Herb-Dijon Prime Rib Rub

When you have a flavorful prime rib to cook, you're in for a treat. However, many home cooks don't bring out the best of this cut by cooking it inappropriately, not allowing the meat to come to room temperature before starting the cooking process, or not seasoning the meat enough. This is where our delicious rub comes into play. Easy to make, and packed with flavor, this wet rub is perfect to season prime rib (and pretty much any cut of beef) as it coats the outside of the meat, infusing it with flavor while also creating a delectable crust over the prime rib as it cooks. This rub is perfect whether you bake, grill, rotisserie, or smoke the roast. This delicious mixture is made of Dijon mustard, garlic, and fresh herbs and our measurements make enough rub for a 4-pound piece of meat. Doubling the amounts is easy and will make enough for a larger cut. Store the mixture in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days if you're not using it right away.

Prime rib comes from the beef rib primal cut and is usually roasted and served with a sauce made out of its own juices. Excellent for a special occasion, this cut is fairly expensive compared to similar cuts that aren't graded as "prime" by the USDA. When buying prime rib, check the labels or ask the butcher, as a truly graded prime rib has certain characteristics that make it pricier and also impossible to beat in quality and flavor. To be classified as "prime," the cut must come from young animals from 9 to 30 months in age, and their meat must have a certain fat-to-muscle ratio. The better the amount of fat, the higher the grade the meat will get—choice and select classifications are next to prime in descending order. Though many cooks just go for the salt, pepper, and olive oil seasoning when cooking prime rib, the truth is a bold seasoning on the outside produces a wonderful centerpiece protein that makes a statement. Simpler sides like potatoes and a salad make the perfect complement.

If this is your first attempt at making prime rib, fear not. Simply season the cut well—our rub is all that you need, and the amount of salt should be adjusted to the size of cut—and allow the rub to sit on the meat while you heat up the oven. Many choose to sear the roast and then place it in the oven, but this creates a juicy interior without a crisp exterior. Instead, sear it in the oven at 500 F for 15 minutes to caramelize the outside, then lower the temperature to 350 F and give 15 to 20 minutes more per pound of weight. An instant-read thermometer is your best bet to know for sure if your roast is ready. An internal temperature of 120 F makes a juicy prime rib cooked to rare, and 130 F for medium-rare.