One more prime rib recipe! We’ve done prime rib in every possible way, so we are rounding out our collection with this slow cooker prime rib! We couldn’t leave out the trusty slow cooker!
We’ve roasted prime rib, smoked prime rib, and cooked prime rib in the Instant Pot so all we are missing is the slow cooker. You’ve asked and we are answering!
I am a huge fan of making dinner in the slow cooker. Some days just call for a slow cooker meal. I especially like them for Sunday dinner. I can throw everything in the slow cooker in the morning, and then dinner is ready at meal time. So easy!
Now you can have this decadent main dish with the convenience and ease of the slow cooker! There’s not much to it, so let’s jump into this prime rib recipe…
How to Buy the Right Prime Rib?
I’m going to go against almost everything I believe and tell you to get a boneless prime rib for this recipe. We found it works way better in a slow cooker to not have the bones on the roast. Go figure!
You will want to talk to your butcher and ask for a prime rib roast with an untrimmed fat cap (ideally ½ inch thick). We prefer the flavor and texture of prime-grade beef, but choice grade will work as well, just ask the butcher which he has. Choice grade will be cheaper.
How to Make Prime Rib in the Slow Cooker?
Making a prime rib in a slow cooker is about as easy as it gets. It just takes a little prep on the roast itself, and then the slow cooker does all the rest.
Start by cutting slits into the fat pad on the top of the meat. Cut at a diagonal and then cut slits in the opposite direction so that a diamond patter is formed. You can watch the beginning of the video for our absolute best prime rib for a demonstration of this step.
Rub salt and pepper all over the meat and down in the slits your just cut. Place the roast in a baking dish and let it sit in the refrigerator uncovered for 12-24 hours. This allows the prime rib to get nice and dry so that beautiful crust forms on the outside when it cooks.
After the roast a rested in the refrigerator, pull it out and let it sit on the counter for an hour to take the chill off. Heat a skillet over medium high heat and brown all sides of the meat.
Thoroughly mix together the butter, rosemary and garlic. Place the browned roast in the slow cooker fat side up and rub the butter mixture all over the top of the roast. Cook the prime rib on low for 3-5 hours depending on how done you want the roast to be. We like ours medium (140 degrees) which takes about 3.5-4 hours (Rare – 130 degrees, medium rare – 135 degrees).
When the roast has reached the temperature you desire, pull it out of the slow cooker and place it on a cutting board with foil draped over it. Allow it to rest for 20 minutes and up to 1 hour before slicing. A prime rib recipe at it’s easiest!
What Do You Eat with Slow Cooker Prime Rib?
You’ve made a perfect prime rib in the slow cooker, so what should you eat with it? The options are endless. You could go with a side of potatoes, rice, bread, veggies…anything really. Here are a few of our favorites:
- Steakhouse Smashed Potatoes
- Cheesy Gruyere Sweet Potato Stacks
- Potato Rolls
- Green Beans and Potatoes
- Herb and Garlic Roasted Potatoes
- Green Beans with Bacon
- Herbed Focaccia Bread
What Cut Of Meat Is Prime Rib?
Prime rib is also known as Standing Rib Roast. A prime rib is a cut of beef from the primal rib, one of the nine cuts of beef. While the entire rib section comprises ribs six through twelve, a standing rib roast may contain anywhere from two to seven ribs, just depending on what you buy and how much roast you want.
What Is The Perfect Temperature To Cook Prime Rib?
This is always a hot topic when it comes to prime rib. People tend to lose their minds about how pink the prime rib is. The truth is, prime rib is best cooked to medium or lower so it’s going to be a little pink. Anything above medium is going to get tough and chewy.
- Rare: 120-129°F
- Medium rare: 130-134°F
- Medium: 135-144°F
- Medium well: 145-154°F
- Well: 155-164°F
How Much Prime Rib Per Person?
