Prime Rib with Au Jus
Juicy, tender prime rib with big, bold flavor and an easy au jus you can make a day ahead. No drippings or wine needed. This prime rib with au jus comes out super tender and juicy every time.
Servings: 12
Ingredients
For the Prime Rib
- 5-6 pound boneless prime rib roast, untrimmed
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons garlic powder
For the Au Jus
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ¼ cup onion, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 sprig thyme
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 1 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon beef base, or beef bouillon powder
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups beef stock, regular strength
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch, fully dissolved in 2 TB water*
Instructions
For the Prime Rib
- Combine salt, pepper, and garlic powder in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Pat the prime rib roast dry with paper towels. Generously coat all sides with the salt mixture, pressing so it sticks. Place the roast on a plate, cover, and chill in the fridge overnight.
- Take the roast out of the fridge about 1 to 2 hours before it goes in the oven.
- Set oven to 200F. Insert the meat thermometer probe into the center of the roast and place the roast on the middle rack of the oven. Cook until the internal temperature is 10 degrees lower than your desired doneness. For medium-rare (130F), remove from the oven when the internal temperature reaches 120F.
- Remove the roast from the oven, loosely tent with foil, and let it rest at least 30 minutes. Leave the thermometer probe in and don't slice into the roast yet, or the juices will escape.
For the Au Jus
- In a saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and stir 2 minutes. Add the garlic and stir 1 minute. Add the thyme, rosemary, bouillon, black pepper, and beef stock. Stir well to combine.
- Bring to a boil and keep boiling until the liquid is reduced by half.
- Reduce heat to a low boil. Add the dissolved cornstarch a little at a time, stirring constantly. Use only as much as you need for the sauce to reach your desired thickness. Remove the herb sprigs. For a smooth sauce, strain the au jus if you like.
- Just before serving, set the oven to broil and brown all sides of the roast, rotating as needed. Slice and serve with warm au jus.
Equipment
Notes
- Overnight dry brine: Plan ahead for this. The seasoned roast chills in the fridge overnight before cooking. Dry brine is what makes our prime rib recipe so juicy. Note that this isn't included in the prep and cook times above.
- Don't trim the fat: Leaving it on keeps the roast from overcooking during the final broil.
- Cook by temperature, not time: Cook time depends on how cold the roast is when it goes in the oven. A 5 to 6 pound boneless roast usually takes about 2 to 3 hours to reach rare. A bone-in roast takes longer.
- Rest at least 20 minutes: The juices settle back into the meat, and the roast won't overcook when you broil it. Make the au jus while it rests, so you can broil and slice right before serving.
- Smooth au jus: Make sure the cornstarch is completely dissolved in the water, with no white streaks, or the sauce can turn lumpy. Au jus is meant to be thinner than gravy. For a thicker sauce, add a little more dissolved cornstarch.
- We love it with these Slow Cooker Garlic Mashed Potatoes for soaking up every drop of au jus.
- This recipe is part of our Christmas Dinner Recipes collection.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 615kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 54g | Saturated Fat: 23g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 23g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 124mg | Sodium: 1368mg | Potassium: 533mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 0.4g | Vitamin A: 128IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 3mg