This tender bone-in ribeye roast is well done, and it's tender, juicy, and extremely flavorful. Bone-in ribeye roast and prime rib can be prepared in two totally different ways. One is where the meat is medium to medium-rare in the center, like a ribeye steak (most recipes online). And the other is where the meat is well done, falling off the bone tender (this recipe). Both ways of cooking a bone-in ribeye roast are AMAZING.
This specific recipe came about when we invited some friends over for dinner. Not everyone likes their steaks bloody, and we didn't want to cook the roast in a way that made it too tough. So I decided to cook it over a much longer time, like a roast. The ribeye roast turned out so good, my friends asked how to make it.
Ingredient Notes
- Meat: This recipe is meant for a bone-in ribeye roast or prime rib roast. The size of the roast will affect the cooking temperature and cooking time. Refer to the section below for the exact values.
- Vegetables: Carrots, potatoes, onions, tomatoes, and a whole head of garlic are excellent vegetables to cook with this roast. The flavors of the vegetables and meat infuse together throughout the roasting process.
- Broth or Water: I add water or broth to the pan prior to cooking to keep the meat moist throughout the cooking process.
- Marinade: The marinade is made with honey (optional), fresh garlic, fresh herbs, butter, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Dried herbs can be substituted for fresh herbs. If using dried herbs, cut the quantity in half. Dried herbs are more potent than fresh herbs.
How To Make Slow Roasted Ribeye
Preheat the oven to 375 ℉ (190 ℃) for a 7 to 9 lb roast. Check the cooking time and temperature below for a smaller roast.
Prepare the marinade by adding butter, olive oil, honey (if using), crushed garlic, salt, black pepper, chopped fresh rosemary, and chopped fresh thyme into a bowl. Mix the marinade until it's a soft paste.
Chop the vegetables and add them to the baking dish. Sprinkle salt and pepper on the vegetables. Put the bone-in ribeye roast on top of the vegetables. Lather the rosemary garlic marinade on the roast (including the sides).
Add ½ a cup of water to the pan. The water helps keep the roast moist when cooking.
Tightly wrap the meat and vegetables. This is the most crucial part of cooking the prime rib or bone-in ribeye roast. The foil creates a vacuum and seals in moisture. I press the foil all around the baking pan lip to form a tight seal.
Cook the roast in the middle of the oven at 375 ℉ (190 ℃) for about 4 hours for a 7 lb (3.2 kg) roast. If your roast is a different size, look at the chart below. When you cut into the roast, it should be tender.
Baste the meat at the 3-hour mark. Also, check the meat to ensure a good amount of liquid in the pan. If the pan is running low on liquid, add ½ cup of water or beef stock. Make sure the foil is tightly wrapped (as you did earlier) before putting the roast back in the oven.
Tips and Tricks
- The honey is optional. I like the marinade with honey because I feel like it balances out the flavor. But, this ingredient can be omitted if desired. If sweet doesn't appeal to your idea of a roast, skip this ingredient.
- Don't overcook. There is a delicate balance between moist and tender and dry.
- Create a very tight seal with the foil. The key to a moist roast is keeping the ribeye roast tightly sealed, where no moisture can escape. This is one of the most important steps!
- Oven temperatures vary. You might need to adjust temperatures depending on your oven.
- Adjust the cooking temperature if the roast doesn't have a bone. Use this recipe for ribeye roast without the bone by reducing the temperature by 10℉ to 25℉.
Ribeye Roast Cooking Time and Temperature
For well-done done moist, and tender meat, cook the roast in the middle of the oven at 375 ℉ (190 ℃) for about 4 hours for a 7 lb (3.2 kg) roast. For every extra lb (or 0.5 kg) of meat, increase the cooking time by 15 minutes. Use this chart for bone-in cuts of meat. If the roast is without bone, reduce the cooking temperature by 10℉ to 25℉ while keeping the cooking time.
| Roast Size | Time | Temperature |
|---|---|---|
| 4 lbs (1.8 kg) | 4 hours | 325 ℉ (162 ℃) |
| 5 lbs (2.2 kg) | 4 hours | 340 ℉ (170 ℃) |
| 6 lbs (2.7 kg) | 4 hours | 360 ℉ (182 ℃) |
| 7 lbs (3.2 kg) | 4 hours | 375 ℉ (190 ℃) |
| 8 lbs (3.6 kg) | 4 hours & 15 minutes | 375 ℉ (190 ℃) |
| 9 lbs (4.1 kg) | 4 hours & 30 minutes | 375 ℉ (190 ℃) |
How To Cut A Bone-In Ribeye Roast
This roast recipe is tender, so it's very easy to carve. I cut between the rib bones. The meat falls off the bone, as evidenced in the picture below.
What Is The Best Roast?
I've made this recipe with 3 types of roast: t-bone roast, bone-in ribeye roast, and prime rib roast. My favorite is the bone-in ribeye roast.
What Is The Best Size?
Whenever I make this meal, I go for a roast between 5 lbs (2.5 kg) and 9 lbs (4 kg). This meal takes a lot of time to make, so I only make it for dinner parties and holiday celebrations.
📋 Recipe
Bone-In Ribeye Roast Recipe (Well Done Prime Rib)
Ingredients
Ribeye Roast and Vegetables
- 7 lbs bone-in ribeye roast or prime rib roast ** see notes
- 2 tomatoes cut in half
- 2 carrots peeled and sliced
- 2 potatoes peeled and sliced
- 1 onion
- 1 garlic head
Marinade
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1½ tablespoons salt to taste
- ½ tablespoon fresh black pepper or to taste
- 2 tablespoon fresh thyme or 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- 2 tablespoon fresh rosemary or 1 tablespoon dried rosemary
- 3 garlic cloves crushed
- 3 tablespoons honey optional
Instructions
Prepare Bone-In Ribeye
- Crush the garlic using a garlic press or mortar and pestle. Mix softened butter, crushed garlic, honey (if using), olive oil, fresh thyme, fresh rosemary, salt, and pepper.