Prime rib is best enjoyed with a crowd! It is a decadent dish that usually involves guests around the dinner table. You can plan on 1lb of prime rib per person. If you purchase a 6-8lb roast, you can plan on serving 6-8 people, and if you are serving little kids, it will go a little farther.
Do you Eat The Fat On Prime Rib?
If the prime rib has been cooked properly, the fat on the prime rib will be rendered, will melt in your mouth and will only augment the flavor each bite. One of the reasons that prime rib is so tender and juicy is from the fat content, so it shouldn’t try to be completely omitted.
How Do You Reheat Prime Rib?
The best way to reheat prime rib is in the oven. Preheat your oven to 250F, and add the sliced prime rib to a baking dish and with a few tablespoons of beef broth. Cover the dish with foil making sure it is sealed completely and let it warm up for about 10 minutes.
How Long Will Prime Rib Keep?
It is pretty rare for us to have leftover prime rib, but if we do, I like to eat it the next day. If you can’t do it then, it will be okay for 5-7 days in the refrigerator or up to a month in the freezer.
Don’t let a prime rib intimidate you! If you go with this slow cooker prime rib recipe, you’re sure to have a perfectly cooked prime rib for any occasion!
More Slow Cooker Main Dishes:
- Chicken Carnitas
- Brown Sugar Garlic Chicken
- Shredded Sweet Pork
- Chicken and Rice
- Shredded Mexican Chicken
- French Dip
- Asian Sticky Ribs
- Pot Roast
Slow Cooker Prime Rib
Description
Ingredients
- 1 Prime Rib, boneless
- 1-2 Tablespoons Kosher Salt
- 2 teaspoons Black Pepper, cracked
- 8 Cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 Tablespoons Rosemary, fresh, chopped
- 1/3 Cup Butter, softened
Instructions
- Cut just into the fat pad on top of the meat at a diagonal and then turn the opposite direction and cut again to make a diamond pattern.
- Rub the salt and pepper all over the meat and place in the fridge for 12-24 hours.
- Remove from the fridge and set on the counter for 1 hour.
- Heat a skillet over medium high heat and brown each side of the meat.
- Remove to a slow cooker fat side up.
- Mix the butter, rosemary and garlic and then rub all over the top of the meat.
- Cook on low for 3-5 hours or until desire temperature is reached. We like medium at 140 degrees, about 3.5 to 4 hours.
- Allow to rest with a little foil draped over the top for 20 minutes to 1 hour before slicing.
Notes
Nutrition
Recommended Products
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Kathy
I made this for a small Christmas dinner of three people and it was a hit! I should have adjusted the cooking time or checked the temperature earlier for a small cut (less than three pounds), but it was still tender and juicy. In an oven, it would have been ruined. This was my first time cooking prime rib and it couldn’t have been any easier than this. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Sweet Basil
Thank you so much Kathy! Love to hear this!
Tammy
Any experience with adding wine to this recipe? Also, any tips for making gravy for this?
Thanks! This is my first time making a roast so I am a little nervous.
Sweet Basil
Hi Tammy! We don’t cook with alcohol, so no experience there. For the gravy, I like to pour the drippings from the crock pot through a strainer into a saucepan. Heat it on the stove until boiling, and then add a slurry of water and cornstarch (about 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 2-3 tablespoons of water, mixed thoroughly). Whisk until thickened.
William Curtis
When using a slow cooker for prime rib should the fat side be down or up when cooking? Also what cook setting is best?
Jennie
My husband and I absolutely ADORE prime rib, and have often wondered how it would taste cooked in our kitchen.
I’m creeped out by the idea of letting the meat sit out for an hour, as we are told not to leave meat to thaw at room temperature
Sweet Basil
Hi Jennie! It definitely depends on the temperature of your house. In the summer, you may not need to leave it out as long. If it still makes you uncomfortable, you can reduce the time, but just plan on it needing a little longer to cook to temperature. Enjoy!