
thanks!!!
It should work, but I've never done one that big! So I can't gaurantee.
I got a 6.6 pound lovely piece of meat. I let it sit out for about 2 1/2 hours. It was room temp. The butter mixture I changed it a bit added 1/4 butter, 12 finely chopped garlic cloves, dried thyme, salt, lawrys seasoning (Chicago thing), salt and pepper to the butter. Cooked at 500 for 36 minutes. Now to play the waiting game. Unfortunately I have to transport it. An hour out. A preheated oven at 250 will be waiting for me upon arrival. I will attempt to warm it up for 20 min. I will reply with the outcome of the results in case any of you are interested. Merry Christmas!
Follow up to my earlier post. No need for warming it back up. It still was piping hot after transport. Wrapped up in foil and then a towel to retain the heat worked well. However last 10 min I turned on heat to 250. When I got to the friends house and we cut into it it was a beautifully cooked medium rare. Maybe just a tad under. Picture perfect just like the video. I took temp when pulled out of oven it was 125 a tad over maybe. After much work and I think my new stove helped out alot. I've made alot of prime ribs in different ways this has been the best yet. Done the same idea however at a lower temp and a lot shorter high temp time. Thats the key here folks that high temp and the room temp. Thanks my friend for helping me out on getting it just right.
Chef.....Wow!
We just finished eating some amazing prime rib, by following this recipe exactly! 8.69 lbs of beef, 45 minutes at 500 with a roaring sizzle from the oven that honestly had me pacing in the kitchen wondering what I'm going to do with the chared beef I was sure would emerge. But no, after the 2 hour resting period out came the most incredible, most delicious prime rib I have ever tasted!! I kept repeating to my wife my disbelief that anything this good could come from our kitchen. Amazing! Thank you so much! The Au Jus also turned out great as did the Horseraddish sauce! I will never demonstrate such a lack of faith for one of your recipes again! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
So great to read all these success stories! Thanks for sharing.
Hi,
i would like to test the recipe but i only have a roast beef without bone. is this possible? Or do i have to choose another recipe?
Thanks for your comments.
Greetings from Germany,
Jan
Sorry, can't tell you, never tried, and don't know that effects it.
Hi,
I have tried it (roast beef without bones) i just ad 0,5 lbs per mising bone on the weight of the beef and followed the recipe.
It was delicious!!
Thanks for the recipe from Germany!
Jan
Chef, I tried your method on Christmas.
7.15lb 3-rib roast,
In the oven at 54,
66F after the 36-minute 500F blast,
120 after 60 minutes,
142 after 2 hours.
So it came out a little over-done for my tastes. It was good though.
I'm not sure how accurate my oven is, but I was also wondering if the cut (loin-end, chuck-end) would make a difference. I was using a loin-end.
The guaranteed time from start to finish is invaluable when cooking other items, though.
Thanks for the recipe
RPM, yes, that sounds like your oven may be a bit off, but the better question is, if you had a temperature probe in the meat the whole time, and could see the temperatures, why didn't you pull the meat out before it got to 142?
@ Chef John: My instincts were telling me to take it out, but I stuck to the battle plan. Next time I'll pull it, though.
Now I just need a second oven to have ready to go when I pull the roast to make the Yorkshire pudding.
Thanks again.
Chef John you are the best. Been coming to this site for some time now and enjoyed many of your recipe's. My daughter called to ask if I knew how to cook prime rib and I had just seen this post and wanted to try it myself, so I steered her in this direction, we talked it through and at 7 this evening enjoyed the best prime rib I have ever eaten. It came out just as you described. It was done exactly right. The only thing I regret was having to leave the bones with them for a much anticipated midnight snack. We have already scheduled re-do this Sunday at 3:00.
This is a must try recipe! Thanks for your efforts. KenFitz
Chef John you are the best. Been coming to this site for some time now and enjoyed many of your recipe's. My daughter called to ask if I knew how to cook prime rib and I had just seen this post and wanted to try it myself, so I steered her in this direction, we talked it through and at 7 this evening enjoyed the best prime rib I have ever eaten. It came out just as you described. It was done exactly right. The only thing I regret was having to leave the bones with them for a much anticipated midnight snack. We have already scheduled re-do this Sunday at 3:00.
This is a must try recipe! Thanks for your efforts. KenFitz
Thanks!! And thanks for the donation!!
Hi, Chef,
Thank you for the recipe, it worked great for our Christmas dinner. Now we have this lovely bit of leftover beef. Can you suggest a way to re-heat it without cooking it?
Doug
I like to slice into steaks and sear until warmed through. thanks!
My favorite thing to do with the leftovers is to make a prime rib soup. Here is a link to a great recipe:
http://mystolenrecipes.blogspot.com/2010/12/prime-rib-soup.html
And it's great sliced thin for a sandwich.
Absolutely delicious! Followed your directions, including the Herb de Provence butter/salt coating. Was my birthday prime rib and memorable. The au jus was wonderful. Thanks Chef!
