Deciphering Confusing Prime Rib Cooking Times
Prime rib is one of the most highly prized cuts of meat you can serve. The delicate texture and succulent taste make prime rib a sure way to please even the pickiest of eaters. Unfortunately, it's gotten a reputation as being difficult to cook.
The most confusing thing about cooking prime rib, for most cooks, is that prime rib cooking times vary significantly depending on many factors. Variables that can affect prime rib cooking times include the thickness of the meat, the amount of fat on the cut, the moisture content of the meat, and the temperature of the meat when it's placed into the oven.
How Long to Cook Prime Rib
There are many charts and resources that will give you approximate prime rib cooking times based on the weight of the cut, but these are educated guesses at best. While you can take approximate prime rib cooking times and make them work for you, the best way to cook your prime rib is to use a sturdy, reliable, and high quality meat thermometer.
A meat thermometer with a heat-proof probe that stays in the meat the entire time it's being cooked is the most accurate way to gauge when your prime rib is done. Forget trying to calculate prime rib cooking times or attempting to tell by sight or smell when it is done. The only way to be sure it's done is to use a reliable meat thermometer.
Even when you're using a meat thermometer, your prime rib cooking times will still vary significantly based on the factors mentioned above. However, knowing what temperature your prime rib is at will tell you the exact moment to pull it out of the oven. This will be anywhere from 110 to 120 degrees, depending on how well done you like your meat. After pulling the pan out of the oven, let it sit for a good 10 to 15 minutes. The temperature will continue to increase for a few minutes and will then stop rising. Then, and only then, your prime rib is ready to be served.
The well-seasoned cooks in your family will no doubt have all sorts of tricks for calculating prime rib cooking times that they'll happily share with you, but if you want your meat cooked perfectly every time, stick with the thermometer method. You may even impress those experienced cooks and win them over to your method.
