Our Most Popular Holiday Recipe of All Time

close up view of sliced prime rib on a wooden cutting board — Photo:
DOTDASH MEREDITH FOOD STUDIOS

We love to pull out all the stops this time of year. Whether we're recreating a tried-and-true traditional menu or switching it up with new recipes to impress friends and family, the holidays happen around the dinner table. And one dish has proved again and again to be the star of the show. So what is this centerpiece that was not only the most saved holiday show stopper last year but also our most popular holiday recipe of them all? None other than Chef John's Perfect Prime Rib.

It's no wonder why. Prime rib, also called standing rib roast, is a quintessential special occasion meal. It's a tender cut of beef with big, bold flavor. But the best part about this recipe, other than the impressive presentation of course, is the "foolproof method" Chef John gives us that produces winning results every time.

How to Make Our Most Popular, Perfect Prime Rib

As the Food Wishes chef suggests in the recipe introduction, "Use my easy 'mathematical method'...and you'll be rewarded with the best prime rib that's perfectly pink and delicious." Don't worry, he assures us in the video that it's easy math—and he's not wrong—but cautions, "For the math to work, you must leave the beef out at room temperature for at least 6 hours." That's where we'll start.

Allow your bone-in prime rib roast to come completely to room temperature. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C). Once you're ready to go, slather on softened butter flavored with freshly ground black pepper and herbes de Provence, then season the roast generously with kosher salt. Now grab your calculator.

chef john's perfect prime rib preparation — Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

The "Food Wish Method": Chef John's Mathematical Formula for Cooking Prime Rib

Multiply the exact weight of your prime rib by 5 minutes (round up to the nearest minute). That will give you your high-heat cooking time. In the recipe video, Chef John's example is 5.35 pounds x 5 minutes = 26.75 minutes (which he rounds to 27).
Roast the prime rib on the middle rack of a preheated 500-degree F oven for however many minutes you calculated based on the total weight.
When that time is up, turn off the heat and leave the roast in the oven to sit for 2 hours, without opening the door.
"When the time's up, remove the prime rib and slice into the most perfectly medium-rare meat you've ever seen."

Recipe Tips

Chef John gives a number of helpful hints along the way, here are a couple of highlights:

You can plan about one rib bone for two people (so a prime rib with two bones will feed four).
Because prime rib is expensive, you should always insert a probe-style thermometer to monitor the internal temp of your roast and avoid any chance of over-cooking. Set the probe alarm (to 125 degrees F for medium-rare) just in case, and pull the prime rib from the oven even if there's still time left on the clock.

The high oven temperature at the beginning sears the outside of the roast for a beautiful crackling crust thanks to the butter and herbs. The residual heat once the oven is off slowly cooks the inside to medium rare. What you'll pull out is a work of roasted art, worthy to be the main event on your holiday table. There's no need to rest the meat after the 2-hour mark so plan your meal accordingly. You can slice the moist and delicious meat and enjoy (with or without the bone) straightaway.

Since the beef will be just warm, Chef John recommends using heated plates and offering hot au jus for serving. You can also personalize the seasonings according to reviews.

From an Allrecipes member review

Thank You Chef John! This is absolutely the best recipe for a perfect Rib Roast every time. I have been using your recipe for about 6 years now. I have shared it with about 10 friends and family members during that time. It is the "go-to recipe" for all of us now. I also like the simplicity and flexibility of the seasonings. I add lots of minced garlic to the buttery spread and dry rub my roasts with garlic powder, onion powder, and some Cayenne pepper as well, before coating with the buttery mixture. I also threaten anyone in the vicinity with "loss of limb" if they even think of opening the oven door while it is still cooking. So far, we all still have every one of our limbs attached! Thanks again for this extraordinary recipe!

— From an Allrecipes member review

What to Serve With Prime Rib

chef john's prime rib on a plate with sides — Meredith

Prime rib is always better with an accompanying sauce like Beef Au Jus or Horseradish Sauce. It's hard to go wrong with your choice of side dishes as well, from veggies to potatoes and more. Explore different sides for prime rib here or choose from these favorites:

With almost 2,200 five-star reviews, we can see why this recipe is so clicked, saved, and beloved. It's simply "The best recipe [with] the easiest instructions" thanks to Chef John—and math. Will it be part of your holiday this year?

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