Deep-Fried Prime Rib Roast

By Spruce Eats Staff
Updated on 12/19/22
Tested by
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Tested by Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
deep fried prime rib

The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 45 mins
Marinate and Rest: 12 hrs 20 mins
Total: 13 hrs 25 mins
Servings: 10 to 12 servings

Have you ever had fried prime rib? It's a taste you won't soon forget and worth doing at least once to have the experience. You might wonder about the benefits of a deep-fried ribeye roast, but it's a dry heat method that works well for a tender cut such as this. It cooks hot and fast, when compared to traditional roasting, and the exterior develops a flavorful crust. It's a great beef main dish.

If you're a fan of deep-fried turkey, you'll love this deep-fried roast. You'll need a turkey pot with hook and stand or boiling basket, one long slim knife, like a fillet knife, along with paper towels or bread slices for soaking up the grease.

Serve with garlic mashed potatoes and roasted or steamed broccoli with some Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.

"My 5-pound prime rib roast was boneless. The meat does cook somewhat unevenly, so outer pieces will be more done than center pieces—that might be a plus if you have guests who like different degrees of doneness. It was delicious, especially the crispy ends!" —Diana Rattray

Deep Fried Prime Rib/Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 1 prime rib, or large cut of beef, 10 to 12 pounds

  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt

  • 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

  • 2 teaspoons ground rosemary, or finely chopped fresh rosemary

  • Peanut oil, as needed

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Place the roast in the pot you are going to fry it in. Add enough water to cover with about 3 inches to spare. Remove the roast and measure the water. This is how much oil you will need.

    Dump out the water and dry the roast and the pot very well with paper towels.

    deep fried prime rib ingredients gathered

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  2. The night before you plan to serve prime rib, mix salt, pepper, and rosemary together and rub all over meat.

    seasoned prime rib on baking sheet

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  3. Cover meat and place in refrigerator overnight.

    seasoned prime rib in large bowl with plastic wrap

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  4. Bring the roast to room temperature before frying, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

    seasoned prime rib in bowl uncovered resting on counter

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  5. Heat the quantity of peanut oil previously measured to 360 F.

    large pot with oil on burner

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  6. Slowly lower prime rib into the oil. You can expect oil to drop in temperature quickly, likely down to approximately 325 F. Increase the heat to bring the oil back up to 350 F. Continue to adjust the heat as necessary to maintain 350 F.

    prime rib frying in pot of hot oil

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  7. Cook prime rib for 3 minutes per pound of weight for medium-rare steaks or 4 minutes per pound for medium.

    fried prime rib being removed from oil

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  8. Carefully remove from the oil. Drain the roast on paper towels and tent the roast with foil and let rest at least 20 minutes before carving.

    fried prime rib resting on baking sheet with cooling rack

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

Tip

  • If using a temperature probe, look for an internal temperature of 85 F to 90 F for rare or medium rare, or 95 F to 100 F for medium.
  • You can try this recipe for a pork roast as well. Adjust the cooking time to 4 or 5 minutes longer per pound.
  • Make sure you have at least 4 inches above the oil level in the pot to avoid boil-overs.

How to Store and Freeze Deep-Fried Prime Rib

You can keep deep-fried prime rib in the refrigerator for three to five days as long as it's well wrapped. It's delicious cold on a sandwich, or you can reheat it in a low oven (350 F) wrapped in foil, until it's completely hot.


Freeze prime rib wrapped in foil and stored in zip-close freezer bags for up to three months. Defrost in the refrigerator and cook as you'd like.

What else can I cook in a turkey fryer?

A turkey fryer isn't just for turkey. The fryer is perfect for fish fries, big batches of fried chicken or fried appetizers, such as mozzarella sticks, wings, poppers, or fritters. You can boil food in a turkey fryer as well. Make a big batch of chili or stew in the fryer, or a seafood boil or soup.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
1655 Calories
135g Fat
0g Carbs
102g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 10 to 12
Amount per serving
Calories 1655
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 135g 173%
Saturated Fat 52g 258%
Cholesterol 376mg 125%
Sodium 496mg 22%
Total Carbohydrate 0g 0%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 102g
Vitamin C 0mg 1%
Calcium 63mg 5%
Iron 11mg 62%
Potassium 1476mg 31%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)