There are few dishes that embody celebration quite like a beautifully roasted Slow-Roasted Bone-In Prime Rib. This recipe is all about simplicity and technique, allowing the rich flavour of the meat to shine through. The result? A show-stopping centerpiece with a perfectly cooked, juicy, melt-in-your-mouth interior and a crispy, golden crust.
This 4-bone prime rib roast is slowly cooked to perfection, infused with aromatics, and finished with a blow torch (or your broiler) for that irresistible, crispy fat cap. Perfect for hosting a holiday feast, a special family dinner or celebrating National Prime Rib Day
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Ingredients
- Bone-in prime rib roast (When you are buying a roast, plan on 1 pound of bone-in roast per guest)
- Kosher salt
- Vegetable oil
- White onions
- Celery
- Carrots
- Fresh rosemary
See recipe card below for quantities.
Instructions
Prepare the Roast
Score the Fat: Using a sharp knife, lightly score the fat cap of the prime rib in a
crisscross pattern. This helps render the fat and develop a crispy crust.
Season Well: Generously season the entire roast with kosher salt, making sure to get into all the nooks and crannies. Let the roast sit at room temperature for 1 hour to allow the salt to penetrate the meat.
Sear the Fat Cap
Preheat a large roasting pan or roaster over high heat. Add the vegetable oil and allow it to shimmer.
Place the roast fat side down in the roaster and sear for about 7-10 minutes until the fat is golden brown. Remove the roast and set it aside.
Prepare the Roasting Pan
Add the chopped onions, celery, carrots, and a few sprigs of rosemary directly into the roasting pan. These aromatics will infuse the meat with flavour as it cooks and also make a fantastic base for a pan sauce or gravy if desired.
Place a roasting rack on top of the vegetables.
Slow Roast the Prime Rib
Preheat your oven to 275°F (135°C).
Place the prime rib on the roasting rack, fat cap facing up. Tuck a few sprigs of rosemary under the butcher’s twine for extra aroma.
Roast for approximately 4-5 hours for a 4-bone roast (or 3-4 hours for a 3-bone roast) or until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the meat reaches 122°F (50°C) for medium-rare. (Adjust the cooking time and internal temperature slightly if you prefer your roast more or less done. See Prime Rib Temperature Chart.)
Finish with a Blow Torch & Rest
Once the roast reaches the desired internal temperature, remove the roast from the oven and use a blow torch to crisp up the fat cap to golden-brown perfection. If you don’t have a torch you can use the broiler (see tips below).
Tent loosely with foil and set aside. Let the roast rest for 45 minutes; during this time, the internal temperature will rise to about 128°F-130°F (slightly higher if broiled) for a lovely medium-rare finish.
Slice & Serve
When ready to serve, slice off the bones. Do not discard the bones, gnawing on the bones is my favourite part! I would suggest slicing ½-inch slices for most people, my boys prefer 1-inch slices!
Suggested Sides
- Homemade Beef Broth Gravy
- Quick Horseradish Cream Sauce
- Roasted Garlic-Sour Cream & Chive Mashed Potatoes
- Roasted brussels sprouts, potatoes, or your favourite vegetables.
- Soft dinner rolls
Watch how this Slow-Roasted Prime Rib recipe was made here.
Prime Rib Temperature Chart
Remember that the meat will continue to cook as it rests, so it’s best to remove it from the oven when it’s about 5-6°F below your target temperature.
Level of Doneness | Remove from Oven At | Final Temperature After Resting |
Rare | 115-118°F (46-48°C) | 120-125°F (49-52°C) |
Medium-Rare | 120-122°F (49-50°C) | 125-130°F (52-54°C) |
Medium | 130-135°F (54-57°C) | 135-140°F (57-60°C) |
Medium-Well | 140-145°F (60-63°C) | 145-150°F (63-66°C) |
Well-Done | 150-155°F (66-68°C) | 155-160°F (68-71°C) |
Chef’s Tips:
Recommended Doneness
Medium-Rare is the most recommended doneness for prime rib, as it ensures a juicy, tender texture.
For guests who prefer more well-done slices, cut the portion they want and briefly sear the slices in a hot skillet for 1-2 minutes on each side, or place them under a broiler for a minute or two. This allows you to quickly bring those slices up to medium, medium-well, or well-done without overcooking the entire roast.
Room Temperature Rest
Allowing the roast to sit at room temperature before cooking helps it cook more evenly throughout.
Slow & Low Cooking
Cooking at a low temperature ensures even doneness and a tender, juicy result.
Crisping without a Blow Torch
If you do not have a blow torch, you can turn on your oven’s broiler to crisp up the fat cap. With your oven empty and a rack placed in the lower third of the oven. Preheat the broiler on high for 10-15 minutes. Slide in the roaster and leave the door slightly ajar and watch carefully, rotating the roasting pan as required to get an even browning. Cook for 3-4 minutes, you don’t want to cook the meat, just brown the fat.
Storing & Reheating
Storage: Wrap leftovers tightly in foil or place in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Reheating: To maintain its tenderness, reheat slices in a 275°F oven covered with foil until warmed through, or use a hot skillet for a quick sear.
