The BEST Garlic Herb Butter Prime Rib

Salt the prime rib: Rub the entire prime rib with salt and set on a platter at room temperature for an hour. Salting the prime rib will draw out extra moisture from the meat leading to better browning on the outside. Letting the surface come up to room temperature will make it easier to spread the herb butter over the roast. Sally Vargas Make the garlic herb butter: In a small bowl, combine the butter, garlic, shallot, thyme, rosemary, pepper, salt and lemon juice. Mix until all of the ingredients come together. The butter mixture will taste saltier than store-bought salted butter, but it is required to properly season the roast. Leave it out at room temperature. Sally Vargas Preheat the oven and the roasting pan: Place the roasting pan on a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 500°F (or the highest setting if that is below 500°F). A hot roasting pan will lightly sear the roast when it is set in the pan. Tie the prime rib: Once the oven is up to temp and the roast has been on the counter for an hour, pat the prime rib dry with a paper towel. Place it fat side down and tie the roast with the kitchen string in 4 to 5 places spaced about two inches apart. This will provide an even shape and ensures even cooking. Sally Vargas Season the prime rib: Rub the entire prime rib with the garlic herb butter. Use all of the butter as it will both season the roast and flavor the drippings for the gravy. Start with the fat side up. If the prime rib is still cool, the butter might clump together a bit as you try to rub it over the roast. That’s OK. Just do your best. It will cook up fine, if all else fails pile it on top so it drips down as it cooks. Sally Vargas Brown the roast: Remove the roasting pan from the oven and set on a stable heat-proof surface. Place the prime rib in the hot roasting pan with the fat side facing up. The bottom of the prime rib will sear slightly, adding additional flavor to both the meat and the drippings. If using an oven safe thermometer, insert the probe into the center of the prime rib. Place it in the oven and cook for 30 minutes at 500°F. Sally Vargas Finish cooking the prime rib: After 30 minutes, the prime rib should be deep brown. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F. Continue to cook until it reaches an internal temperature of 115°F for rare or 120°F for medium-rare. Sally Vargas Remove from the oven and rest: Remove the prime rib from the oven and place it on a cutting board. Loosely cover it with aluminum foil and let it rest for 15 to 20 minutes before carving. The residual heat within the prime rib will cause it to cook an additional 5°F to 10°F. Therefore, if you remove the roast at 115°F, the internal temperature of the roast will rise to 120°F to 125°F. Make the gravy: Keep about 1/2 cup of fat in the roasting pan and as many brown bits as possible. If your roast produced more than 3/4 cup of fat scoop some out, cool and discard. Place the roasting pan on the stovetop on medium heat. Sprinkle the flour over the fat in the roasting pan, and whisk for a minute or two to cook out the raw flour. It will look chunky. That’s OK. Scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan (that’s the gold) with the whisk and incorporate the roasted flavors into the gravy. Increase the heat to medium high, and whisk in the beef stock. It should thicken within a minute or so. If you want it thinner add more beef stock or water. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and or pepper to your liking. Sally Vargas Slice and serve the roast: Once the roast has rested for 30 minutes, cut and remove the strings to the roast. Slice the roast against the grain 3/4-inch thick slices, this is not the time to skimp. Sally Vargas