Garlic-Butter Rib Roast

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This impressive, flavor-packed rib roast is perfect for a celebration. The secret? A compound butter made with garlic, anchovies, herbs, and shallot.

Active Time:
20 mins
Total Time:
4 hrs 35 mins
Servings:
6 to 8

Half of the garlicky compound butter in this recipe is slathered all over the roast before it goes into the oven; the other half is rolled up into a log, chilled, and then sliced into medallions to serve with each slice of beef. Special order the rib roast from a local butcher, asking for one with nice marbling and an even fat cap.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What's the difference between prime rib and rib eye roast?

    Both prime rib and rib eye roasts are primal cuts of beef; prime rib, aka standing rib roast, is a larger, bone-in cut that includes the rib eye, whereas the smaller rib eye roast can be purchased boneless or not. This recipe calls for a five-pound boneless rib eye roast.

Note from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

Unless you're feeding your garlic prime rib to a small crowd, you'll likely have leftover meat. Slice it thinly and pile it onto bread to make satisfying roast beef sandwiches or sliders. 

Make ahead

The compound butter can be made up to three days ahead of time and refrigerated. The roast can be prepped the night before and stored in the fridge until ready to bake — just bring it to room temperature before roasting.

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Ingredients

  • 2 medium garlic heads (about 2 ounces each), cloves peeled

  • 1 large (2-ounce) shallot, roughly chopped (about 3 tablespoons)

  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves

  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves

  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives, plus more for serving

  • 5 anchovy fillets (from 1 [2-ounce] can), drained 

  • 2 tablespoons kosher salt, divided

  • 4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, divided, plus more for serving

  • 2 cups (1 pound) unsalted butter, softened

  • 1 (5-pound) boneless rib eye roast, fat cap trimmed to 1/2-inch thick

  • 4 to 6 cups beef broth

  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch

  • Flaky sea salt, for serving

Directions

  1. Place garlic cloves in a food processor and process until almost a paste, about 2 minutes, stopping to scrape down sides as needed. Add shallot, rosemary, thyme, chives, anchovies, 1 tablespoon of the salt, and 2 teaspoons of the pepper to food processor. Pulse until shallot is finely chopped, about 5 pulses. Add butter and process until combined, about 1 minute, stopping to scrape down sides as needed. Transfer half of butter mixture to a sheet of parchment paper; gently roll and shape into a log; refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 3 days. Let remaining butter mixture stand at room temperature up to 4 hours, or transfer to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for up to 3 days; let come to room temperature before continuing.

  2. Season rib eye roast evenly with remaining 1 tablespoon salt and 2 teaspoons black pepper. Using a spatula, spread butter mixture in bowl evenly over rib eye roast and transfer roast to a roasting pan fitted with a rack. Add 4 cups of the beef broth to roasting pan. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour.

  3. Preheat oven to 450°F. Roast rib roast in preheated oven until lightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Without opening oven door, reduce temperature to 325°F and continue roasting until a thermometer inserted into thickest portion of roast registers 130°F, about 1 hour and 40 minutes to 2 hours, occasionally checking liquid level in the bottom of roasting pan and adding remaining 2 cups broth as needed to maintain a depth of at least 1/4 inch. Transfer rib eye roast to a cutting board and let rest for 15 minutes.

  4. Meanwhile, pour juices from roasting pan through a fine mesh strainer into a medium saucepan; discard solids. Bring to a simmer over low, skimming and discarding fat as it develops on the surface. Whisk together cornstarch and 3 tablespoons of simmering beef juices in a small bowl until smooth. Whisk cornstarch mixture into juices in saucepan and continue simmering, whisking constantly, until sauce is thickened and coats back of a spoon, about 5 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat and cover to keep warm.

  5. Slice rib eye roast against the grain into 1- to 1 1/2-inch-thick slices and arrange on plates. Top each slice evenly with gravy mixture, 1/2-inch-thick rounds of chilled reserved compound butter, thinly sliced chives, flaky sea salt, and 2 or 3 grinds of pepper; serve immediately.

Garlic butter prime rib
Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell

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