A Standing Rib Roast is one of those things that I love, yet only eat on special occasions. Christmas is one of those occasions! Standing Rib Roasts are perfect for family dinners.

You can choose whatever size you need to accommodate the number of guests you have and it will be an unforgettable meal! The seasoning for the Standing Rib Roast is simple yet delicious! Roasting it is really pretty easy.

I like to make a red a Red Wine Demi Glace to go with my Standing Rib Roast. The flavors are a classic pair and work beautifully together. The Red Wine Demi also tastes delicious with mashed potatoes, which I love serving with rib roast.

My Homemade Au Gratin Potatoes are a PERFECT side dish. Or a hunk of bread. You can’t ever go wrong with a warm crusty loaf of bread and vat of sauce! Am I right?

If you’re looking for the perfect holiday (or special occasion) meal then this is the perfect recipe! Something your guests are sure to love and talk about!

What is a Standing Rib Roast?

A standing rib roast, also known as prime rib, is a cut of beef from primal rib section of a cow. A standing rib roast still has the rib bones attached.

This is the same section that ribeye steaks are cut from. In general this cut of meat has a good amount of marbling and flavor. Marbling is the fat that runs through the meat and gives it its delicious flavor.

To ensure you get a well marbled and delicious standing rib roast I recommend buying either prime or choice grades of beef. I also get prefer to get mine from a local butcher.

Can I make a Standing Rib Roast ahead of time?

That’s a big no from me. I know people do it, but I really enjoy the flavor so much better when it’s freshly cooked. I actually just did this the other day when I made and shot this Standing Rib Roast.

The difference in taste from when I was shooting it at lunch time to when I re-heated it for dinner was HUGE. Was it still good? For sure, but when I ate a little at lunch time I was literally dancing around singing, over the moon happy with how good it was!

Chances are you’ll have leftovers and those will be fine to eat. For the initial serving though, serve it straight out of the oven after it rests for 20 – 25 minutes.

Ingredients you’ll need

• Standing Rib Roast – The star of the show. This cut of beef can be found at your local butcher and some local grocery stores
• Dijon Mustard – This adds an amazing flavor to the outside crust of the rib roast
• Garlic – Fresh garlic is best here
• Thyme – I like to use fresh herbs whenever I can but if you only have dried that will work
• Rosemary – Fresh rosemary adds such a great flavor
• Olive Oil – This will help brown the outsides of the rib roast and keep it moist
• Worcestershire Sauce – This adds a bit of flavor for the outside crust
• Kosher Salt – Salt enhances the flavors of all the ingredients
• Black Pepper – Adds a nice spice to the rib roast
• Butter – I use unsalted butter so I can control the salt level myself
• Flour – Flour is mixed with the butter to create a roux for thickening the red wine demi
• Onion – Onion or shallot is fine to use in the sauce
• Red Wine – Red wine is the main flavor of the sauce and pairs so well with the Standing Rib Roast
• Beef Stock – Beef stock adds a nice depth of flavor to the demi glace
• Chicken Stock – I like to use a mix of beef and chicken stock for this sauce

Tips for the best Standing Rib Roast

• Please don’t over cook your Standing Rib Roast. Remove it from the oven when a digital thermometer says it’s at 120°F. The temperature will continue to climb but this will give you a nice medium rare. The ends will be more done than the center so if you have a person or two who prefers that, it all works out
• Make sure you blast your oven at first to get a nice sear, don’t worry, it’s not going to burn it. It adds a great flavor and texture
• Use the mustard! I feel like a lot of people may read Dijon mustard and think, gross! It’s not gross, I promise! It’s delicious!
• If you’re getting your Standing Rib Roast from the butcher then ask them to cut the bones back and tie them on. That way you still have the bones for flavor and to hold the rib roast up off the pan while cooking but it makes it super easy for you to take the bones off before cutting
• Remove the bones after cooking and before cutting. This will make slicing so much easier
• Use a SHARP knife when cutting the Standing Rib Roast so you don’t butcher it. You want your slices looking nice when serving people
• Let the rib roast rest for 20-25 minutes while loosely tented with aluminum foil
• Slice about a 1/4 inch thick. Of course you can go thicker if you like but that’s a decent portion when you’ve got sides to go with it
• Serve immediately after slicing to get all the best juicy flavor

Equipment you’ll need

• Digital Thermometer – The best way to make sure you don’t over cook your Standing Rib Roast is to use a digital thermometer. Take the rib roast out of the oven when it reads 120°F then let it rest for 20 minutes
• Half Sheet Pan – I like to use a sheet pan to cook my prime rib. Probably because I’ve spent most of my life in a commercial kitchen but here’s what I use. You can also use a roasting pan
• Oven – The Standing Rib Roast gets cooked in the oven
• Stove Top – You’ll need a sauce pot and the stove top to make the red wine demi glace
• Whisk – You need a whisk for the red wine demi glace
• Cutting Board – Something a little larger to slice on depending on the size of the Standing Rib Roast. I love these cutting boards. Again, probably because I came from the restaurant industry. They’re large, they have grips so it’s not sliding, whatever you’re cutting isn’t flying all over the counter. It’s nice

How to cook Standing Rib Roast

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Mix the salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Drizzle the Standing Rib Roast with a small amount of oil then rub the salt and pepper mixture all over it.

Place the Standing Rib Roast on the sheet pan or in the roasting rack bone side down then roast it for 25 minutes. Meanwhile, Mix the Dijon, minced garlic cloves, thyme, rosemary, Worcestershire and a splash of olive oil together in a bowl.

After 25 minutes, remove the rib roast from the oven and rub the Dijon mixture all over it being careful not to burn yourself. Gloves are helpful.

Turn the oven temp down to 350°F and continue roasting for 1 hour 30 minutes – 1 hour 45 minutes. Temp the rib roast after 1 hour and 30 minutes and see where it’s at. You want to take it out of the oven at 120°F.

It will continue cooking after it’s out of the oven. Tent it loosely with foil and let it rest for 20-30 minutes before slicing.

Meanwhile when you’re Standing Rib Roast is still in the oven, make the red wine demi glace. Melt the butter in a medium sauce pot then add the diced onions. Stir around for a minute or two over medium heat, just enough to soften the onions but now brown them.

Add the salt and pepper then add the flour. Whisk the mixture very frequently for 3 minutes to cook the flour taste out of it. Slowly pour in the red wine while continuously whisking then add the beef and chicken stocks while continuing to whisk.

Continue whisking to prevent lumps and bring to a simmer to bring the sauce to it’s full thickening capability. Once the sauce comes to a simmer then add 2 more tablespoons of butter and turn the heat off.

Whisk the butter into the sauce until fully melted then taste and make seasoning adjustments with salt and pepper if needed.

Slice the Standing Rib Roast and serve with red wine demi glace over the top. Enjoy!

If you make this Standing Rib Roast please leave me a rating and/or review!

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Don’t forget to make Homemade Au Gratin Potatoes to go with your Standing Rib Roast!