Leave a Comment
If you get the chance to try this Slow-Roasted Bone-In Prime Rib recipe please drop back and leave us a comment and rating here. We would love to know what you think! Thanks Elaine & James
Slow-Roasted Bone-In Prime Rib
Ingredients
- 1 bone-in prime rib roast ours was a 4-bone, 14lbs roast. When you are buying a roast, plan on 1 pound of bone-in roast per guest.
- Kosher salt generously for seasoning
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 large white onions roughly chopped
- 2 ribs of celery roughly chopped
- 2 large carrots roughly chopped
- 4-6 sprigs fresh rosemary plus extra for garnish
Instructions
Prepare the Roast
- Score the Fat: Using a sharp knife, lightly score the fat cap of the prime rib in a crisscross pattern. This helps render the fat and develop a crispy crust.
- Season Well: Generously season the entire roast with kosher salt, making sure to get into all the nooks and crannies. Let the roast sit at room temperature for 1 hour to allow the salt to penetrate the meat.
Sear the Fat Cap
- Preheat a large roasting pan or roaster over high heat. Add the vegetable oil and allow it to shimmer.
- Place the roast fat side down in the roaster and sear for about 7-10 minutes until the fat is golden brown. Remove the roast and set it aside.
Prepare the Roasting Pan
- Add the chopped onions, celery, carrots, and a few sprigs of rosemary directly into the roasting pan. These aromatics will infuse the meat with flavour as it cooks and also make a fantastic base for a pan sauce or gravy if desired.
- Place a roasting rack on top of the vegetables.
Slow Roast the Prime Rib
- Preheat your oven to 275°F (135°C).
- Place the prime rib on the roasting rack, fat cap facing up. Tuck a few sprigs of rosemary under the butcher’s twine for extra aroma.
- Roast for approximately 4-5 hours for a 4-bone roast or 3-4 hours for a 3-bone roast, or until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the meat reaches 122°F (50°C) for medium-rare. (Adjust the cooking time and internal temperature slightly if you prefer your roast more or less done. See Prime Rib Temperature Chart.)
Finish with a Blow Torch & Rest
- Once the roast reaches the desired internal temperature, remove the roast from the oven and use a blow torch to crisp up the fat cap to golden-brown perfection. If you don’t have a torch you can use the broiler (see tips below).
- Tent loosely with foil and set aside. Let the roast rest for 45 minutes; during this time, the internal temperature will rise to about 128°F-130°F (slightly higher if broiled) for a lovely medium-rare finish.
Slice & Serve
- When ready to serve, slice off the bones. Do not discard the bones, gnawing on the bones is my favourite part! I would suggest slicing ½-inch slices for most people, my boys prefer 1-inch slices.
- Suggested Sides: Homemade Beef Broth Gravy, Quick Horseradish Cream Sauce, Roasted Garlic-Sour Cream & Chive Mashed Potatoes, Roasted brussels sprouts, potatoes, or your favourite vegetables and soft dinner rolls
Rate this Recipe
- If you make this, please leave a rating and review letting us know how it was! Each review helps so much! Thank you!
Video
Notes
- Medium-Rare: is the most recommended doneness for prime rib, as it ensures a juicy, tender texture. See Prime Rib Temperature Chart.
- For guests who prefer more well-done slices, cut the portion they want and briefly sear the slices in a hot skillet for 1-2 minutes on each side, or place them under a broiler for a minute or two. This allows you to quickly bring those slices up to medium, medium-well, or well-done without overcooking the entire roast.
- Timing: A 3-bone could take 3-4 hours and a 4 bone will take approximately 5 hours.
- Room Temperature Rest: Allowing the roast to sit at room temperature before cooking helps it cook more evenly throughout.
- Slow & Low Cooking: Cooking at a low temperature ensures even doneness and a tender, juicy result.
- Crisping without a Blow Torch: If you do not have a blow torch, you can turn on your oven’s broiler to crisp up the fat cap. With your oven empty and a rack placed in the lower third of the oven. Preheat the broiler on high for 10-15 minutes. Slide in the roaster and leave the door slightly ajar and watch carefully, rotating the roasting pan as required to get an even browning. Cook for 3-4 minutes, you don’t want to cook the meat, just brown the fat.
- Storage: Wrap leftovers tightly in foil or place in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- Reheating: To maintain its tenderness, reheat slices in a 275°F oven covered with foil until warmed through, or use a hot skillet for a quick sear.
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Dina Miller
Wow! My dad loved prime rib. We will be using this recipe for the holidays! Thank you
Zimmy
Hi Dina,
That makes us to happy to hear!
Wishing you and your family an amazing Thanksgiving!
Elaine & James
Jeanne
This is my Christmas dinner! Wow James this looks delicious and the sauces and potato recipe are a go for me. Thank you for this deliciousness
Zimmy
Hi Jeanne!
That’s amazing to hear! We’re so honoured that our Prime Rib recipe is making it to your Christmas table.🎄🎉 I think you’re going to love the sauces and potatoes—they’re the perfect complement to that tender, juicy rib. Thank you for the kind words and for letting us be part of your holiday feast! Let us know how it turns out.
Elaine & James
Shanley
I can’t wait to try this recipe for Christmas. Prime rib is a favourite and this recipe looks so good and is so well explained.
Zimmy
Thank you so much Shanley!
We are thrilled you’re planning to make it for Christmas.
Hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
Elaine & James