Easy Prime Rib with Au Jus Recipe and Perfect Creamy Horseradish Sauce
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This easy prime rib with au jus recipe and perfect creamy horseradish sauce is perfect for Christmas or the holidays. This recipe is super easy (Really!), and it produces a perfect medium-rare, tender roast that everyone will love.
Why This Recipe Is So Good!
- It takes just 5 minutes to prep this show stopping main dish!
- The creamy horseradish sauce and rich au jus are the perfect accompaniments.
- It’s perfect for serving a crowd and the leftovers are amazing in sandwiches!
- It’s just so easy and simple, you don’t need to plan hours ahead of time!
How to Make This Recipe
- Make the horseradish sauce first: simply stir together all the ingredients and let the mixture chill at least an hour, preferably longer.
- Preheat your oven to 450º and sprinkle all the sides of the pime rib with salt and lots of freshly cracked black pepper. Pat softened butter over the top.
- Place the prime rib in a roasting pan and place in the oven. After 15 minutes, reduce the heat to 325º F. Insert a meat thermometer into the center of the roast and roast until the internal temperature is 113-115º F for very medium-rare. Don’t worry – the prime rib will continue to cook after you take it out of the oven.
- Baste the prime rib every 30 minutes with the fat that’s dripped into the pan, and when the roast reaches the desired temperature, remove it and transfer to a cutting board. Let rest 20 minutes while you make the au jus.
- Place the roasting pan on the stove over medium-low heat. Pour in Worcestershire sauce and red wine; reduce slightly, by about a quarter. Add in the beef broth and simmer until slightly reduced to desired consistency. Tilt the roasting pan and carefully skim off excess fat floating on top.
- Carve your prime rib and serve with lots of this au jus recipe and creamy horseradish sauce!
How Long do I Cook Prime Rib for Medium-Rare?
This easy prime rib recipe is so tender and perfectly medium-rare, thanks to the use of a meat thermometer. It goes like this: put it in the oven at one temperature, lower the temperature, and when the thermometer beeps, take it out. Simple as it gets, right? I tried a couple of other methods first, before perfecting this easy prime rib recipe, and I can assure you: this is the most tender and all-around best prime rib I’ve had at home. Or maybe… anywhere? Big claim!
So focus less on the time it takes to cook this prime rib and more on the thermometer! You’ll cook the prime rib for 15 minutes at 450º, then reduce heat to 325º F. You’ll cook it until internal temperature is 113-115º F for very medium-rare. The roast will continue cooking after removing from oven when you let it rest 20 minutes while you make the au jus.
Au Jus Sauce for Prime Rib
The au jus to go with this easy prime rib recipe is equally easy: stir in a few things, let it simmer a bit, and voilà: rich and flavorful au jus to serve alongside your roast. I will literally drink a good au jus, and this au jus recipe is super easy, quick, and oh so savory.
You might be used to au jus from the little bottle at the store but it’s so, so much better made at home.
How Do You Make Au Jus at Home?
This au jus recipe is way easier than even making a little packet! To the pan, after you’ve removed the prime rib, add Worcestershire sauce and red wine and reduce slightly, by about 1/4. Add beef broth and continue to simmer until reduced to desired consistency. Carefully tilt the roasting pan and, using a spoon, discard excess fat floating on top. Carve roast and serve with the au jus recipe!
Horseradish Sauce
This homemade horseradish sauce is so much better than store bought ad comes together so quickly.
I let the sauce chill a couple of hours, and it was great, but 24 hours later? It was next level. I highly recommend letting the sauce chill for 24 hours before serving, but if you can’t swing that, give it at least 1 hour in the fridge. You’ll get it when you taste the stuff!
What Do You Serve With Prime Rib?
Other than the au jus and horseradish, which are a must, you can serve this rib up with a host of potato and vegetable sides. Try it with:
- Creamed Onions
- Roasted Fingerling Potatoes
- Air Fryer Baked Potatoes
- Baked Potatoes on the Grill
- Roasted Radishes with Garlic Browned Butter
Chef’s Tips
- If you can, make the horseradish the night before for maximum flavor.
- For the best results, use a meat thermometer.
- Baste the prime rib every 30 minutes during cooking for a really tasty roast.
- Let the prime rib roast for 20 minutes before serving.
Easy Prime Rib Recipe with Au Jus and Perfect Creamy Horseradish Sauce
Ingredients
Easy Prime Rib
- 1 prime standing rib roast
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- sea salt
- freshly cracked black pepper
- 2-3 cloves garlic minced, optional
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary minced, optional
Perfect Creamy Horseradish Sauce
- 1 8-ounce container sour cream
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped green onion
- 3 teaspoon prepared horseradish
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
- 2 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
- 2 teaspoon white wine vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Make the horseradish sauce ahead: stir together all ingredients and chill at least one hour, preferably overnight.
- Roast does not need to come to room temperature. Preheat oven to 450º F. Sprinkle all sides liberally with salt, then generously crack fresh black pepper over. If making the garlic-rosemary crust, in a small bowl, stir together softened butter or ghee, minced garlic, and rosemary, then pat evenly over roast. If not using a crust, simply pat softened butter over roast.
- Place in a roasting pan and put it in the oven. Cook for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 325º F. Insert a meat thermometer into the center of the roast and cook until internal temperature is 113-115º F for very medium-rare. The roast will continue cooking after removing from oven. Baste roast every 30 minutes using a culinary brush with the fat that's dripped into the pan. When the roast reaches the desired temperature, remove roast from the oven, transfer the roast carefully to a cutting board, and let rest 20 minutes while you make the au jus.
- Prepare au jus from this recipe. Once au jus is ready and roast has rested 20 minutes, carve roast and serve with au jus and horseradish sauce.
Notes
- Au Jus: Use this recipe to prepare au jus with or without prime rib drippings.
Video
Nutrition Information
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
Is it best to have your prime rib at room temperature before cooking??
I read all the way down to the ingredients ..then asked this question..then read the directions. Sorry I just answered my own question!!
Haha, no worries, Tammy!
I used this for the information regarding au jus and horseradish sauce. Combined it with a beef tenderloin. Really delighted with the results, as were our guests. Thank you
Thank YOU, Mike! Appreciate the kind words and review. So glad you and your guests enjoyed it so much!
This is by far the best prime rib recipe I’ve made. I’ve now made it three times. Two of them at the request of previous guests who can no longer enjoy prime rib in restaurants because they think of how much better this one is! I’ve also made the horseradish sauce dairy free with almond based sour cream and no one has noticed this change.
So, so happy you and your guests all enjoyed our prime rib recipe, Jeri! Thank you so much for sharing that with us!
What kind of meat thermometer beeps like that?
Most meat thermometers do!
SSsssoooooooooooo delicious!
So glad you enjoyed it!
I totally understand using the meat thermometer, but would still like some guidance on estimated cooking time per pound of beef so that I know how to time the rest of my meal.
With a cut like prime rib, it truly is best to use a meat thermometer to guarantee that it’s cooked through. We typically keep warm side dishes in the oven covered with foil until it’s time to serve and prepare salads right before serving. Hope this helps!