Does this method work the same for grass-fed beef?
John - I tried this and it worked out fantastic! Best I have ever had.
My au jus was not very good though. I followed your recipe exactly but it was too oily.
thanks!
I have a lovely grass fed dry aged piece of prime rib thawing in the fridge right now (no, I'm not rich, just fortunate to visit a small town farmer's market at the right time.) I've studied the fine print carefully on this method and determined my oven is not a candidate. It is a small oven installed in 1972 and probably not big enough or insulated enough for this method. It makes great jerky, though, since I can hold the temp at 130 degrees effortlessly, a feat not possible with modern ovens. I'm going to play it safe and go with a traditional method.
You should've seen the look on my boyfriend's 90 year old grandma's face when she saw the perfect medium rare prime rib being sliced into. No more doubters for this foolproof method! Thanks for the recipe Chef John!
WOW! I just found this website about 3 weeks ago and I am lovin it!!!! Today, Easter Sunday, we had this prime rib. Must admit I was skeptical, but didn't need to be, came out PERFECT!!! Amazing, can't wait to keep trying your recipes. I LOVE your videos, makes it so easy to follow. Thanks for putting together such a wonderful site.
I have one of those rositerie ovens. Those things that turn around and around with a heating element at the back.
I was wondering how to modify this recipe to accomodate my rositerie oven?
While I do have a regular oven, the rositerie would make the meat cook more evenly, which is why Im asking :D
Sorry, no idea! Never used one.
I tried it and got mixed results. Now the digital probe said 140F at which point i removed it from the oven.
I cut into the meat only to find it very bloody.
Is 135F medium rare, because according to the instructions of the probe 135F is actually rare. But everyone seems to be saying prime rib is 135F for medium rare.
Hi Chef John,
Do you know if I would need to add any additional time if my roast is bigger, say for 10 people? I love it medium rare! Thanks!
I've never done a big one, but I've heard it works. Personally, for a larger party, I may go with the traditional method to be safe.
Hey your recipe worked very well - thanks!
Question - is it possible to replace the butter with Olive Oil (will it burn?) or perhaps Canola oil?
While it tasted great, the amount of butter made it impossible to eat more than maybe 1/3 of what I can normally eat. Now I know why at some buffets I feel very full eating Prime Rib
I tried this recipe tonight for supper. It was amazing and came out just as your video showed.
Can I use this for other lessor value cuts of beef with the same results?
not sure, never tried!
I'm trying this tonight with a tiny (just over two pound) roast for me and my hubby. Should I adjust at all? I'm so impressed to see all of your prompt replies on here! Thanks!
Hi Chef John,
I've tried this recipe a few times and it always turns out delicious. My question to you is, why is the dripping always tried out/burnt? I am never able to make au jus out of the dripping. Please help. I plan on cooking prime rib again tomorrow for Thanksgiving dinner.
Those drippings might look too dark, but that's what they look like. Deglaze with beef broth and it should be fine!
Chef John,
I was wondering if this method would work with dry aged prime rib and/or using a salted crust. BTW, thanks for all your work. Great site.
The dry aged wouldn't matter, but not sure about salt crust. I don't see why not.
I have a 16.5 lb Prime Rib that I will be trying this method on this Sunday. The math comes out to 83 min at 500 degrees. Then 2 hours with the door shut... 83 min is a really long time for 500 degrees.. Can you see any problems with using method X on 16.5 lbs? I am feeding 18 people and I don't want to ruin it.
I really want to use your method X however i have a 16.5lb prime rim with bones.. I was wondering if I should cut it in half so that I would have two 8.25lb prime ribs and cooking in the same oven and in the same large pan. Would that allow me to achieve the medium-rare with the method X. I have never done a prime rib before and I have 18 people coming over this Sunday. What are your thoughts on cutting it in half?
I've never tried with any that big. Or cutting in half. I'd prob use a traditional method with thermometer. Good luck!
I will have a 10lb rib roast but your recipe calls for a 4-8 lb roast. Have you yried a 10 lb roast and do I need to adjust the cooking time or just follow the recipe?
I haven't! I've heard you can, but I've not confirmed.
I've got an 8-pounder in my fridge doing some dry-aging right now. I'm so excited. This will be the first year that I cook the main course at Christmas. My mother and I have the meal all planned out so everything will be ready to go around 5pm Christmas Eve. I even know who I'm going to torture with pics of prime rib food porn. Oh, and I'm making your shrimp cocktail because for some reason my family's holiday dinners always have shellfish or bivalves.
I was also thinking now is a great time for you to put up a beef cheeks recipe. Houston is only going to be cold for so long, so I need to take advantage of braising season. I also need some instruction on butchering the things. Mine come untrimmed.
Lastly, I noticed you've done a lot of faux-smoking of meats. My siblings and I bought my father an electric smoker this Xmas, which should be much more conducive to frequent, experimental, or otherwise small-batch smoking than a big cabinet smoker or something similar. I'll email you if the results turn out well. I have high hopes for this thing.
