How to Cook Boneless Prime Rib Roast With Turning the Oven Off

You can apply carryover cooking on a larger scale and cook large cuts of meat, such as boneless prime rib, to medium-rare by using a technique known as "residual-heat roasting."
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Did you know you can cook prime rib with the oven off? Most cooks take advantage of carryover cooking, which simply means removing meat from its original heat source before it reaches the desired internal temperature to let residual heat finish the job.

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You can apply carryover cooking on a larger scale and cook large cuts of meat, such as boneless prime rib, to medium-rare by using a technique known as "residual-heat roasting."

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During residual-heat roasting, hot air retained in the oven after an initial sear at 500 degrees Fahrenheit cooks the prime rib to 135 degrees Fahrenheit, or medium-rare. Residual-heat roasting requires less active cooking time than high-temperature roasting, and it cooks the prime rib more evenly, too.

Read more:A Roast Beef Recipe That Makes for the Perfect Entrée and Next-Day Sandwiches

Step 1: Season the Meat

Dry the rib with paper towels 24 hours before you want to cook it. Liberally season the prime rib on all sides — the fat cap, front, back, sides and bottom — with kosher salt and massage it in thoroughly.

If you're watching your salt intake, substitute your salty prime rib roast rub with a lower-sodium seasoning. The American Heart Association recommends a daily intake of sodium no more than 2,300 milligrams.

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Step 2: Refrigerate for 24 Hours

Set the prime rib in a shallow dish or on a tray. Store the prime in the refrigerator for 24 hours, uncovered.

Step 3: Bring to Room Temperature

Take the prime rib out of the refrigerator two to four hours before you want to cook it. Let it sit out until it reaches room temperature, about two to three hours for a 2- to 4-pound roast and three to four hours for a 4- to 8-pound roast.

Step 4: Heat the Oven

Heat the oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. If you have a convection oven, operate it with the convection fan off.

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Step 5: Place in Oven

Set the prime rib on a roasting rack set in a deep roasting pan. Place the prime rib on the middle rack when the oven reaches 500 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step 6: Roast With Oven On

Roast the prime rib for five minutes per pound. For example, if you have a 6-pound boneless prime rib, you need to roast it for 30 minutes at 500 degrees Fahrenheit. Set the oven timer to alert you when to kill the heat.

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Step 7: Turn Off the Oven

Turn off the oven. Let the prime rib cook continue to cook using residual heat for two hours. Set the timer to alert you when to remove the prime rib.

Step 8: Serve and Enjoy

Take the prime rib out of the oven. Serve the prime rib immediately. You don't have to let the prime rib rest; the residual-heat cooking took care of it.

Save leftovers for another delicious meal. Discard any food that has been at room temperature for more than two hours, as advised by the USDA.

Read more:How to Cook Delicious Ribs in the Oven and on the Grill

Warning

  • Don't open the oven door for the two hours that the prime rib cooks with residual heat. If you do, you have to roast it at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until it reaches the desired internal temperature.
  • Check the internal temperature of the prime rib by inserting a meat thermometer in the center after you take it out of the oven, if desired.

The USDA recommends cooking beef to a minimum internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit.

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