Prime Rib Roast

Method

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1. The day before, pat the joint dry and rub the salt over every surface. Set it on a rack over a tray and refrigerate uncovered for 24 hours.

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2. Take it out 3 hours before cooking so it loses its fridge chill all the way to the centre.

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3. Heat the oven to 110°C / 230°F. Mix the pepper, garlic, rosemary, thyme and oil and rub it all over the joint.

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4. Set it bone side down on a rack in a roasting tin and cook for about 3 hours 30 minutes, until the centre reads 52°C for medium-rare. Start checking at 3 hours — weight matters less than shape, and a thermometer is the only honest guide.

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5. Lift the joint onto a board and tent it loosely. Rest 45 minutes; it will not go cold, and the temperature will settle.

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6. Raise the oven to 250°C / 480°F. Return the joint, uncovered, for 10 to 15 minutes, until the fat cap is crackling and deeply browned.

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7. While it blasts, set the roasting tin over a medium heat, pour in the wine and boil hard for 3 minutes, scraping the base.

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8. Add the stock and mustard and reduce by half, then whisk in the cold butter off the heat.

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9. Carve the meat off the bones in one piece, then slice thickly across the grain and serve with the jus.

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Chef’s Tips

• A leave-in probe thermometer is worth more here than any technique. This is an expensive joint and there is no recovering from an overshoot.
• Rest before the blast, not after. The crust goes on last so it reaches the table crisp.
• Ask the butcher to remove the chine bone and tie the joint back on. It carves in seconds afterwards.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.

Pairing Suggestions

• Yorkshire puddings and horseradish cream
• Crispy roast potatoes
• A serious Bordeaux

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerated for 4 days. Do not reheat slices — serve them cold and rare in sandwiches, which is the better dish anyway.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.