Red Wine Marinated Prime Rib Recipe - Plating Pixels (2024)

This Red Wine Marinated Prime Rib with potatoes is a unique holiday dinner that’s bursting with rich flavors from an easy prime rib marinade. A simple mixture of red wine, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, garlic, onion, and herbs is all you need.

Prime rib makes a unique alternative to ham or turkey during the holidays and will wow your guests. Classic holiday meals like turkey and ham have been a family tradition since I can remember.

While I enjoy the familiarity and meaning behind them, it’s also fun to try different meats such as a prime rib. Who knows, maybe it will become a new family tradition.

This marinated prime rib is so simple and can even be prepped ahead. This makes day of holiday cooking a snap: simply roast the rib and serve. Talk about making hosting easy.

A prime rib roast has all the classic holiday feel. It’s comforting, rich, and not your everyday cut of meat. Plus takes only about an hour to roast depending on the size.

This post will cover everything you need to know. Let’s start with finding the right type of meat for prime rib.

What is Prime Rib?

Prime rib is also known as a standing rib roast, which comes from the beef rib primal cut. The word “prime” refers to the fact that the beef has been graded by the USDA. Otherwise, the cut of beef has to be called a standing rib roast.

Ribeye steak also comes from the same cut, but it is usually cut into steaks, instead of a roast. It’s often prepared by grilling or pan-frying, but can be roasted too.

Where to Buy Prime Rib

Prime rib can be found at most specialty market and natural food grocery stores, such as Whole Foods. Usually, it’s available during the holiday season.

Pro tip: You may need to call your grocery store and order the prime rib ahead to be sure it’s available and in stock.

Prime Rib Marinade

A marinade for prime rib just requires a few common ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need.

• Dry red wine
• Worcestershire sauce
• Lemon juice
• Salt
• Chopped onion
• Garlic
• Rosemary and thyme

Wonder why these ingredients are included? Here’s why I’ve included them in my marinade:

• The acids in the red wine and lemon juice help break down and tenderize the meats.
• Worcestershire sauce has an umami effect that enhances flavors of meats.
• Salt also enhances the flavors of meats and injects flavor deep within. It should always be used with meats (unless you are on a low-sodium diet).
• Onion and garlic are ingredients that go great with meats. The flavors infuse out into the liquid to marinade.
• Fresh herbs such as rosemary add holiday flavors.

How to Marinate Prime Rib

Simply mix all the marinade ingredients together and place in a ziplock bag with the prime rib. Make sure the beef is coated in the marinade then seal tightly and refrigerate for at least 6 hours. This Red Wine Marinated Prime Rib comes out tender and full of flavor.

Add an extra burst of flavor

Cut small slits into the top of the beef, then insert garlic cloves into it the openings. This will give an extra flavor punch to the beef and tastes incredible!

Cubed organic Yukon gold potatoes are cooked with the roast as well. I learned this trick from my mom as she does this were her homemade roasted carnitas. Juices from the meat infuse into the potatoes while roasting, adding a bolt of flavor.

How long to marinade prime rib

Marinade prime rib at least 6 hours in the fridge, or overnight up to 24 hours.

It’s important to give the marinade time for the flavors to develop. It can even be done the night before if you want to prep ahead or allow more time for the flavors to develop.

How Long to Cook Prime Rib

Roast prime rib in the oven at 375 degrees F for approximately 20 minutes per pound. For example, a 3-pound roast would take 60 minutes to cook.

Check the temperature after about 45 minutes, just in case.

Prime Rib Internal Temp

Cook prime rib to an internal temperature of 130-135° F for medium-rare. This will create the best flavor and texture.

You can remove the roast from the oven at around 125°. It will continue to cook while it rests for 15 to 20 minutes.

Tips for the best flavor

• Marinade the beef for as long as possible: Ideally overnight, or for at least 6 hours for best results.
• Let the meat sita room temperature for at least 20-30 minutes prior to roasting. If you cook cold meat straight from the fridge it will not cook as evenly and outside may overcook.
• Add the roast to a hot oven (450 degrees) then immediately reduce to 375 degrees to speed up baking time. This will ensure the prime rib is tender and doesn’t overcook. It also helps to create a nice bark on the outside, similar to grilling or searing meat.
• Let the beef rest for 15 minutes after cooking and do not cut it before. This is an important step to ensure that the juices stay inside the meat keeping it juicy, tender and full of flavor.
• Use a meat thermometer to ensure the roast is cooked properly. It should have an internal temperature of 130-135° F for medium-rare.

Can this be made without wine?

Red wine adds wonderful flavor to the marinade and doesn’t add any alcohol once cooked. However, it can be substituted if you prefer to omit for health or personal reasons. Simply sub with a non-alcoholic cooking wine such as Holland House.

Sides to go with Prime Rib

The great thing about this recipe is that the potatoes cook alongside the prime rib so there’s very little prep, effort and clean up involved here. If you’re cooking for a larger crowd or are looking for more sides to add, the recipes below would work really well.

• Homemade Cranberry Chutney
• Gluten-Free Mac and Cheese
• Creamy Mashed Potatoes
• Bacon Au Gratin Potatoes
• Sriracha Coleslaw

More holiday recipes you may like:

• White Cheddar Cheese Ball
• Herbed Pork Loin with Mushroom Sauce
• Apricot Pork Chops