Prime Rib with Red Wine Beef Jus
Prime rib and a glass of Ribera Tempranillo can turn any dinner into a special occasion. Nearly impossible to mess up, prime rib can be an approachable meal for even inexperienced cooks. The red wine jus is easy to make in advance and makes your meal that much more luxurious.
Homemade bone-in prime rib roast in pan, top view with copy space
Serves 2-20 (depending on roast size)
1 bone-in standing rib roast (aka prime rib), about 1 pound per person
Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, as needed
Red Wine Beef Jus (recipe below)
Preheat oven to 450°F. Season roast generously on all sides with salt and pepper. Place roast, bone side down, in a shallow roasting pan—you don’t need a rack since the bones make a natural roasting rack.
Roast for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350°F and roast until a meat thermometer placed in the center of the roast reads 125°F, about 20 minutes per pound. At this stage, if the roast doesn’t look brown enough, you can raise the heat to 550°F for 5-10 minutes. This will nicely char the exterior without overcooking the meat.
Remove roast from oven, cover loosely with foil, and let rest for 15-25 minutes before carving. (At this stage, you can pour off any pan drippings, skim fat, and add to the red wine beef jus.) To carve, remove meat from bones in one piece by running the knife along the natural shape of the bones. Slice meat thinly. Cut between the bones and arrange on the serving platter with the sliced meat.
Red Wine Beef Jus
4 tablespoons butter
½ cup minced shallots
1 cup of young Ribera del Duero Tempranillo
1 ¾ cups beef broth (or 1-14 oz. can)
½ teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add shallots and cook until soft and starting to brown, 3-5 minutes. Add wine, broth, sugar, and pepper. Raise heat to high and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and cook until it reduces to a thin gravy consistency that coats a the back of a spoon, about 45 minutes. This can be done up to 4 days in advance and reheated before serving. Serves 4-6.
WINE PAIRING: Prime rib deserves a special wine and Ribera Tempranillo pairs beautifully with beef. Look for a traditionally oak-aged and long-lasting wine like Bodegas Finca Torremilanos ‘Torre Albeniz’ Reserva, Bodegas La Horra “Corimbo I,” or Bodegas Arrocal “Ángel.”