I first learned of this roasting method from friends of mine (Donna and Mike Teasdale) in North Vancouver years ago. It has only been recently that I use this method and it is the best roast beef ever.
The roasting time depends on the weight of your roast. This cooks the prime rib to a medium rare. If you wish the prime rib to be more well done, leave the roast in the oven at 500° for longer.
So, if you buy a 2 pound roast, you multiply 2X 5 and the roast will stay in the oven at 500° for 10 minutes plus add 5 minutes to make up for opening the oven. When I am cooking for a crowd I roast my prime rib earlier in the day and slice it when it is cooler and then just before serving I reheat the roast just slightly to serve.
Decide when you want the roast to be ready for carving. If you want dinner served at 6pm, preheat your oven to 500° at 3:20pm (oven rack in the center of the oven). When the oven is ready, place the roast on a shallow roasting pan of your choice and place the roast quickly into the preheated oven at 3:45pm. Close the oven quickly so that the heat doesn't escape. Set your timer for 15 minutes. Roast for 15 minutes at 500° only. Then TURN OFF THE OVEN and allow the roast to remain in a closed, undisturbed oven, for 2 hours. DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN DURING these 2 HOURS. I often tape the oven shut with a paper reminding myself not to open the oven (this seems a bit picky but you will be surprised how many times I go to check on my roast). The paper reminder is also a warning to guest who may want to peek too. After the 2 hours remove the roast and carve the roast to serve. My family and friends are always thrilled to have Yorkshire puddings with this perfectly cooked roast. Please click here to go directly to my recipe for my Mom's Yorkshire puddings.
Rub for the prime rib:
1/4 cup soft butter
1/8 cup olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
2 tbsp. dried herbs of choice (I like to have rosemary, oregano, herb de Provence, Italian seasoning ) or any combination you choose.
Allow the prime rib roast to sit at room temperature for 4 hours. Dry off the roast with a paper towel and
1 hour before roasting time rub the butter/oil/herb mixture on all surfaces of the roast to marinate.
A good example of this recipe can be viewed on Chef John's post as well on https://www.allrecipes.com/ and is the very good explanation of how to do a perfectly roasted prime rib.
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| Marinating the roast for 1 hour before roasting |
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| This is a 2 lb. roast which is perfect for 3-4 people who are not big eaters. Dry off the roast with paper towel and allow it to come to room temperature for 4 hours before roasting. |
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| perfectly cooked medium rare |
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| the 'Aunties' with my daughter in Ottawa |
