How to Make the Perfect Holiday Standing Rib Roast

Food By Marisa Murray

Chef Christina Machamer’s impressive, flavor-packed standing rib roast is perfect for a holiday celebration. This tender, juicy beef rib roast packs a lot of flavor and pairs exquisitely with Frank Family’s well-structured RHF Cabernet Sauvignon. This bold, Rutherford-designated wine cuts through the fat of the meat and also stands up, flavor-wise, to the delicious, savory flavors imparted during roasting.

When selecting the size of your rib roast, consider the number of people you are serving. “I budget one bone for every 2 guests,” says Machamer. Record the weight of the rib roast, as this will affect the cooking time. Have your butcher cut the roast from the ribs and tie back together with butcher’s twine. This will make carving your roast later much easier.

Ingredients

1Bone-in rib roast
1/4 teaspoonCourse sea salt
1/4 teaspoonFresh ground black pepper

Method

  1. The night before, remove from packaging and place the bone side down on a sheet tray with a roasting rack. Generously season with coarse sea salt and place uncovered in your refrigerator overnight. This will allow the meat to absorb the salt flavor and retain its juiciness.
  2. Remove the roast from the refrigerator 2-3 hours prior to cooking to allow it to come to room temperature. This will ensure that the roast cooks evenly.
  3. Preheat the oven to 450-500°F and adjust shelves so the roast will cook in the middle of the oven. Season the roast with fresh ground black pepper and any other seasoning mix (garlic, dijon mustard, etc.) as desired. With roast rib side down on a roasting rack and sheet tray, place in the oven to sear for approximately 20 minutes or until roast has properly browned.
  4. Lower oven temperature to 325°F and cook for 11-12 minutes per pound for rare, 13-15 minutes per pound for medium rare. Use a probe thermometer if you have it, otherwise a meat thermometer will do. Pull roast from oven when the internal temperature reaches 115°F for rare, 120°F for medium rare, 130 °F for medium.
  5. Tent the roast with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 15-30 minutes before carving. The roast will continue to cook during this resting period.
  6. Cut the butchers twine off the roast and remove the rib bones before serving.