Step 1

Before cooking, remove the prime rib from the refrigerator one hour beforehand. As it gets to room temperature, season it on both sides with salt and cover it loosely with plastic wrap. The prime rib roast will cook more evenly and thoroughly while at room temperature.

Step 2

Adjust your oven rack so that the prime rib will roast in the middle of the oven when you are ready to cook it. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.

Step 3

Mix together 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, pepper, rosemary, thyme, garlic, and olive oil in the meanwhile.

Step 4

Pat the roast with paper towels. Rub the meat with the spice on both sides. Place a bone-in roast with the bones facing down in a cast iron roasting pan. Place a roast without bones on a rack within the pan.

Step 5

Bake prime rib at 500 degrees for 15 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees and bake until doneness is achieved:

Step 6

Rare: cook until the thermometer registers 120 degrees Fahrenheit (about 10-12 minutes per pound).

Step 7

Medium rare: Cook until the thermometer registers 130 degrees Fahrenheit (about 13-14 minutes per pound).

Step 8

Medium: Cook until the thermometer registers 140 degrees Fahrenheit (about 14 to 15 minutes per pound).

Step 9

Medium Well: Cook until the thermometer registers 150 degrees F.

Step 10

A couple of things to keep in mind:

Step 11

A meat thermometer is vital for achieving the desired doneness. Not every roast or oven is the same!

Step 12

In addition, the meat will continue to cook after being removed from the oven (your thermometer will continue to climb 5 to 10 degrees), so remove it 5 to 10 degrees before it reaches the desired temperature.

Step 13

Take it out of the oven and tent it with aluminum foil. Before carving, let it rest for thirty minutes.

Step 14

Carve your roast by slicing against the grain at a thickness of about 1/2 inch. If desired, horseradish may be added.