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! Whether it’s Thanksgiving, Christmas dinner or just a nice Sunday dinner, prime rib in the slow cooker is a great option!
I am a huge fan of making dinner in the slow cooker. Some days just call for a crock pot 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 in the roast. Go figure! No bone-in for this recipe!
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 you 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 has rested in the refrigerator, pull it out and let it sit on the counter for an hour to take the chill off and come to room temperature. Heat a skillet over medium high heat and sear all sides of the meat until golden brown.
Thoroughly mix together the butter, rosemary and garlic. Place the browned roast in the crockpot 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 F) which takes about 3.5-4 hours (Rare – 130 degrees F, medium rare – 135 degrees F).
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 cutting slices to serve. A prime rib recipe at it’s easiest! Serve with horseradish sauce for even more flavor!
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, vegetables…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 is the Reverse Sear Method?
For this recipe, we do not do the reverse sear method, but you can do it if you want to. The reverse sear method is when you roast the prime rib roast first and then sear it (either in a cast iron skillet or in a super hot oven) for a few minutes after roast it.
The idea is that all the juices you would lose with a traditional sear method stay in the roast is it cooks and then lock them all in with a sear at the end. I’ll have to try it sometime and see if there’s a difference!
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. Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature and this is what you will be looking for…
- 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 1 lb of prime rib per person. If you purchase a 6-8 lb 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, taste heavenly, and will only augment the flavor of each bite. One of the reasons that prime rib is so tender and juicy is the moisture from the fat content, so it shouldn’t be completely omitted.
How Do You Reheat Prime Rib?
The best way to reheat prime rib is in the oven. Preheat your oven to 250 degrees F, 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
- 6-8 Pound Prime Rib, boneless
- 1-2 Tablespoons Kosher Salt
- 2 teaspoons Black Pepper, cracked
- 1/3 Cup Butter, softened
- 1 Tablespoons Rosemary, fresh, chopped
- 8 Cloves Garlic, minced
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.6-8 Pound Prime Rib
- Rub the salt and pepper all over the meat and place in the fridge for 12-24 hours.1-2 Tablespoons Kosher Salt, 2 teaspoons Black Pepper
- 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.1 Tablespoons Rosemary, 1/3 Cup Butter, 8 Cloves Garlic
- 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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Sarah Popish
Do you need to add any liquid? Most slow cooker recipes need at least a 1/4 cup of water. What are your thoughts? Thanks!
Sweet Basil
Hi Sarah! With the butter and natural juices of the prime rib, we haven’t ever had to add liquid, but you could definitely keep your eye on it. A little beef broth wouldn’t hurt anything!
Al
I’m sorry but you never cook this cut of meat in a slow cooker what a waste of a fantastic piece of meat
Sweet Basil
Hi Al! Sometimes a slow cooker is what work best for people so we try to cover all our bases! Our smoked prime rib recipe (https://ohsweetbasil.com/traeger-smoked-prime-rib-recipe/) is my favorite!
Susan
Can I leave the bone in? That’s the way my butcher prepared my roast.
Sweet Basil
Hi Susan! Yes, you can leave the bone in. You might just need to let it cook a little longer. Keep your eye on the internal temperature with a meat thermometer if you have one. Enjoy!
Mary regan
Slow cooker ( crock pot ) recipe is terrible!!
I followed the directions to a tee…..it turned out like a rump roast , a cheep cut of meat.
I purchased a standing rib roast…$100.00………I was so embarrassed in front on my quest…how this turned out.
The pictures on this site has to be from a rib roast cooked in the oven…..
Sweet Basil
Hi Mary! I’m so sorry for your disappointment. The photos are of a boneless standing rib roast that we cooked in a slow cooker prepared and cooked just as written in the instructions.
Ricky M. Moorehead
How many pounds is the prime rib roast?
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!