Hi Chef John....I just bought a 15lb standing prime rib roast with this method in mind and I cant wait to try it out but after rereading your original directions asking that we use a 4 to 8 lb prime rib I'm wondering if mine is too big for this method to work? I hope that you get this message soon since we are having it for Christmas dinner in 2 days.:) Also, my mom has one of those ovens with optional cooking methods such as convectional bake, convectional roast or just plain baking. Would the convectional method throw this recipe off or should I stick with the okain baking method? Thanks again for your help...I love reading your blogs, you are awesome!
Sincerely,
Barbie
For ones that big I recommend doing a traditional method. Roast at 500 for 15 minutes to sear, then slow roast at 300-325 until you get your desired internal temp (125 is how I like mine). Also, just use the regular oven settings.
Chef John, I have just found your site after following a video you did on another food site and was curious about specific quantities for ingredients. My comment is that I first heard of this meathod about 5 years ago for cooking an eye of round, use 7 minutes per pound, and leave it in the oven for 2 - 2.5 hours. Melts in your mouth and so much flavour. The only roast of meat my teenagers cheer for when they hear it's supper and fight over for next days leftovers for lunch. Thanks for this one amd looking forward to trying this.
I have been reading today on this recipe. I just bought a 3lb roast. I've never done prime rib before. My husband is very skeptical that the roast will be juicy and not leather after being in the oven that long with the 500 start. I'm gonna try it and I hope I can prove him wrong!!! I'll repost when it comes out awesome!!!
Will this method work for a 2.5 lb roast?
I am planning on making this for me and my husband on christmas day
It should!
We are slow cooking a 10lb rib roast with no bone using your recipe for 5min. a lb.plus 2 hrs left in oven. Is their a time difference for boneless?
Sorry, never done with boneless before. Not sure of time dif.
Well Well Well...my husband ate his words, a little crow, and THIS AWESOME PRIME RIB!!!! I'm the one with the skeptical husband from yesterday...he had me so worried but ALAS A GREAT PRIME RIB!! He said it ranks up there with one of the best he's ever had!!! Thank you so very much!!! I just want to say that the roast was only 2.59 lbs..and it worked out great so you can go less than the 4 lb and it will turn out. I will no longer be afraid to try a Prime Rib at home. Why pay all the money at a restaurant when you can have quality at home!!!! You're the best!!!
Hi Chef John,
tried this last year with 5 pound, incredible. Thank you
QUESTION: after purchasing 5 pounder, guest count doubled.
Can I do this with (2) 5 pound roasts?
Thanks
Sorry, I've never done 2 at once, so not sure of the calculations.
I have a 3 lb and 5 lb roast. Should I combine the weight and run the math (40 min. cook time) or calculate using the 5 lb. (27 min cook time)? We want the 3 lb. more done.
Sorry, never tried 2. Use traditional method!
CHEF JOHN,
Thank you thank you thank you. I am so happy I followed this recipe this year. My 10 lbs prime rib turned out beautiful and amazing thanks to you. Last year i made prime rib for the first time and it was a disaster. So I was determined to not waste an expensive piece of meat again. Yours was the first recipe to pop up and the most informed. Everyone praised the beef for tasting so great.
I was very scared leaving it out for so long at room temp and the 500 oven for 50 mins but man o man... great stuff... every single bite! you ROCK! My husband and family all thank you!
Chef John you didn't disappoint yet again. first Aunt Angela's cabbage rolls, now your Method X of Prime Rib perfection! I cooked an almost 11lb beast yeasterday to perfection. I did add water to the roasting pan and all that happened was less smoke in the room and the most amazing base for my au jus. I used butter, seasoned salt, some fresh garlic and fresh parsley on my rub and it was fantastic!! Thank you again Chef John and I look foreward to more of your amazing recipes!
Chef John-
I made a 5 rib 12.15 lb Prime Rib, and the method worked perfectly! I left it out of the refrigerator for about 14 hours to get a true room temperature because it was such a large Rib. It was delicious!
Next time I'm thinking about reducing the initial cooking time to 4.75 min/lb to get a rare Prime Rib.
Any thoughts?
Thanks!
Made this for my Christmas dinner using a 13 lbs prime rib roast and all I can say is, "Pure Perfection".
Thanks Chef!
Happy New Year to you and yours!!!!
Chef John: Thank you for the Prime Rib recipe -- Method X works every time! A quick question: can you use Method X for a less expensive cut of beef? I specifically have in mind "Top Sirloin Roast" (also known by these names: Top Butt or Center-Cut Roast)??
Thank you,
Don
Sorry, never tested.
Last night I tested Method X using a 5 lb "Top Sirloin Roast" and it worked like a charm!
Quick question... what's "Room Temperature"?
I'm in Australia and room temperature here could be often be 86f++ :)
Many thanks - I'm hoping to give this one a go this weekend! :)
what do you mean by modern oven? does the oven have to be insulated with no gaps for cooling? how about a convection oven?
thanks
yes, well insulated and digital temp display, etc. Never tried w/ convection.
