Description
This Cowboy Butter Prime Rib recipe features a tender, juicy prime rib roast generously coated with a flavorful homemade cowboy butter. Infused with fresh herbs, spices, and garlic, the butter creates a rich crust when roasted to perfection. Ideal for special occasions, this recipe guides you through oven roasting to achieve a medium rare to medium prime rib that’s perfectly seasoned and served with an additional dollop of cowboy butter.
Ingredients
Scale
Cowboy Butter
- 1 cup (2 sticks / 227 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 tablespoons coarse Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 4 teaspoons fresh thyme
- 4 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Prime Rib
- 1 boneless prime rib roast, 6-7 pounds
Instructions
- Prepare Cowboy Butter: In a medium bowl, combine the softened unsalted butter, Dijon mustard, chopped chives, parsley, fresh thyme, minced garlic, lemon juice, paprika, kosher salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are well incorporated. This will yield about 1 ⅓ cups of cowboy butter. Optionally, you can use a food processor for easier mixing.
- Reserve Butter for Serving: Set aside ⅓ cup of the prepared cowboy butter to serve with the finished prime rib. The remaining butter will be used for seasoning the roast.
- Prepare the Prime Rib: Remove the prime rib from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature for 2 hours to promote even cooking throughout.
- Tie Roast if Needed: If the roast’s shape is uneven, use kitchen twine to tie it at 2-inch intervals. This helps the roast cook evenly.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 500°F (260°C). Position the oven rack in the lower third to accommodate the size of the roast.
- Set Up Roasting Rack and Pan: Place a roasting rack inside a large roasting pan and set the prime rib on the rack.
- Season Roast: Pat the roast dry with paper towels, then rub it generously all over with the cowboy butter mixture.
- Initial High-Heat Roast: Roast the prime rib at 500°F for 15 minutes to develop a deeply browned, flavorful crust.
- Reduce Oven Temperature: Without opening the oven door, lower the temperature to 325°F (163°C) and continue roasting for approximately 13 to 15 minutes per pound of meat.
- Monitor Internal Temperature: Start checking the internal temperature with a meat thermometer 30 to 40 minutes before the estimated cooking end time. Aim for 120°F to 125°F for medium rare or 130°F to 135°F for medium doneness.
- Remove and Rest: Once the target temperature is reached, remove the roast from the oven and tent it loosely with aluminum foil. Let it rest for 30 minutes to allow juices to redistribute evenly.
- Slice and Serve: Carve the prime rib against the grain for maximum tenderness and serve with the reserved cowboy butter, softened at room temperature or slightly melted.
Notes
- Use a meat thermometer with an external wire probe to monitor the internal temperature without opening the oven door, preserving heat and cooking consistency.
- The temperature guidelines are approximate; check regularly to avoid overcooking your prime rib.
- Tying the roast helps it cook more evenly if it’s irregularly shaped.
- Letting the roast rest is essential for juicy, tender slices.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (about 6 oz)
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 0.5 g
- Sodium: 360 mg
- Fat: 40 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 1 g
- Fiber: 0.2 g
- Protein: 36 g
- Cholesterol: 135 mg
