Prepare the best Ribeye Roast Recipe just like a juicy prime rib; with garlic, butter, oil, fresh herbs, and spices. In just 2 hours, you'll have a tender bone-in ribeye roast for your Christmas dinner, Sunday supper, or special occasions.

This ribeye prime rib roast recipe is seasoned with a simple garlic herb butter so it's a mouthwatering main dish for any occasion. A slab of beautiful marbled meat is transformed into a flavorful, succulent roast. It's incredibly easy to make; just don't overcook it!

If you love this ribeye steak roast recipe, use this prime cut of beef to make recipes like Air Fryer Steak Bites, Mongolian Beef Ramen, and One Skillet Steak and Potatoes.

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What is a Ribeye Roast?
Why is it called a Ribeye?
Ingredients
Instructions
What Temperature to Cook Ribeye Roast To
Ribeye Roast Cooking Time
Equipment
Storage
Top tip for this Prime Rib Recipe
FAQ
Related
Pairing
Food Safety for this Ribeye Roast Recipe

What is a Ribeye Roast?

Ribeye roast is a cut of beef from the rib section of the cow. It's a flavorful roast that's well-marbled with fat, which adds to its tenderness.

Why is it called a Ribeye?

The "eye" in ribeye roast references the notable eye-shaped portion within the cut of meat. It's often considered one of the most flavorful cuts due to the marbling.

Ingredients

This easy ribeye roast recipe begins with room temperature meat, patted dry before seasoning. Brushing the prime rib with butter locks in flavor and helps the roast sear during those initial 20 minutes in the oven.

overhead view of a raw, seasoned ribeye roast

Bone-in ribeye roast
Garlic
Butter
Olive oil
Fresh rosemary or dried rosemary
Fresh thyme or dried thyme
Salt
Black pepper

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Take the ribeye roast out of the refrigerator about an hour before cooking so it can come to room temperature. Then preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C).

Pat the ribeye roast dry with paper towels. Place the butter and olive oil into a bowl then add the minced garlic, rosemary, and thyme into the bowl and mix until combined.

Rub the butter and olive oil mixture all over the roast. Then, generously season the roast with salt and pepper. Coat the entire roast evenly.

Then place the roast, bone-side down, in a roasting pan or on a rack in a baking dish. Insert a meat thermometer into the roast's thickest part, ensuring it doesn't touch the bone.

Put the roast in the preheated oven. Allow it to sear in the oven for 20 minutes at 450°F (230°C) to get a nice crust on the outside. Then, reduce the oven temperature to 325°F (160°C). Continue roasting until the internal temperature reaches your desired level of doneness.

Once the roast reaches your preferred temperature, take it out of the oven and tent it loosely with foil. Let it rest for about 15-20 minutes. This resting period allows the juices to redistribute, resulting in a juicier roast when sliced.

cooked ribeye roast resting on a wire rack

After resting, slice the ribeye roast against the grain to the desired thickness, serve and finally, enjoy!

Hint: Most ribeye roast recipes get it wrong by prioritizing cooking time to determine doneness. Temperature is a far better indicator. Use a meat thermometer to ensure your ribeye roast is cooked to the desired doneness.

What Temperature to Cook Ribeye Roast To

Rare: Aim for an internal temperature of 120-125°F (49-52°C).
Medium-rare: Aim for 130-135°F (54-57°C).
Medium: Aim for 140-145°F (60-63°C).

Remember, these temperatures will rise a few degrees after you remove the roast from the oven due to carry-over cooking. So take it out 4-5 degrees before it reaches your desired internal temperature.

close up view of cooked prime rib on a wire rack

Ribeye Roast Cooking Time

The cooking time for prime ribeye roast depends on the weight. For a medium roast, the general rule is to cook for about 20-25 minutes per pound after searing.

ribeye roast slathered with a butter mixture on a wire rack over a sheet pan of veggies

Equipment

You need a small bowl to combine the garlic butter mixture before applying it to the roast. Use a roasting pan or baking dish to contain the beef as it cooks. Use a wire rack to elevate and evenly cook the roast.

You'll also need aluminum foil to tent the bone-in roast once it's cooked and resting.

seasoned prime rib over a bed of veggies

Storage

Once the beef ribeye roast has cooled to room temperature wrap it in foil or store it in an airtight container. Keep it in the fridge for up to 4 days. Alternatively, freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator.