Question-
Is it ok to leave it more than 2 hours? Say I was going out for about 4 hours, after I turn the oven off. Will it be ok when i get back?
AFter the oven shuts off - where we are leaving the roast in there for 2 hours - Is it possible to leave it in there for 4 hours without messing it up? just wondering i may need to step out for a bit - ?
yes, but it will no longer be warm.
Hi Chef John!
Can this method be used w/ a bone-in leg of lamb?
BTW, I LUV your videos. :)
Here's hoping you'd answer look at this 2-year-old post and answer my question.
I notice that my oven has a "Cook and Hold" button on the front, with a separate timer. I've never used it before.
Would this feature be useful in this recipe?
Your food all look good, btw. Good job!
So I made this with my current stupid oven.
First the oven could not reach the 500F it reached pretty much 230 (with the "fan" mode? can't remember in english how it is told)
I kept it around 2-3 minutes longer and around 10 minute longer with the oven turned off.
What to say. I do not know how the one made by our chef was, mine was still super delicious, extremely tender and juicy.
I was actually surprised when I was going to remove the bones, I think I could have done it with my hands without the knife.
oh need to point out that my oven do not reach the 500 F that is around 260-270 C but it reach 230 C :p just to make my previous comment clearer.
I had to buy a oven termometer to get the temperatures right with your indications, chef!
Hey Chef John, I tried this method for a 14 pound boneless rib roast. It turned out perfect! So to all the readers and viewers asking about boneless and larger roast sizes, yes this method works.
Side note: The rib roast that we ordered was untrimmed, so it had a large section of fat attached to the side of the roast. It added at least a 1-2 pounds in weight to the roast, and accounted for the roast coming out closer to medium than medium-rare. If you were to divide the rib roast into three sections, only the section in the middle would be considered close to medium rare, so remember to account for untrimmed fat in the roast when calculating!
i have only left the rib out for 2 hours. is there any way i can still use this method
I made it last night for our Christmas Eve dinner. It was the best Christmas Eve dinner ever!!!! Thank you!
I made a 2 rib, 5.25 pound roast for Christmas this year. I only left the roast out at room temp for 2 hours, as I was concerned about food safety. I also used my digital probe so I could monitor the temp. After 2 hours standing in the oven the temp was only 95, so I turned the oven back on to 325 for awhile and since it was not really rising in temp I then increased to 400 for about 15 minutes until the temp was 120. Took it out and let it rest about 15 minutes, temp rose to 127. Turned out perfect (rare/med-rare in center, medium rare the rest).
We made this for the first time as the main course for Christmas dinner this year. It came out absolutely perfectly!! To say it was the best Prime Rib ever is a complete understatement. No one knew what we were serving for dinner, but as soon as we cut into it, the entire table was in awe...thanks Chef John!!!
I have a VERY accurate and new oven and used multiple probes following results
Roast out for 9 hours and temp at 55 degrees at start weighed 7.85 lbs 500 degrees for 40 minutes.
End of 40 minutes up to 74 degrees and oven off. At end of 1 hour and 20 minutes had reached 125 and oven was drifted down to 195 degrees so took out. Was great but this one time only makes me wonder about math in a new and tight oven that is electric???
Hello, My Husband and I did the Method X with Our Prime Rib Roast about a year and a half ago. I think it was done For a Feb. 14th Celebration, Valentines Day, 2010. Anyway, we took pictures of our process, and would love to post them. We just dont see how to do that. Here, we can leave a comment, but it doesnt give anyplace that we can see to post our pictures. We loved how the Roast turned out. Shane And Shelly
Hello, My Husband and I did the Method X with Our Prime Rib Roast about a year and a half ago. I think it was done For a Feb. 14th Celebration, Valentines Day, 2010. Anyway, we took pictures of our process, and would love to post them. We just dont see how to do that. Here, we can leave a comment, but it doesnt give anyplace that we can see to post our pictures. We loved how the Roast turned out. Shane And Shelly
Sorry, but this basic blogger software doesn't allow that! If you email to me, I'd love to see! foodwishes@yahoo.com thanks!
Hello Chef John! I am a big fan! I have used the Method X for making prime rib and it came out wonderfully. Great video instructions. I have a question regarding timing for sides. I notice you have a beautiful baked potato served with your prime rib. With the oven taken up with the prime rib, when do you have time to bake potatoes along with it? Do you have two ovens, throw the potatoes in during the sear time and leave them in the oven for the 2 hour wait? Would love some advice!
No, I wouldn't add anything else to the oven. You need to do sides that can be cooked on the stovetop, or toasted oven, or microwave, etc. Don't remember how I did the potato, but maybe was just a prop!
hi chef,
love ur videos, and have 2 questions:
any ideas on what to substitute for Herbes de Provence, other then just plain salt & pepper in this recipe?
if i were to use salt & pepper, how much of each should i use?
thanks
Its just a dried herb mix. You can use whatever you like. Rosemary and thyme are great too.
