Prime Rib for Christmas Eve: A Classic Christmas Eve Showstopper

Prime Rib may sound intimidating, but it’s really simple, a timeless tradition and is such a show stopper! It is usually a very expensive piece of meat, but I always see it slashed in price the week of Christmas. Perfect combo for when you are gathering with friends and family for the holidays!

This bone-in ribeye roast is seasoned simply with kosher salt, black pepper, fresh garlic, and rosemary, allowing the rich beef flavor to truly shine. By starting with a high-temperature sear and finishing low and slow, you’ll achieve a beautifully browned crust and a tender, juicy interior every time.

This easy prime rib recipe is perfect for holiday entertaining because it requires minimal prep and delivers impressive results. Whether you’re hosting a large Christmas Eve dinner or an intimate holiday gathering, using a meat thermometer ensures your prime rib is cooked exactly to your preferred doneness—especially medium rare, which highlights the roast’s natural flavor and tenderness. Letting the roast rest before slicing locks in juices and guarantees perfect slices for serving.

If you’re looking for a foolproof Christmas Eve prime rib recipe that feels special yet approachable, this method is a must-try for your holiday menu.

Try it out!

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Prime Rib

ingredients:

1 Ribeye Roast Bone-in (Prime Rib Roast)

1/2-1 TBSP kosher salt (depending on the size of your roast)

1- 1 1/2 TBSP pepper

5 cloves garlic

3 sprigs fresh rosemary

Directions:

Start with seasoning your roast. Sprinkle and then rub in 1 1/2 TBSP- 1 TBSP kosher salt. Sprinkle with pepper. Preheat your oven to 500 F degrees. Place roast in a oven safe pan uncovered (we like to use our dutch oven). Bake for 20 minutes. Then lower temperature to 250 F degrees for 1 hour. Chop up 5 cloves of garlic and 3 sprigs of rosemary, spread on top of roast. Bake for 1 more hour for roasts less than 10 lbs (for a total of 2 hours at 250 F degrees). Let rest at room temperature for 15 minutes before slicing.

*For roasts 10-15 lbs leave in for a total of 2 1/2 hours

*For roasts over 15 lbs, leave in for 3 hours

Ovens vary in temperature, so use a meat thermometer for most accuracy in internal temperature:

125 F dgrees Rare

135 F degrees Medium Rate

145 F degrees Medium

We prefer our prime rib to be served & eaten medium rare. Some of our family members also love to slather it with creamy horseradish.