For the best results, reheat in the oven at 350°F for about 15-20 minutes. Just note that reheating the meat will increase the internal temperature, ensuring the beef roast is medium well to well done.

Top tip for this Prime Rib Recipe

Allow the roast to rest for at least 15 minutes once it's out of the oven. If you slice it too early, all the juices will spill out and you'll have a dry ribeye roast. When you do cut, slice against the grain of the meat.

Place roughly chopped vegetables at the bottom of the roasting pan to soak up all of the juices. Once the prime rib cooks, blend the veggies with some stock to make a delicious au jus or gravy for serving.

FAQ

Is a ribeye roast the same as prime rib?

The terms are often used interchangeably because the two cuts of beef are from the same section of the cow. However, you don't have to trim any bones with ribeye roast. Also, "prime" is a term used by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to determine the grade of meat. So if your ribeye roast is prime grade, it's technically a prime rib.

Do you cook a ribeye roast covered or uncovered?

Cook the roast uncovered. During the first 20 minutes, it will roast at a high temperature and develop a brown crust. After that, the oven temperature is decreased so covering the roast isn't necessary. Only cover the roast when it's out of the oven and resting to help it stay warm and retain moisture.

Is a ribeye roast a tender cut of meat?

It is an extremely tender cut of beef because it has a lot of marbling (fat).

Should you sear a ribeye roast?

Yes, searing a ribeye roast is recommended because it enhances flavor through the Maillard reaction, creating a delicious caramelized crust.

What should I serve with ribeye roast?

Common accompaniments to this ribeye roast recipe include horseradish sauce and au jus.

Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

Pairing

These are my favorite dishes to serve with Ribeye Roast:

4-6 servings

The Best Ribeye Roast Recipe

Ingredients

1 Bone-in ribeye roast, about 4-6 pounds
2-3 cloves Garlic, minced
4 tablespoons Butter, room temperature unsalted
2 tablespoons Olive oil
2 tablespoons Fresh rosemary, chopped, or 1 tablespoon dried rosemary
2 tablespoons Fresh thyme, chopped, or 1 tablespoon dried thyme
3 tablespoons Salt, more or less to taste
2 tablespoons Black pepper, more or less to taste

Instructions

Prepare the Roast: Take the ribeye roast out of the refrigerator about an hour before cooking to bring it to room temperature. Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C).

Season the Roast: Pat the ribeye roast dry with paper towels. Place the butter and olive oil into a bowl then add the minced garlic, rosemary, and thyme into the bowl and mix until combined.

Rub the butter and olive oil mixture all over the roast. Then, generously season the roast with salt, pepper. Be sure to cover all sides.

Place the roast, bone-side down, in a roasting pan or on a rack in a baking dish. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the roast, making sure it doesn't touch the bone.

- For rare, aim for an internal temperature of 120-125°F (49-52°C).

- For medium-rare, aim for 130-135°F (54-57°C).

- For medium, aim for 140-145°F (60-63°C).

- Remember, these temperatures will rise a few degrees after you remove the roast from the oven due to carry-over cooking.

Allow the roast to rest: Once the roast reaches your preferred temperature, take it out of the oven and tent it loosely with foil. Let it rest for about 15-20 minutes. This resting period allows the juices to redistribute, resulting in a juicier roast when sliced.

Serving: After resting, slice the ribeye roast against the grain into desired thickness, serve and enjoy!

Notes

Optional: place roughly chopped veggies in the bottom of the roasting dish to soak up all of the juices and make an au jus after the prime rib cooks.

Remember, cooking times can vary based on the size of the roast and your desired level of doneness, so it's always a good idea to use a meat thermometer to ensure it's cooked to your liking.

Food Safety for this Ribeye Roast Recipe

Cook to a minimum temperature of 120°F.
Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat.
Wash hands after touching raw meat.
Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods.
Never leave cooking food unattended.
Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds.
Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove.

See more guidelines at USDA.gov.

The Best Ribeye Roast Recipe

What is a Ribeye Roast?

Why is it called a Ribeye?

Ingredients

Instructions

What Temperature to Cook Ribeye Roast To

Ribeye Roast Cooking Time

Equipment

Storage

Top tip for this Prime Rib Recipe

FAQ

Is a ribeye roast the same as prime rib?

Do you cook a ribeye roast covered or uncovered?

Is a ribeye roast a tender cut of meat?

Should you sear a ribeye roast?

What should I serve with ribeye roast?

Pairing