Prime rib: What is it? And how do you cook it?
Prime rib is a cut of beef that consists of meat with bone. It’s a rib steak composed of two types of meat.
The rib eye forms the core of the steak. Around it are caps with stiffer meat with a coarser structure than the rib eye.
Chapter 1
What is prime rib?
Prime rib is a specific cut of beef that comes from the primal rib section of the cow. It is a highly prized and flavorful cut known for its tenderness and marbling. Prime rib is also referred to as a standing rib roast, as it is often cooked and served with the bones still attached, resembling a standing rack of ribs.
The term “prime” in prime rib does not refer to the USDA grading system but rather denotes the primal cut from which it is taken. However, prime rib can be found in various grades, including USDA Prime, which is the highest grade of beef due to its abundant marbling and tenderness. USDA Choice and USDA Select are other commonly available grades.
Prime rib typically consists of several ribs from the primal rib section, usually between two and seven ribs. It is known for its rich flavor, juiciness, and tenderness when properly cooked. Prime rib is often roasted, either bone-in or boneless, to highlight its natural flavors and achieve a succulent and tender texture.
It’s worth noting that prime rib is a larger roast, usually cooked to serve multiple people. If you’re looking for individual-sized portions, you might consider cuts like ribeye steaks, which are also derived from the rib primal and offer a similar taste and tenderness.
Chapter 2
How to cook prime rib?
The prime rib has a full rich taste. Especially if it has undergone a long aging of at least three weeks. In addition, cooking it at a low temperature also contributes to a tasty steak. Especially in a closed environment.
The bone in the meat ensures that part of the meat remains closed during heating, making the meat juicier. You can cook prime rib in a pan, in the oven or on the barbecue.
Frying and roasting
- Remove the prime rib from the refrigerator an hour before cooking. Heat the oven to 160℃.
- Brush the meat on both sides with sunflower oil and season it with salt.
- Place the meat in a grill pan and cook for a minute. Turn the meat a quarter turn and cook for another minute. This will give you a nice diamond pattern on the meat. Turn the meat over and repeat.
- Let it rest for five minutes. Then place the meat on the grid in the middle of the oven and cook it to a core temperature of 53-54 ℃ for a medium/rare prime rib.
- Remove the meat from the oven and let it rest in aluminum foil for 10 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper.
Grilling
Use a thick piece of prime rib for the barbecue. As a result, the juices are better preserved and the meat gets a crispy crust with a round, tender core.
Use a closed barbecue for a very good taste.
- Remove the prime rib from the refrigerator at least half an hour before cooking. Just before cooking, season it with salt.
- Sear both sides of the steak briefly on the hot part of the barbecue.
- Move the meat to a less hot zone of the barbecue and cook to a core temperature of 52-54 ℃.
- Let the meat rest, wrapped in aluminum foil, for 10 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper.
Chapter 3
Recipe: Grilled prime rib with roasted padron peppers and a creamy pepper sauce
Grilled prime rib with roasted padron peppers and a creamy pepper sauce
Ingredients
- 2 prime rib about 750 grams
- 4 tbsp barbecue rub
- 600 gr padron peppers
- splash olive oil
- fleur de sel
- black pepper freshly grounded
For the pepper sauce
- 2 shallot
- 2 tbsp pickled green chillies
- 5 dl red wine
- 25 ml whipped cream
- 1 tbsp parsley finely chopped
- tsp cornstarch
- splash olive oil
- salt
- black pepper freshly grounded
Instructions
Prepare the pepper sauce
- Clean the shallot and finely chop.
- Drain the peppers, but keep the drained liquid.
- Sweat the shallot in a saucepan with a dash of olive oil until translucent.
- Add the peppercorns and fry for a few minutes.
- Deglaze with the red wine and let it reduce until there is only about 15 ml of liquid left, i.e. it has been reduced by ⅔.
- Deglaze with the cream, bring back to the boil and reduce by half.
- Add the preserved drained liquid and reduce slightly. Season the sauce with salt and pepper if desired. Just before serving, add the chopped parsley.
- If you want the sauce to be a bit thicker, thicken it slightly with cornflour.
Grilling the prime rib
- Preheat the barbecue with a direct zone of about 180 degrees and an indirect zone of 120 degrees.
- Take the côtes de boeuf out of the fridge about half an hour prior to cooking, pat the meat dry and sprinkle generously all over with the barbecue rub and fleur de sel. Drizzle lightly with olive oil.
- Place the côtes de boeuf on the direct zone and grill firmly. Turn the meat a quarter turn after 2 minutes and let it grill for another 2 minutes, creating that characteristic grill pattern. Turn the meat over and grill the other side in the same way. Grill the thick side briefly as well, so that a crust forms here as well.
- Move the meat over to the indirect zone. Insert a core thermometer into the thickest part of the meat and set it to 48 degrees for a lovely rosé-red result. The meat will continue to cook a bit when you take it off the barbecue, therefore this slightly lower temperature. If you prefer it medium-rare, continue cooking to a temperature of 52 degrees.
- Meanwhile toss the peppers with a nice drizzle of olive oil and a good spoonful of barbecue rub in a bowl. Season it with a pinch of fleur de sel.
- Place the peppers directly on the grid and turn them several times. Roast until they start to change colour and just start to soften.
- Heat up the pepper sauce.
- Serve the prime rib in its entirety at the table, therefore your guests can see what type of exclusive steak you have prepared for them. Then cut along the bone and cut into thin slices.
- Serve with the roasted padron peppers and the hot sauce.
Chapter 4
All recipes
Looking for more inspiration? Then see below more recipes with prime rib. Or check our beef recipes for even more inspiration.
Grilled prime rib with roasted padron peppers and a creamy pepper sauce
In this recipe we prepare the prime rib on the barbecue. We serve the meat [...]
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