Fabulous Standing Rib Roast

I usually make a standing rib roast for Christmas dinner. This year I wasn't feeling well, so we had leftover ham. So, we had the standing rib roast the other day. It wasn't Christmas dinner, but it was still delicious! So great that my husband suggested I share the recipe with you. I almost feel like this post is cheating a bit because it's so simple to make. But then again, everyone is so impressed when I make it, and I want to share that so you can look like a star in the kitchen too.


I love this enough that I would be happy to make it several times a year. The only thing holding me back is the expense. A standing rib roast is essentially prime rib with the bone on, and it's usually quite expensive. Our Publix puts them on sale at Christmas time for $5.99 a pound, which is a great price. But the roasts are pretty heavy, so it's still expensive. This time we cooked a 6-1/2 pound roast, which cost $39. It's not a bad price, but it's also not something I would pay for an everyday meal. It just seems so expensive. I don't know, maybe it's not. We pay $10 a pound for deli roast beef, so this is a much better deal. Maybe I should rethink things and make a rib roast more often.

Anyway, it's usually on sale during the holidays, so snatch one up now if you can. For size, you want about one bone per adult you're serving. My roast had three bones, and we had a fair amount of leftovers even though our boys each ate a good amount.

So, seriously, the hardest part about getting over this recipe is the price. And we've already talked about that, so let's get cooking. Your roast will be tied with string and ready to go. You can rinse it and pat it dry. Then cut two large of three medium garlic cloves into three or four stalks each. Stab the roast with a knife to make holes, and push the garlic pieces into the roast. Then coat it generously with salt and pepper on the top and sides.

Instead of using a regular rack, I set the roast on celery stalks in the roasting pan. Pour in two cups of beef broth and roast uncovered in the oven for about 2-1/2 hours. How long you cook it really depends on the size of the roast. It's best to use an instant-read thermometer and if in doubt, take it out! You do not want to overcook it. Remember, you can always cook something a little more, but once it's done, you cannot go back and un-cook it. Generally speaking, beef is medium rare at 135° F. If you look carefully, you can see that my thermometer is at 130° F. I know that's a contradiction, but I know that my thermometer seems to always be a bit lower than it should be according to recipe directions. It's cracked, so it's probably broken, but it works well enough for me since I really just need reassurance that I'm close to being done.

So, I started out at 2-1/2 hours and then checked the temperature. It was only 120°, so I put it back in for another 10 minutes. I figured it wouldn't be done yet since the 2-1/2 hours is really for a 4-5 pound roast. But, still, I checked just in case so it wasn't overdone. Once you're close like that, cook it in small increments of time, say 10 minutes, and set the timer so make sure you don't forget it.

Once you have the temp you're going for, pull it out of the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes or so before cutting. That gives the roast time to reabsorb some of the juices so they don't spill out all over the cutting board. You want the juice in the meat, not on the counter! I don't cover it because that will make it cook longer. If you think yours isn't done quite enough, covering it while it rests is a good way to push is just a little further without putting it back in the oven.

Once it's rested, slice it and serve. You'll probably want to trim off some of the outside fat. Not all of it, of course, because some people think that's a treat, but just a little so it's manageable. My husband loves it medium rare, which is a bright pink center, so he gets the centermost slice The slices towards the ends are always a little bit more done, so the boys get those, although they're nice and pink too.

Fabulous Standing Rib Roast
5-lb standing rib roast
salt and pepper
2 large or 3 medium garlic cloves, peeled and cut into 3 spears each
2 cups low-salt beef broth
5 or 6 celery stalks, trimmed

Preheat the oven to 275° F. Use a sharp knife to stab six to nine holes in the sides of the roast, spacing them evenly on the two sides of the roast. Insert one garlic spear into each hole. Cover the top and two sides generously with salt and pepper.

Coat the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Place the celery stalks evenly in the dish, then put the roast on top of the celery. Pour the beef broth into the pan.

Roast for about 2-1/2 hours, until the innermost part of the roast is 135° for medium rare. (Note, the USDA recommends cooking roasts to 145, making them medium. I'm all for food safety, but that's too done for my tastes. But, I want you to know that's what the officials say to do.) Remove from oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes prior to slicing. Serve with horseradish.

Serves 4 generous adult portions.

Adapted from Publix Aprons Standing Rib Roast.