Prime Rib on the Grill with Garlic Herb Butter

I sear my prime rib on the grill. Hard over very hot coals, then over to the cooler side of the grill until the middle reads 128°F. I brush it with garlic herb butter for the last 10 to 15 minutes and keep more on the table to dip in. Mine was 128°F when it came off the grill, and after a 20 minute rest it was medium rare all the way through. The key to that crust is salting your prime rib roast the night before and leaving it uncovered in the refrigerator. Do this if you have the time. I also have a Tomahawk Prime Rib with Garlic Onion Butter. Same cut of meat, different butter. Whichever one you have the pan for is the one to make.

Quick Look: Prime Rib on the Grill

Salting the roast the night before is what makes the crust. Leaving it uncovered in the fridge dries the outside of the roast, and a dry outside is what lets the sear grab. If you skip it, season the day of and cook it the same way. The roast will still be good. The crust will be lighter.

Why This Recipe

• It sears first. Most prime rib recipes cook at a lower temp and sear at the end. I flip that. The crust is set before the roast ever sees indirect heat, and the butter goes onto a crust that is already there.
• Dry brine the roast. Salting it the night before pulls some of the moisture out of the surface. A dry surface is what makes that crust. A wet one steams.
• 128°F and rest it. The temp keeps rising while the roast rests. Mine read 128°F coming off the grill, and after 20 minutes it was medium rare throughout.
• Garlic herb butter on top and to dip in. I melt some and brush it on toward the end of the cook. Then there is more on the table for every slice.
• Just the roast on the grates. No pan. The roast cooks right on the grill, bones down.

The sides cook on the same grill. I did roasted corn and baked potatoes on the upper rack while the roast finished on the cool side. Asparagus works the same way, and my Baked Mac and Cheese on the Grill can go on once the roast comes off to rest.

Key Ingredients

Two short lists. The roast only needs salt and a seasoning. The butter is where the herbs go, and it does double duty as the baste and the dip.

For the Prime Rib

• Bone-in prime rib roast, 6 to 8 lb. The bones protect the bottom of the roast and make it easier to carve.
• Kosher salt. This is the dry brine. Cover the roast on all sides.
• Steak seasoning. Use your favorite. If you dry brined the roast, use a seasoning with little or no salt in it, or make your own with the pepper and garlic powder below.
• Black pepper, 1 tsp. For your own seasoning.
• Garlic powder, 1 tsp. Goes with the pepper.

For the Garlic Herb Butter

• Unsalted butter, 1/2 cup (1 stick), softened. I always use unsalted so I control how much salt goes on my meat.
• Garlic, 6 cloves, minced.
• Fresh rosemary, 2 tbsp, chopped fine.
• Fresh thyme, 2 tbsp, chopped fine.
• Fresh parsley, 1 tbsp, chopped.
• Worcestershire sauce, 1 tbsp.
• Dijon mustard, 1 tsp.
• Black pepper, 1 tsp, coarse ground.
• Kosher salt, 1/2 tsp.

If you like an herb butter on a roast, my Herb Butter Prime Rib with Golden Potatoes is another one to look at. That butter is built a little differently, so pick the one you want.

Substitutions or Additions

The sear, the pull temp and the rest do not change. Everything below is a swap around them.

• Boneless prime rib roast. Cooks the same way. Keep a closer eye on your thermometer because it will get there sooner.
• Skip the dry brine. Season it and cook it the same day. You will not get the same crust, but the roast will still be great.
• Dried herbs. Use 1/3 of the amount you would use fresh. Rosemary and thyme are fine dried. I would not use dried parsley.
• Pellet grill. Sear the roast on a cast iron or at the hottest setting the grill has, then lower the temp and finish the cook.
• Charcoal grill, two zones. This is how I did it. Bank the coals to one side. Sear over the hot coals, cook over the cooler side with the lid closed.
• Garlic onion butter. If you want onion in the butter, check out my Tomahawk Prime Rib.
• Chimichurri. If you would rather serve it with chimichurri, my Smoked Prime Rib has one.
• Leftovers. Make Prime Rib Sliders with Red Wine Onions and Horseradish Mayo or a French Dip Sandwich.

How to Make Prime Rib on the Grill (Step by Step)

The USDA says beef roasts should reach an internal temp of 145°F and rest for 3 minutes. I prefer to pull my roast at 128°F and let the rest carry it to medium rare. If you want your roast to reach 145°F, take it off at 135°F and rest it the same way. Either way, take the reading in the thickest part of the roast with the probe away from the bone, because a reading taken against the bone is not reliable.

Tips From Miguel

Storage and Reheating

• Fridge: 3 to 4 days, sliced or whole, in an airtight container.
• Freezer: Up to 3 months. Slice it first and wrap it tight.
• Reheat: Low oven, around 250°F, with a little broth to keep it moist, just until warm. You can microwave leftover prime rib, but it will take it past medium rare.
• Leftover butter: Fridge, up to a week. Use it on steak, potatoes or bread.
• Make ahead: The butter can be mixed up to a week ahead. The salt goes on the roast the night before anyway, so the only day-of work is the seasoning and the grill.

If you have leftovers, make my Prime Rib Sliders with Red Wine Onions and Horseradish Mayo.

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Prime Rib on the Grill FAQs

What temp do you take prime rib off the grill?

For a medium rare prime rib, I take my roast off the grill at 128°F in the thickest part, away from the bone. It keeps cooking while it rests. The USDA says a beef roast should reach 145°F and rest for 3 minutes, so if you want it done further, pull it at 135°F and rest it the same way.

Should I sear prime rib before or after cooking?

I sear mine first. I get the grill as hot as it can go and sear all sides of the roast, then move it to the cooler side of the grill and let it cook with the lid closed. Some people cook the roast first and sear it at the end. Both methods work. Searing first means the crust is done before the butter goes on.

Should I salt prime rib the night before?

Yes, if you have the time. Salt the roast and leave it uncovered on a rack in the fridge overnight. The outside dries out, and a dry surface is what sears. If you did this, use a low sodium or no salt seasoning the day of so the roast does not get salted twice.

How long does it take to cook prime rib on the grill?

It depends on the size of the roast, how hot the cool side of the grill is running, and how cold the roast was when it went on. Go by the thermometer, not the clock. Once the center reads 128°F, it will be medium rare after resting.

Can I make the garlic herb butter ahead of time?

Yes. Mix it and keep it in the fridge for up to a week. Let it soften before it goes on the table for dipping, and melt what you need for the baste.

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