Instructions for the Perfect Rib Roast
- 1). Temper the roast. Many home cooks start their meat straight from the fridge, which results in one of two undesirable outcomes: an overcooked exterior or an undercooked interior. To temper your rib roast (or any other meat), let it stand, covered or sealed, on your kitchen counter until it is at room temperature.
- 2). Dry the surface of the meat. Without patting it dry with paper towels or a tea towel (put it in the wash after using, please!), the meat will steam rather than roasting, which means there will not be a beautiful brown crust that adds flavor and aesthetic pleasure.
- 3). Flavor the roast with dry herbs of your choice. Rosemary and thyme work well with rib roasts, and can be sprinkled over the meat. Avoid using pepper, which burns, or salt, which will draw moisture from the meat and lead to steaming.
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Dry rosemary can be an excellent flavoring for your rib roast.Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty Images
Place in a large baking pan or roasting pan, on top of a roasting rack. This will allow fat to drip through so that the meat is not being braised in its own juices. - 5). Roast the meat. Since roast sizes differ, follow the United States Department of Agriculture recommended roasting chart (see Resources) for temperatures and durations. Generally speaking, 325 to 375 degrees is ideal for a rib roast, but your goal is to get the internal temperature of the meat to around 140 degrees. To take the roast's temperature, insert your meat thermometer at an angle into the middle of the meat.
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Remove the roast when the meat thermometer reads 140 degrees.BananaStock/BananaStock/Getty Images
Remove the roast from the oven and let it rest on your counter for 20 minutes. Cover loosely with foil. The internal temperature will climb to about 145 to 150 degrees, making it a perfect medium-rare prime rib roast. - 7). Carve the roast into thin slices and serve.
