Slow Cooker Prime Rib
User Reviews
4.4
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Prep Time
20 mins
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Cook Time
3 hrs
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Additional Time
30 mins
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Total Time
3 hrs 50 mins
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Servings
6 - 8
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Calories
1266 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
American
Slow Cooker Prime Rib
Description
The Slow Cooker Prime Rib recipe starts with a standing rib roast seasoned with salt, pepper, and dried thyme. Scoring the fat in a diamond pattern helps render the fat and deepen flavor. The meat is seared over high heat to develop a browned crust before slow cooking to perfection with aromatic onions, bay leaves, and fresh rosemary. Red wine deglazes the searing pan, capturing browned bits that enrich the slow cooker broth made from beef stock.
The slow cooker's low, steady heat gently finishes the roast, preserving tenderness and succulence. The finished drippings are combined with xanthan gum, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce to create a smooth, flavorful gravy, balancing the meat's rich taste with subtle acidity and seasoning. The inclusion of bay leaves and rosemary in cooking adds a fragrant herbaceous note throughout.
This approach to prime rib suits those seeking a hands-off cooking method that still delivers the roast’s classic textures and flavors. The gravy thickens nicely and complements the beef's umami, making it a fitting accompaniment to mashed potatoes or roasted vegetables. The recipe includes doneness temperature guidance to ensure the roast is cooked to personal preference and allows resting time for juices to redistribute, enhancing tenderness.
Ingredients
For the roast
- 5 ½ pounds standing rib roast 2 ½ kg
- salt
- black pepper
- 2 tsp dried thyme or mixed herbs
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 onion , sliced into rounds
- ⅓ cup red wine for deglazing the pan, 80ml
- 2 bay leaf
- 1 rosemary fresh sprig
- 1 cup beef broth or stock from a stock cube
For the gravy
- 1 tsp xanthan gum or see notes
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce
- 2 tsp mustard
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
Prepare the joint
- Allow the beef to come to room temperature for 30 minutes or up to an hour for a large joint.
- Slice the fat on top of the joint on the diagonal to create a diamond pattern (unless already prepared). Season the beef library with several turns of the salt and pepper mill on all sides and sprinkle with dried thyme. Allow the beef to come to room temperature for 30 minutes or so.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet and sear the beef over high heat on all sides, using tongs to turn it. Set aside.
- Add the sliced onion to the hot pan and pan fry until colored. Set aside.
- Deglaze the hot pan with a generous slug of red wine (or you can use Marsala) and cook for a couple of minutes until reduced. Use a wooden spoon to scrape any browned bits loose (all the yummy flavor hides in these!).
- Pour the pan juices into the slow cooker. Add the onion, bay leaves and rosemary. Place the rib joint in the crock pot resting it on the bones with the skin side uppermost. Pour in the beef broth.
- Cover and cook for approximately 3-3 ½ hours on LOW or until the desired temperature is reached on an instant read thermometer (see notes for a guide). Check the temperature after 3 hours or sooner if you use a smaller joint than the one specified.
- Rest the beef for 20-30 minutes or longer, loosely covered with foil while you prepare the gravy.
Make the gravy
- Strain the cooking liquid from the slow cooker into a saucepan. Stir in Worcestershire sauce, mustard and the xanthan gum (or cornstarch slurry). Bring to a simmer, cooking until the gravy thickens. Check the seasoning and adjust if needed.
Slice and serve
- Remove any string from the joint. Position a sharp knife between the ribs and meat and slice pushing against the bones to release the meat from the ribs.
- Slice the meat thinly across the grain and serve with the gravy and your choice of sides.
Notes
- Use a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the rib roast, avoiding bones, to check doneness accurately.
- Allow the roast to rest after cooking, as its internal temperature will rise about 3-4°C (5-7°F) during this time.
- You can thicken the gravy using cornstarch dissolved in cold water instead of xanthan gum if preferred.
- Deglazing the searing pan with red wine captures flavorful browned bits, intensifying the gravy's taste.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6- 8
Amount Per Serving
Calories 1266 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 1266kcal | 63% |
| Carbohydrates | 3g | 1% |
| Protein | 57g | 114% |
| Fat | 111g | 171% |
| Saturated Fat | 46g | 230% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 4g | 24% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 48g | 240% |
| Cholesterol | 251mg | 84% |
| Sodium | 396mg | 17% |
| Potassium | 994mg | 21% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 1g | 2% |
| Vitamin A | 6IU | 0% |
| Vitamin C | 2mg | 2% |
| Calcium | 42mg | 4% |
| Iron | 6mg | 33% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.4
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