When the holidays roll in — bringing sparkling lights, bustling kitchens, and friends drifting in with mittens and laughter — few centerpieces feel as celebratory as a beautifully cooked prime rib.
Juicy, aromatic, and impressive without being fussy, a standing rib roast has long been the crown jewel of winter entertaining.
Back by popular demand, we are once again offering special-order prime rib roasts for Christmas. This year, each roast can be ordered in one of four ways: boneless ($22.99/lb), all-natural (bone-in, not trimmed) ($22.49/lb), deboned, and our favorite, the French-cut ($23.49/lb). We also offer hand-trimmed USDA Choice tenderloin roasts ($23.49/lb).
All our USDA Choice beef is hand-carved in-house by our wonderful butcher, Gerardo (the best in the business), and is humanely raised and processed. We will provide a fresh bag of herbs for any of our special orders this year, and we look forward to being a part of your family’s festivities.
This year’s order deadline is Dec. 19, and pickups start on Dec. 22. Call in or stop by the deli to sign up for your roast today. Please note that we have a limited supply of the bone-in roast, so once we are sold out, we will no longer be able to order any more.
A cut with history: How prime rib became the holiday hero
The story of prime rib begins with the marriage of tradition, economics, and showmanship.
In Merry Old England, beef was a marker of prosperity. Royal banquets and manor feasts featured roasts cooked over open fires, slowly rotated on spits by servants or early mechanical “turnspit dogs.” Large roasts signaled abundance, and the rib section, with its marbling and tenderness, became a favorite. During the Industrial Revolution, the “Sunday Roast” became a popular meal for families when people often worked six days a week in factories.
By the late 1800s in America, the rise of cattle ranches in the West and the development of the railroad industry made beef more accessible in markets across the country.
The standing rib roast became a signature dish in chophouses, such as Lawry’s The Prime Rib restaurant in Beverly Hills, Calif., which opened in 1938 — the precursor to modern steakhouses. Lawry’s gained even more fame by selling its specialty seasoned salt, a blend of 17 herbs and spices, in grocery stores nationwide. Sunday prime rib dinners became a thing of comfort and luxury, the kind of slow-cooked home meal that embodied the rising middle class.
After World War II, holiday entertaining blossomed. Families gathered around big dining tables. Cookbooks, including “Betty Crocker’s Picture Cook Book,” which was published in 1950, and updated editions of “The Joy of Cooking,” along with magazines like “Ladies Home Journal” and “Good Housekeeping,” touted “company-worthy dinner roasts,” and prime rib entered its modern renaissance. It was associated with Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and cold-weather celebrations when a warm oven and good smells made a house feel alive.
Today, serving prime rib remains one of the most festive culinary traditions: hearty enough for a crowd, dramatic enough for a special occasion, and surprisingly forgiving once you know a few basics.
Bone-in vs. boneless, size, and cooking times
A bone-in standing rib roast provides a rich flavor and showy presentation, but a boneless roast cooks more evenly and is easier to carve. When selecting a roast, a good rule of thumb is to plan for one pound per person with a bone-in roast or three-quarters of a pound per person for a boneless roast.
Bone-in roasts can be served three ways: all-natural, which is bone-attached, fat-cap trimmed; deboned, which is where our in-house butcher removes the bones almost fully, layers garlic, rosemary, and thyme between the bones and roast, and then ties the bones back to the roast; or French-cut, where the same de-boning process occurs, but the pieces of bone that stick out are cleaned and wrapped with foil to preserve the look.
How to cook prime rib: Two foolproof methods
1. The classic “start hot, finish low” prime rib
This method gives you the iconic crust and a perfectly medium-rare interior.
Ingredients:
- 1 standing rib roast (3 to 6 ribs)
- Kosher salt
- Fresh black pepper
- Optional: garlic powder, rosemary, thyme, butter
Instructions:
- Bring the roast to room temperature for 1–2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 450°F.
- Season liberally with salt, pepper, and herbs.
- Roast at 450°F for 20 minutes to form the crust.
- Reduce heat to 325°F and continue roasting: About 13–15 minutes per pound for medium-rare.
- Remove when the internal temperature reaches 120–125°F. The internal temperature will continue to rise while the roast rests, so let it rest for 20–30 minutes before carving.
2. The foolproof “low and slow” method
Perfect for cooks who want even doneness edge to edge.
Ingredients:
- Same as above.
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 225°F.
- Season the roast generously.
- Roast for roughly 30 minutes per pound, until the internal temperature hits 120–125°F, then let it rest for 20–30 minutes.
- Just before serving, blast at 500°F for 8–10 minutes to create the crust.
INSIDER TIP: Garlic-herb prime rib with red wine au jus
A flavorful twist for foodie guests.
Ingredients:
- 1 standing rib roast
- 4 tbsp butter, softened
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp rosemary, minced
- 2 tbsp thyme, minced
- 2 tbsp coarse salt
- 1 tbsp black pepper
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 cup red wine
Instructions:
- Mix the butter, garlic, herbs, salt, and pepper into a paste.
- Rub all over roast (get into the crevices).
- Roast using either method above.
- Remove the roast and place the pan on the stove.
- Add wine and broth; simmer until slightly reduced.
- Strain and serve as au jus.
Country Market’s sides ideas
- Yorkshire pudding, the traditional partner for a standing rib roast
- Roasted Brussels sprouts with balsamic glaze
- Whipped horseradish cream
- Sourdough popovers
- Mashed potatoes
- Bright winter salad with citrus and fennel
- Creamed spinach
- Roasted root vegetables (parsnip, carrot, sweet potato)
- Herbed dinner rolls