Description

A foolproof recipe for Christmas prime rib featuring a flavorful horseradish and Dijon mustard crust, overnight dry-aging technique, and homemade au jus sauce. Perfect for holiday entertaining and guaranteed to impress your guests.

Ingredients

For the Prime Rib:

1 (6 lb) boneless prime rib roast
2 Tbsp prepared horseradish
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
2 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp garlic powder
2 stalks celery, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 carrot, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 small unpeeled onion, quartered and separated

For the Au Jus Sauce:

2 tsp concentrated beef base (paste)
1½ cups water
1 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp water

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Instructions

Day Before Serving:

1. Pat that roast completely dry with paper towels – really get in there and soak up every bit of moisture. Stick it on a baking sheet and leave it uncovered in your fridge overnight. This is what makes the crust so good.

Day of Cooking:

1. Take the roast out about an hour before you want to start cooking. Cold meat cooks unevenly, so let it warm up on your counter.

1. Crank your oven to 450°F and let it get nice and hot.

1. Slather the horseradish all over that roast first, then rub the Dijon mustard everywhere. Mix up your salt, pepper, thyme, and garlic powder in a bowl and coat the whole thing with it.

1. Throw your celery, carrot, and onion chunks in the bottom of your roasting pan. Plop the seasoned roast right on top of those veggies.

1. Roast at 450°F for exactly 30 minutes to get that crust started. Then turn your oven down to 350°F and keep going until your thermometer hits 130°F in the thickest part. For this size roast, that’s usually another hour and a half or so.

1. Pull that beauty out and move it to a cutting board or platter. Cover it loosely with foil and wait 30 minutes. I know it’s torture, but the temperature keeps climbing while it sits, and that’s when it gets perfectly juicy.

1. Now for the sauce – pour off most of the fat from your pan drippings but leave the good stuff. Set that roasting pan right on your stovetop over medium heat. Stir in the beef base with 1½ cups water and let it bubble up while you scrape all those brown bits off the bottom.

1. Mix your cornstarch with that teaspoon of water until it’s smooth, then whisk it into your bubbling sauce. Let it thicken up just a little – you want it thin enough to pour, not thick like gravy. Fish out all those vegetables and toss them.

1. Slice your roast and serve it with that incredible au jus. Get ready for some serious compliments.

Notes

Don’t cook this past medium-rare unless your family absolutely insists; it’s such a beautiful cut that well-done just makes me sad. I’ve made that mistake exactly once, and my husband still brings it up during family dinner stories.

My biggest mistake was trusting the timer instead of the thermometer – every oven runs different, and your roast size matters more than the clock. Pull it at exactly 130°F for medium-rare; it’ll keep cooking while it rests and hit perfect temperature.

If your au jus tastes flat, add more beef base bit by bit until it makes your mouth water. Too salty? Splash in more water. I keep tasting it because that sauce can make or break the whole meal, and it’s so easy to fix as you go.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 2-2.5 hours
Category: Main Dish
Method: Roasting
Cuisine: American