Tulo

Standing Rib Roast Recipe

Salting the roast well ahead of time seasons it all the way through instead of just the surface, and cooking it low and slow before finishing with a hot blast gives an evenly pink center edge to edge with almost no gray overcooked band near the crust.

Prep
20 min
Cook
220 min
Total
240 min
Servings
8

Ingredients

Servings8
  • 8 lbs standing rib roast, bone-in (4-rib)
  • 2 tbsp kosher salt
  • 1 tbsp black pepper, freshly ground
  • 6 cloves garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
  • 1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 tbsp olive oil

Nutrition per serving

Calories
936
Protein
55g
Carbs
1g
Fat
77g

Based on the recipe as written, one serving. Recalculates if you swap an ingredient above. An estimate only, exact values depend on the specific ingredients used.

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Instructions

  1. 1A day or two before cooking, pat the roast dry and season it all over with the kosher salt. Set it uncovered on a wire rack over a baking sheet in the refrigerator until ready to cook.
  2. 2Two hours before roasting, take the roast out of the refrigerator and let it come toward room temperature on the counter.
  3. 3Preheat the oven to 250°F (120°C).
  4. 4Mash the butter with the minced garlic, rosemary, thyme, and black pepper into a paste. Rub the paste over the entire surface of the roast, then drizzle with the olive oil.
  5. 5Set the roast bone-side down on a rack in a roasting pan and insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the meat, away from bone and fat.
  6. 6Roast until the thermometer reads 115-120°F (46-49°C) for medium-rare, about 20-25 minutes per pound, roughly 3 hours for an 8-pound roast.
  7. 7Remove the roast from the oven and let it rest, loosely tented with foil, while the oven heats to 500°F (260°C).
  8. 8Return the roast to the hot oven for 15-20 minutes, until the exterior is deeply browned and crisp.
  9. 9Rest the roast again for 20-30 minutes before carving; the internal temperature will climb to about 130-135°F (54-57°C) during this rest.
  10. 10Carve the meat off the bone in one piece, then slice against the grain into thick slices.
How to Use a Meat Thermometer

Tips & variations

  • A bone-in roast (rib chine removed but bones left attached) carves easily and the bones make a natural roasting rack, but ask the butcher to separate and retie the bones if that step wasn't done for you.
  • For a stronger crust, skip the butter paste and instead sear the roast in a hot skillet on all sides before the low oven, then skip the final high-heat blast.
  • Save the drippings in the roasting pan to make a pan gravy or au jus while the roast rests.
  • Plan on roughly one rib bone per two people, so a 4-rib roast comfortably serves 8.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate leftover slices in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat gently in a 250°F (120°C) oven with a splash of beef broth, covered, just until warmed through, since high heat or a microwave will push the meat past medium. Slices are also good cold in sandwiches.

Tips from the Tulo kitchen

  • A leave-in probe thermometer with an alarm is worth using here since pulling the roast at exactly the right temperature matters more than the clock time, and oven-to-oven variation is significant on a roast this large.
  • If the roast won't fit with the bones down, stand it on its side; the goal is keeping the fat cap up and away from direct contact with the pan so it self-bastes as it renders.

FAQ

How long does a standing rib roast take to cook per pound?

At a low oven temperature of 250°F (120°C), plan on about 20-25 minutes per pound to reach 115-120°F internal for medium-rare, plus the final high-heat sear and resting time.

Should I sear before or after the low roast?

Reverse searing, roasting low and slow first and searing at the very end, gives more even, edge-to-edge pink meat than searing first, since the initial high heat in a traditional sear-then-roast method overcooks a wider band near the surface.

What internal temperature should I pull the roast at?

Pull at 115-120°F (46-49°C) for medium-rare; carryover heat during the rest will bring it up to about 130-135°F (54-57°C), which is the finished serving temperature.

How many people does a standing rib roast feed?

Figure on roughly one rib bone per two guests, so a 4-rib roast around 8 pounds serves about 8 people generously.

Do I need to tie the roast?

If the butcher has separated the bones from the eye of meat and tied them back on, keep the string in place during cooking; it holds the roast together and makes carving easier, then remove it before slicing.

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