Herb-Crusted Prime Rib Roast

Steps

1. Set the roast bone side down on the rack in a roasting pan and let it sit out while the oven heats (up to 1 hour; never more than 2).
   ⏱ Sit out: 1 hr
2. Set a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat the oven to 450°F (230°C).
   450°F
3. If you didn't salt the roast ahead, pat it dry and sprinkle the salt evenly over all sides now.
4. Stir the garlic, rosemary, thyme, pepper and olive oil into a paste and rub it over the top and sides of the roast. Wash your hands and anything the raw meat touched.
5. Roast (how to roast)

   Roast Cook food uncovered in a hot oven so the outside browns while the inside cooks through. 1. Heat the oven fully before the food goes in, usually 400 to 450°F for vegetables.2. Toss vegetables with oil and salt; dry and season meat.3. Spread everything out on a sheet pan or in a roasting pan with room around each piece.4. Roast, turning vegetables once halfway, until browned at the edges.5. For meat, check the center with a thermometer. Done when: Vegetables are browned at the edges and tender in the middle; meat reaches its safe temperature. Safety: Use dry oven mitts (wet ones pass heat straight through) and tilt hot pans away from you to avoid the fat and steam.How to roast meat and vegetables: mistakes to avoid

   at high heat to

   brown (how to brown)

   Brown Cook food in a hot pan until its surface turns brown, which adds rich, roasted flavor. 1. Pat the food dry; for ground meat, let the pan get hot first.2. Add a little oil and spread the food in one layer.3. Leave it alone for a few minutes so the bottom browns, then turn or break it up.4. Work in batches if it won't fit in one layer.5. Pour off extra fat if the recipe says to. Done when: Most surfaces are brown, not gray, and the bottom of the pan has browned bits (they are flavor, not burn). Safety: Hot oil spatters: dry the food first, lay it in the pan moving away from you, and keep a lid nearby. Never put water on an oil fire; slide the lid over it and turn off the heat. Browned outside doesn't mean cooked inside: ground beef needs 160°F, poultry 165°F.How to brown meat and vegetables: mistakes to avoid

   the outside.
   450°F⏱ Sear at 450°F: 20 min
6. Lower the oven to 325°F (165°C) and keep roasting. Start checking after this timer.
   325°F⏱ Roast at 325°F: 1 hr 30 min
7. Check the center of the roast, away from the bone. Keep roasting, checking every 15 minutes, until it reaches 145°F (63°C) for medium (USDA's safe minimum), or higher if you like it more done; see the chart in the tips. A 6- to 7-lb roast usually takes 2 to 2 1/2 hours in all.
   325°F⏱ Check again: 15 min
8. Move the roast to a cutting board, tent it loosely with foil and

   rest (how to rest)

   Rest Leave cooked meat, baked goods or dough alone for a while before you cut, slice or shape it. 1. Move meat to a board or plate as soon as it is done (a few degrees shy of target for big roasts; it keeps rising).2. Tent it loosely with foil if the kitchen is cool.3. Rest steaks and chops 5 minutes, roasts 15 to 20, a turkey 30.4. For dough, cover it so it doesn't dry out while it relaxes. Done when: Meat juices stay in when you slice; dough rolls out without springing back. Safety: Rest at room temperature for under an hour, then refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking.How to rest meat and dough: mistakes to avoid

   . USDA asks for at least 3 minutes; 30 keeps the juices in the meat. The center climbs another 5 to 10 degrees as it rests.
   ⏱ Rest: 30 min
9. Run a long knife along the bones to free the meat in one piece, then

   slice (how to slice)

   Slice Cut food into flat pieces of the same thickness. 1. Give round food a flat side to sit on.2. Hold it with your fingertips curled under.3. Cut with long strokes, pushing the knife forward and down rather than straight down.4. Move your guiding hand back the same distance each time so every slice matches. Done when: The slices are even. For meat, slicing across the grain (across the lines of muscle) gives the tenderest bite. Safety: Keep the fingertips of your guiding hand curled under, knuckles toward the blade, and set the board on a damp towel so it can't slide. Slice hot roasts on a board with a groove for the juices.How to slice evenly: mistakes to avoid

   it across the grain about 1/2 inch thick.
10. Skim the fat off the pan juices and serve them in a small pitcher alongside the sliced beef.

Tap an underlined word for how to do it, or see all techniques.

Tips

• Doneness chart, read in the center as the roast comes out: 145°F (63°C) medium, warm pink center (USDA's safe minimum for beef roasts, plus a 3-minute rest); 150°F (66°C) medium-well, a little pink; 160°F (71°C) well done, no pink.
• Charts that list lower numbers for rare and medium-rare go below USDA's safe minimum, so ours starts at 145°F. Expect the center to rise 5 to 10 degrees while the roast rests.
• Plan about 1 rib for every 2 people, or about 3/4 lb of bone-in roast per person.
• Ask the butcher to cut the bones off and tie them back on. They still shield the meat as it roasts, and carving is easier.
• Use a separate board for raw meat, and wash hands, boards and knives in hot soapy water after handling it.

Storage

Refrigerate within 2 hours, up to 4 days. Reheat leftover slices covered with a little broth over low heat until they reach 165°F.

Make ahead

For the best crust and seasoning, salt the roast 1 to 2 days ahead: pat it dry, sprinkle the salt over all sides and refrigerate it uncovered on a rack set in a pan.

How long leftovers keep, and freezing and reheating: leftovers and storage.