Wow! I have never before made a Prime Rib in my life, but took your advice Chef John, and followed your directions to the letter! The result? The most amazing Prime Rib any of us have ever eaten! PERFECTION!!! Oh, and I also watched your instructional video on flipping stuff in a pan, and wow'd my little girl while I flipped portabello mushrooms I was cooking. Thank you so much for your awesome recipes, videos and sense of humor! :)
Chef john it would be helpful if you told users that it is 5mins x xx POUNDS of meat.
In some countries it is customary to buy meat in kgs. And it isnt very clear whether the formula is for lbs or kgs. I know it is for lbs but for clarity it should be stated a bit more clearly :)
Hey Chef John...I don't have the kind of pan you used for this...but I do have a dutch oven that is oven and flame safe.
I feel like this is such an ardtard question...but is that kind of thing OK to cook the prime rib in?
I'm excited, I'm making this for my husband THIS Thanksgiving!
It should work, but I've never tried that. The only thing that could effect things, would be how the D.O. absorbs and transfers the heat, so I can't say 100% it would work exactly the same.
It should work, but I've never tried that. The only thing that could effect things, would be how the D.O. absorbs and transfers the heat, so I can't say 100% it would work exactly the same.
Thanks! I ended up using a different sort of pan which worked well.
I'm happy I bought an oven safe, leave in, meat thermometer per your suggestion.
My roast was 4.85 lbs which meant I had it in the oven for approx 25 minutes at 500 degrees. I switched off the oven and walked away. I left the oven light on so I was able to see the thermometer.
I peeked at it 40 minutes later and the thermometer was already at 130 degrees, so I yanked it from the oven right away.
I may not have had my thermometer in the thickest part of the meat, because I used it in another area and it read only 121 degrees. Either way, I figured with the carry over cooking, it would still reach 125 (which it did).
I wanted to have my side dishes done at the same time as the roast...and sadly that didn't happen since the roast was done 1 hour and 20 minutes early....but the meat rested on the counter while I finished everything else up. When I cut into the meat my husband about had a heart attack of pure joy (not a bad way to go I'm told), it was medium rare and super moist. The boiling hot Beef Au Jus really emphasized how delicious it turned out.
We ate kinda early so we had the munchies later. We TOTALLY threw the bones back in the oven with BBQ sauce for a snack.
This recipe is SO amazing!
Good Morning Chef-
I am very excited to try this method for our Christmas dinner this year.. However, I have a math question.. I have had to purchse two bone in large end cut roast to accomidate everybody this year.. One roast is 7.30 lbs and the other is 6.77 for a total weight of 14.07 lbs.. Do I take the "Total" weight of the two roast and 14.07 x 5 for a 1 hour and 11 minute cook time @ 500 degrees.. or do I use the weight of the larger roast 7.30 x 5 for a 37 minuted cook time @ 500.. I do not want to kill Christmas dinner this year.. Thank you
Sorry, not sure! Never tested more than one. Not sure it will work the same.
This is my fourth time making a prime rib using your method and it has been a huge success every time! I have always used large cuts....8 bones, about 14-15 pounders! I use the directions EXACTLY and it turns out PERFECT! Thank you so much for sharing!!!
HERE WE GO!!
I just put in a 15.88 lb, 6 bone, monster prime rib. It'll sear at 500º for 80 minutes before we let it begin the resting process. This is almost twice as bit as the last one we did. I'll report back with the results.
15.88 lb Follow-up.
The process still worked very well, but it seems like the math breaks down a little at some point. Instead of getting consistent medium-rare end-to-end like we do with the 8-9 lb roasts we got several well-done full slices at the edges and a thicker about 1.5" crust throughout. It was still very good, but if we do one this large again, we'll probably turn off the oven at 1 hour, maybe 70 minutes.
Hope this helps anyone doing larger roasts in the years to come. This is still the best prime rib recipe I've ever tasted.
made this exactly as stated yesterday, it was PERFECT! 8 lb rib roast. DELICIOUS! I've tried several ways to make this and we always end up waiting for it to be done b/c it's still raw in the middle. Not this year! thanks!
Will refridgerating "open air" 24 hours prior to bringing to room temp have any effect? - Jason
WOW!! I just followed your recipe for this Prime Rib Roast and it DELICIOUS! and thats an understatement... I will forever cook all my rib roasts like this thank you very much! Happy New Year Chef!
Can I use an all-clad lasagne pan? Also, do you just leave the meat out uncovered for 6 hours?
Any pan should work! You can cover with plastic if you want. Doesn't matter.
Would the math be the same if I put in two roasts at a time? Feeding 6 adults + 3 children, so I was going to get two smaller roasts instead of one big one. I have two ovens, but was going to use the lower oven to make roasted potatoes. Thanks!
Another commenter said they used this method for a 2.5lb prime rib with success so I went ahead and tried it with mine. Very said to say that it did not work for me. I followed the formula and just 20 minutes after turning the oven off my prime rib was over 140. I'll try this again only if I have the recommemded size roast.
