How to Cook the Perfect Prime Rib for Christmas
Prime rib is the perfect centerpiece for your holiday table! It is a special cut of beef form the rib primal section that’s found behind the shoulder and above the lower back. You’ll find that Prime Rib is beautifully marbled with fat, naturally juicy, and very tender.
You can cook your Prime Rib bone-in or boneless, although we usually cook it bone-in for special holiday meals. Let’s look at how to cook the perfect Prime Rib for Christmas.
How Much Should I Buy?
It can be confusing when deciding how much beef to buy. A good rule of thumb is to serve two people for every rib. So if you’re having 10 people for Christmas dinner, you need at least five ribs. If you want leftovers, you want to plan on more.
Your boneless prime rib gives you about two servings per pound. If your full rack of beef has seven ribs, you can serve 14 people or more.
When it comes to your Big Green Egg, the size determines what you can cook at one time. You may need to cut the roast in half to make it easier to cook. If you have a larger EGG, you can skip cutting it in half.
What Should I Season It With?
Prime Rib is so flavorful, you usually don’t need any marinades. If you want to season your meat, consider your favorite seasonings along with some garlic.
We love an herb butter coating!
What Temperature Do I Cook It At?
This is really personal preference. Everyone has a different opinion on how “done” they like their Prime Rib. In addition, the slices on the ends of the roast are usually more done, while the middle is much pinker.
Most people prefer their Prime Rib served rare to medium rare.
Always use a meat thermometer when grilling. Stick it right into the thickest part of your roast, and don’t touch the bone. Don’t forget the resting part. As it roasts, your internal temperature will rise anywhere from five to seven degrees, so take it off your Big Green Egg about five degrees under your ideal internal temperature.
Here’s a Doneness Guide for Your Prime Rib
Our friends at Big Green Egg have provided the following doneness guide. You can also check out a complete guide to Meat and Poultry Roasting Charts from foodsafety.gov.
| Doneness | Temperature | Description |
| Rare | 120-129°F | Red center with pink at edges the outer |
| Medium Rare | 130-135°F | Pink with a slightly reddish center |
| Medium | 135-140°F | Uniformly colored grayish-pink interior |
| Well-done | 145°F+ | Gray with no pink |
The USDA recommends beef roasts be cooked to 145°F and then rested for at least 3 minutes.
Final Thoughts
Now that you’ve got the info you need on how to cook the perfect Prime Rib for Christmas, be sure and check out our handy Cheat Sheet in this blog post.
Need a Big Green Egg to cook the perfect Prime Rib? Stop by or call us today!
