Recipe courtesy of Executive Chef Brendalee Reiplinger, from The Lodge at Bodega Bay, Bodega Bay, CA 94923
This holiday season, I will be serving Prime Rib at The Lodge on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. It feels celebratory to have a perfectly seasoned and cooked piece of meat. One thing to remember is how important it is to “temper” your large prime rib. Take out your beef 1-2 hours and bring to room temperature before you place in the oven and don’t be afraid to season well. You don’t want to put a large cold piece of beef in a hot oven as this prolongs cooking time and can result in an uneven cook. Serve with any vegetables, sides and salads of your choice but don’t forget the beef au jus and horseradish cream.

Herb Salt–Crusted Prime Rib

Prime Rib

Ingredients
1 each rib roast or 7–10 lb
3 tbsp cooking oil
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated on a microplane
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
Herb Salt Crust
1/2 cup kosher salt
2 tbsp coarse black pepper
2 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
2 tbsp fresh thyme, finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh sage, finely chopped
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tsp smoked paprika

Procedure

Pre-Season the Roast
Remove roast from fridge several hours before cooking if possible.
Pat dry and place uncovered in the
fridge on a rack (drying = better crust).

Herb Salt Crust
Mix all crust ingredients in a bowl.
It should be coarse, aromatic, and “sandy”—not a wet paste.

Coat the Prime Rib
Rub roast lightly with oil.

Mix Dijon mustard with grated garlic, then rub all over the meat.
Press the herb–salt mixture firmly onto the surface.
Don’t worry—prime rib is thick; it won’t get too salty.

Roast
Low & Slow Cook
Preheat oven to 250°F
Place rib eye in a roasting pan with a rack.
Cook until internal temperature reaches:
125°F for medium rare (recommended)
This usually takes 2.5–4 hours,
depending on size.

Rest
Remove from the oven and cover loosely with foil.
Rest 30–45 minutes.
Temperature will rise ~7–10°F.
Re- heat to serve
Crank oven to 500°F (260°C).
Roast 8–10 minutes until the crust is deeply browned and fragrant.
Slice steaks and serve.

Horseradish Cream Sauce

Ingredients
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup prepared horseradish
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Procedure
In a bowl, combine sour cream, horseradish, and Dijon.
Add lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
Mix until smooth.
Taste and adjust:
More horseradish for heat
More lemon for brightness

Brendalee (Vialpando) Reiplinger is a Questa native who has worked her way up the culinary ladder and is currently executive chef at The Lodge at Bodega Bay, located off the Sonoma Coast in CA. Brendalee credits her hospitality and joy of preparing food from her upbringing in Questa.