It isn't Prime Rib without Garlic
I have an 8 lb prime rib that I want to roast on Saturday. How many days in advance do I have to let it thaw out for?
i just saw your video on how to cook the perfect prime rib road, just wondering i want to make gravy no where does it mention adding water to the pan while cooking it, can I, and also do you cover yours with a lid or tin foil, also what type of pan do you recommend, a glass or your typical roasting pan...thx
My Mom used to use a very similar technique for years and years. She called it a "no peak" roast, and she used any cut of beef roast. With 6 kids and a super hungry Dad, she actually had to duct tape the oven door closed so we wouldn't open it!! One of my newer ovens doesn't work with this method, however. Once you turn the heat OFF, a fan takes over to bring the temperature of the oven down quicker. There's no way to disable it, either. I'm experimenting, but it is an expensive test lab using prime rib! Any suggestions? I'm trying to keep it on by using the Bread Proof setting for the 2 hours. Stay tuned.
Tom, I have a Jenn Aire oven that has an internal fan ... we've done the roasts using this method quite a few times & it worked great .... my son said he'd have liked the meat a little hotter, but it was done through & a perfect med. rare.
Thanks, Sherry. When you follow this method, how long does the fan run after you turn the oven off?
I already ransomed my youngest to afford this beautiful 8 lb prime rib. It is boneless. Does this throw off the whole "Method X" formula? I'm thinking I just raise it on a shallow rack in the pan. Thoughts anyone?
Chef John, our electric oven has a cooling fan that comes on when you shut the oven off will this be a problem while the prime rib is in there for two hours? For Christmas Eve! Thanks galluvs2travel.
Chef John, our electric oven has an automatic cooling fan that comes on when the oven shuts off is this going to be a problem when the meat sits in there after searing? Thanks! I have an 8 lb prime rib. Thanks!
Yes, that will be a problem! The residual heat cooks it.
Greetings Chef! I have a question that I am trying to find an answer to. I am DEPENDING on this very simple recipe for my Prime Rib. I'm an engineer and I doodle with a protractor (meaning no creativity, anything I do needs exact instructions!). My question has to do with the oven type. I've got an Electrolux double oven. It has so many different cooking types like Convection Roasting, etc. I'm not sure if you know what is the typical setting for this type of oven? Also, it has a fan that circulates the oven's heat evenly and continuously within the oven. Will that cause any issues during the 2 hour time when the meat continues to cook? Please let me know! I love your site!!!
Veronica
I'm sorry, I don't know that oven! I'm really not sure how it will effect, but like I tell everyone, monitor with a probe thermometer. Enjoy!
I bought a prime with with no bone...oops.
can this recipe still work?
Chef. Merry Christmas! I can't wait to cook my 9+ lb rib roast today using this method today. One question I haven't seen addressed: I "dry aged" my 9.65 lb rib roast for almost a week. I do not have an accurate means to weigh the roast so I' "guessing" the weight now is 9.5 lbs. Any thoughts on weight loss when dry aging? Thanks again for your videos/blog site.
Hello Chef John!
I am going to be roasting a rib roast over 22lbs. Will this recipe work for such a large roast? I'm nervous about cooking this roast at 500 degrees for so long. Help!
Hello Chef John love your recipes been watching for a long time..I bought a 2 lb prime rib for my husband and I. Does it have to stand up because this will not. Thanks!
I tried this over the weekend but added garlic salt over the butter mixture. To me, it's just not "Prime Rib" without garlic. The taste was great. However, a couple of pointers. At 500 deg's my kitchen was full of smoke and the oven full of grease at about the 25 min. mark. My roast was 5.75 lbs. and I set my timer for 29 mins. If you're going to try this you'd better use a thermometer. My roast had reached 145 deg's (which is where I wanted it) after only 1 hr. 25 mins with the oven off. Med rare (135 ish) was reached long before that. Never trust time for cooking, use temp. I should also mention I used a boneless rib not bone-in. Need to figure a way to keep the grease from coating the inside of my oven and setting off all the smoke alarms. Can't believe no one else seems to have that problem.
Hi Chef John,
Thank you for this wonderful fool proof method of making prime rib. I made my first one on Saturday night, a 13 pounder for 13 people. I was really nervous about messing up a glorious and expensive piece of meat, but WWCJD (what would chef john do). I followed the recipe to a T; cooked at 500 for 65 minutes, then turned the oven off for 2 hours to rest. I even put a DO NOT OPEN sign on the oven door in case one of my guests wanted to get a peek inside. Pulled it after 2 hours ( we sang 'the final countdown' for the last 10 seconds) and it came out at a solid 135. There were a few guests who wanted medium well, so I cut off the end piece and threw it back in the oven for a few minutes and it got to their liking. I also made your homemade horseradish, which was awesome.
Everyone thoroughly enjoyed their meal and I can't wait to make this again
.
Hi chef Johns
This method apparently works for the leg of the lamb too.
