This prime rib with horseradish sauce recipe is the only one you’ll need - USA TODAY

Here it is: the holiday recipe for slow-roasted prime rib of beef that will make your family and friends want to come to your dinner table every year!

Beef prime rib has been a mainstay of holiday dinner menus for more than a century. It’s one of those dishes that almost everybody loves, but seldom get to enjoy during the rest of the year.

This tender, slow-cooked prime rib with a creamy horseradish sauce is a mouthwateringly magical pairing that just might become your favorite holiday dish.

To achieve the best taste, the beef roast needs to be salted thoroughly, then left uncovered in the refrigerator for a few days. (This process is often termed “dry brining.”) Though the method requires planning and a few hours of oven time, the deliciously savory result is worth every minute.

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To minimize cooking-day hassle, you can make the horseradish sauce up to two weeks ahead. While the meat rests after it’s been roasted, you’ll have time to attend to your other holiday dishes. 

Prime rib with horseradish sauce

Makes: 8-10 servings

Ingredients

Roast:

• One 8- to 10-pound standing rib roast (prime rib), bones Frenched
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1-1/2 tablespoons fresh thyme

Horseradish sauce:

• ½ cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup prepared horseradish
• 2 tablespoons chives
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Place a V-rack in a roasting pan.
2. Place rib roast on top of V-rack and generously sprinkle salt all over and under roast.
3. Allow to stand in refrigerator, uncovered, overnight or 1–2 days.
4. Preheat oven to 250 F.
5. When ready to roast, sprinkle meat with freshly ground pepper and thyme on all sides.
6. Cook in oven until the center of roast registers 125 F on an instant-read thermometer for medium-rare, or 135 F degrees for medium (approximately 3-4 hours).
7. When roast is cooked, remove from oven and tent loosely with aluminum foil.
8. Allow the meat to rest for 30 to 90 minutes.
9. Ten minutes before serving, increase oven temperature to the highest setting (500–550 F degrees).
10. Remove foil from prime rib.
11. Return roast to hot oven and cook for another 6–10 minutes.
12. Remove from oven, carve off bones, and slice roast.
13. Serve immediately with horseradish sauce.

Sauce (yields 1-1/2 cups):

1. In a medium bowl, whisk heavy cream with a hand mixer until thickened but not yet at soft-peak level.
2. Fold in sour cream, horseradish, chives, lemon juice, salt and pepper, and mix well.
3. Refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes before serving, or transfer to airtight container and refrigerate up to 2 weeks.

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