I've tried with 1.5 kg whole lamb leg. I added extra 7 minutes to the initial roasting time because I prefer medium lamb. Left the meat in the oven for 2hrs. The result was great as the thick ends of the leg was perfectly medium with even pinkness. Although the narrowe shank bit was cooked to well done but still remained juicy and tender.
In addition everyone in my neighborhood loves your banana bread and chocolate bundt cake. I am literally a legend in my university hall now
Thank you!
To accommodate my large party, I had to buy (2) - 3 bone rib roasts. Has anyone tried cooking two roasts at the same time and if so, can you share your results and what math you used?
Thanks
Why does the weight matter? If the roast cooks from the outside in, and it's roughly even in size (thickness), it shouldn't matter, should it? It's not as if it cooks from each end toward the middle. I have a four-rib fourteen pounder and 70 minutes seems like an awfully long time at 500 degrees.
astheplanetttums if you've got a 4 rib roast that weighs 14 lbs, you've gotta the largest cow every grown. But yes, your oven and kitchen would be a mess LONG before 70 mins. My 6 lb roast fed 6 people and at 25 mins my kitchen was filling up with smoke. Mine was boneless though.
This worked well with my smaller (2.6lb) roast. Per CJ instructions I added a minute to account for heat loss when the door is open to put the roast in. Followed timing to the letter;room temperature roast, 14 minutes at 500 and off for 2 hours. I Adjusted seasonings for my personal taste. I put the butter in the micro for a few seconds to make it easier to slather on the roast and again per CJ added more salt than I normally would have.
Result? PERFECTION! This was a quiet Christmas Eve dinner for just the two of us and I will use this method exclusively from now on. Glad to hear from other posters this has worked on lamb and other beef cuts.
I threw two large baking potatoes in the oven with the roast. They were not quite done so we finished them in the microwave. I suspect with a larger roast and longer time at 5000 degrees they would have been perfect.
For those who want to try two roasts at the same time, I think the key would be to ensure they are as close to the same weight as possible, not touching each other (separate pans if room)and just follow the directions for one roast. For those with those annoying cool down fans you could always throw the circuit breaker cutting power to the oven, but this would leave the rest of the stove unuseable for vegetables etc.
Thank you Chef John. This one is a winner!
Have made this before and it turned out TERRIFIC, but with my Christmas 10 pounder (in now) I'm nervous because my oven has an automatic cooling fan...and no way to disable it!! UGH! Any advice?
Hey chef John! First off I am a huge, huge fan of your blog - I never miss a video. I went for broke (literally!) and got a 10lb rib roast for Christmas. My sis said she had s probe thermometer, but turns out she thought I meant the one you stick in the meat after its cooked.
Long story short: I had no way of monitoring the temp as it cooked.
Well, I used your formula and that, combined with my sister's hi tech stove and a little Christmas magic, made the toast come out absolutely perfect. Again, I can't thank you enough!
John, this was the most incredible prime rib I have ever made or eaten. It was cooked to perfection. Your "math" worked perfectly! My husband and I had our lovely rib last night for New Year's Eve at home. We couldn't have enjoyed a dinner anywhere in SE Virginia as much as we did our dinner at home. Thank you for this great recipe. I also used your au jus recipe. I used my Le Creuset dutch oven without the lid to cook the rib, and then made the au jus on top of the stove. My husband was really impressed! Please keep posting wonderful videos. I enjoy your fun honesty about your cooking adventures. Happy New Year!!
Jan O
Tom P. said
John, I love Prime Rib, my wife, not so much, but my sister made your recipe, and my wife couldn't get enough. That's the best Prime Rib we've ever had. John, what happens with a boneless roast?, will this method work on the green egg?
To all your devoted fans of which I'm one, please tell them it is "jus" not "ah jus". The "ah" is with, and the "jus" is juice. So prime rib au jus is prime rib with juice and "I would like more jus" to finish with prime rib for extra juice.
I was corrected by a personal friend of mine who is a gold medal chef.
PERFECT!!
If you try this technique, pay close attention to the "IMPORTANT PRO TIP" regarding the use of a thermometer. I had a 2.38 lb roast, cooked it at 500 for 12 minutes, turned off the oven, and 32 minutes later the internal temperature hit 125°F. That's a long way from 2 hours. Can you imagine how overcooked and tough it would have been if I waited 2 hours? I didn't believe it so I used an instant read thermometer and poked it all over. It was true. Because it was so hot i let it rest for several minutes and that let it become a little overdone. But the technique is worth trying.
A few notes:
1) I used a probe thermometer and an oven thermometer to ensure the oven temp was 500°.
2) My roast didn't end up with a crispy seared outside. It was more like a piece of yummy meat smothered in butter and herbs.
3) If you're planning to make au jus with the drippings, go light on the salt in the beginning. My au jus was so salty it was inedible.
Rock on Chef John.
Erick - that's much too small a rib for this recipe to work for you. I would think you'd need at least a 5 or 6 pounder minimum. Good thing you used a thermo.
Erick, notice in the "Ingredients List", it says a 4 to 8 pound rib roast.
The weight shouldn't matter. It's all about minutes per pound. I'm interpreting the 4 to 8 pounds in the ingredients list as a factor or how much butter, salt, pepper, and herbs to use. This recipe is all about the technique, not the size of the roast.
Chef John, did I misinterpret that?
Eric, I think your experiment proved that your interpretation was incorrect. I would suggest that the thickness of the meat is what matters,(which relates to weight)because at any given temperature, the amount of time it would take to heat the center of a piece of meat is relative to it's thickness. My guess is that a 4-8 pound rib would be between 4 and 8 inches thick, where your 2.3 lb piece was probably 2-3 inches thick. At 500 degrees it would take much less time to heat the center to a given doneness. Just a thought.
I would also suggest that if you put a 4 lb in the same oven with an 8 lb rib, the 8 lb would be more rare in the center than the 4 lb. I haven't tried this but would bet it's true. Maybe Chef John can shed more light.
Hey Chef John, huge fan. Have tried a bunch of your other recipes and they turn out great.
If I use a preseasoned big cast iron pan to cook this, would that be okay?
Thanks!
Raymond
John,
I liked the tenderness of the meat, but it was a little on the cold side for my liking. Any suggestions? Thanks, Steve
Chef John I also have an oven with a cooling fan that turns on once oven shuts off. But I have a multi-cook option that lets me cook up to three settings in sequential order. So I could cook the roast at 500 for the proper amount of time and then shift the next sequence to "warm oven" of which the lowest temp I can choose is 125 for the next 2 hours thus avoiding the cooling fan. Do you think that would work?
I roasted a 21 pound prime rib (all seven rib bones, yesterday (Christmas), using Chef John's method. The results were disappointing.
The only change I made to the recipe/method was to use a salt/pepper/garlic powder rub instead of the butter & herb coating. I have a high end oven that produces accurate temperatures. Given the weight of the meat, I roasted it for 1 hour 45 minutes at 500℉ and then let it rest in the closed oven for exactly 2 hours.
During the roasting period, the kitchen filled up with smoke and I had to open windows and doors to ventilate it. When I took it out of the over, the outside was charred and the internal temperature registered 140℉. By the time I got it carved and served, the roast was well done.
Needless to say, I was sorely disappointed. We enjoyed the meat because it was a really good piece of beef but it would have been a lot better it hadn't been so well cooked.
Next time, I will check the roast after the first oven off hour and bring the temperature back up to its proper level if the roast needs more time in the oven.
I was pleased with the pan dripping, however. I got enough to make 2 gallons of really tasty gravy.
Steven MqCueen Notice in the recipe the recommended size of the rib. 21 Lbs. is way too big to use this recipe.
@Harold M
According to another article on Food Wishes, size should not matter.
See: http://foodwishes.blogspot.com/2012/12/apparently-size-doesnt-matter-for-prime.html.
There is such a thing as blind trust, and I'm a victim. Got a German electric oven, latest flavor, followed the instructions exactly as stated. Turned out relatively well done. The themeperature variation between ovens must be tremendous. Checked mine out, temperatures are absolutely correct. Next time instead of the "5 minute rule" I'll use an internal temperature probe (which I could have and should have used today, but didn't). All in all, tolerable but not memorable. Same as 2016. Better luck next year to all.
CJ: Could I use Ghee instead of regular butter to cut down on the smoke? Thanks!
Chef John, Can you give me your thoughts about food safety and leaving the rib roast at room temp for 6 hours?
Hi, Chef John:
You have been my Jedi Master of cooking for some time, and I especially love your coq au vin and beef stroganoff recipes. This one is a huge winner too (personally, I make a paste of fresh herbs, spices, garlic and olive oil in a food processor and slather it all over the roast the night before. Just sharing.)
Anyway, I see that several folks have asked about how to adjust the roast for more done-ness. Most everyone in my family likes their prime rib cooked medium, poor souls, so I used your recipe a couple of times using six minutes per pound vs. five and hit a solid medium both times.
Respectfully,
-Dave
Is there any reason this method wouldn't work on lamb? I think the herb de provence would work well even.
Chef John: Today is December 16, 2017. I am going to roast a 4-rib piece on December 23rd. The pan you use in the video, for roasting and au jus preparation, appears to be ceramic on iron...is that the recommended utensil for this project? What manufacturer and model did you use? I gave the dates above because I need an answer very soon.
Thank you...Luther
Chef John: Today is December 16, 2017. I am going to roast a 4-rib piece on December 23rd. The pan you use in the video, for roasting and au jus preparation, appears to be ceramic on iron...is that the recommended utensil for this project? What manufacturer and model did you use? I gave the dates above because I need an answer very soon.
Thank you...Luther
Hi, i live in the UK and my oven only goes up to 220 c (428 f) how long should i cook a prime rib of 6.08 pounds,
thanks
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