- Peel and chop the potatoes, onions, and carrots. Add the potatoes, carrots, and onions to the bottom of the pan. Add the garlic head and tomato halved. Salt and pepper the vegetables.
- Put the bone-in ribeye roast on top of the veggies. Lather the ribeye with the marinade.
- Add about ½ cup of water to the pan. Cover the ribeye with foil very tightly (I cover the pan with a few layers of foil). The foil keeps the moisture from escaping.
Cook Bone-In Ribeye Roast
- Put the ribeye in a 375℉ (190℃) oven for roasts 7 lbs or larger. See oven temperatures in the chart for smaller roasts.
- Check on the roast at the 3-hour mark. Baste the juices onto the top of the meat. If the pan is low on liquid, add ½ a cup.
- The bone-in ribeye is ready to be removed from the oven when the meat is tender.
Video
Notes
- Adjust the marinade amount depending on the size of the roast.
- If using a ribeye roast or prime rib without the bone, adjust the cooking time to 10 to 25 degrees F less. The bone acts as an insulator, so the roast will cook faster if there's no bone.
- This recipe has been "tweaked" from its original version. The original recipe had a 450F caramelization step that's unnecessary. I've tried it both ways and you can't tell a difference, so I've simplified the recipe to omit it.
- Cook a 7 lb (3 kg) roast for about 4 hours. Add 15 minutes for every additional lb (or 0.5 kg). If you have a roast that's less than 7 lbs, keep the 4 hour cook time, but reduce the temperature in the oven 15 - 20 ℉ for every pound. So, if you have a 4 lb roast, cook for 4 hours at 325 ℉. For other ribeye roast sizes, refer to the table below.
| Roast Size | Time | Temperature |
|---|---|---|
| 4 lbs (1.8 kg) | 4 hours | 325 ℉ (162 ℃) |
| 5 lbs (2.2 kg) | 4 hours | 340 ℉ (170 ℃) |
| 6 lbs (2.7 kg) | 4 hours | 360 ℉ (182 ℃) |
| 7 lbs (3.2 kg) | 4 hours | 375 ℉ (190 ℃) |
| 8 lbs (3.6 kg) | 4 hours & 15 minutes | 375 ℉ (190 ℃) |
| 9 lbs (4.1 kg) | 4 hours & 30 minutes | 375 ℉ (190 ℃) |
Shawn says
Hey Lily, do you keep the string around a roast while you cook it?
Lily says
Hey Shawn, great question! Keep the twine on the roast while it's roasting if it comes with butcher's twine. Make sure to cut off the butcher's twine before serving. However, if the string is more like a plastic mesh, remove it.
Michelle Rivera Rodriguez says
This sounds amazing I'm doing a 4 pound for my family of 5 I can't wait to try thanks
Lily says
Thanks for the comment, let us know how it turns out!
Angela says
If I browned the meat, could I then finish it in a slow cooker with the vegetables and juices? I need my oven for other things!
Lily says
Good question! If it fits in your slow cooker, then go for it. I've not tried it, but it's a similar process as the low and slow oven roast. Just want to give a couple of other alternatives here as well: you can roast this high-quality meat to a medium/medium-rare and cut down the time of the roasting (chef billy parisi has a great method for this and it's very delicious) OR go with a less expensive cut of meat in the slow cooker.
Monique says
Hi...I plan to make this Sunday. Is it possible to prep a day in advance? Also, how long would I cook if I wanted medium doneness?
Thanks in advance
Lily says
Thanks for the comment Monique! To answer your question honestly, I wouldn't follow this recipe if you would like medium or medium rare for your bone-in ribeye. Most recipes online for bone-in ribeye are for medium to medium-rare and the cook times are a lot shorter. I think Billy Parsi has a good recipe I've tried previously. This recipe is really meant for people that want to enjoy a ribeye or prime rib but need to cook it completely well-done. Like for example, if you have guests that only eat well-done red meats, or are pregnant, or suffering from an auto-immune disease. Hope that helps!
Maddy says
Hi! My bone-in ribeye roast is only 2.63 lbs. Could this recipe work with a cut that small?
Thank you!
Lily says
For a roast that small, I’d cook at 300F for 4 hours, and I would wrap it in parchment paper then tightly wrap it in a few layers of foil (the roast itself) like how the slow roasted lamb shanks are made. Oven temperatures vary, so the best indicator of the roast being finished is checking it! It should be falling off the bone tender.
Noelani says
Will this recipe work on a 5lb bone in Prime Rib?
Lily says
Yes, I listed the cook times in the post for differing weights. Just note that this recipe cooks the meat well done!
Sandie says
Hi making my ribeye roast for Christmas dinner at my dad’s house which is a 1 1/2 hrs away I want to bake it at home and bring it already baked how do I keep it warm until I serve it for dinner?
Lily says
Hi Sandie, great question! The meat will have a lot of juices, so I'd recommend transporting it in something with a lid (with the juices). I'd probably then put it in an insulated travel bag. At the location, I'd warm it back up in the oven at 350 F. Ribeye is such a fatty piece of meat, so if the meat is served cold, the fat will solidify. So definitely want to serve this warm!
Liz B says
How long would you cook a 4lb roast for?
Check at 2 hours, plan on 3 hours?
Lily says
So this sounds counter-intuitive, but keep the 4 hours cook time for a 4 lb roast but reduce the heat to 325 F. The 4 hours is really meant to be a minimum time for a low and slow roast. Let me know how it turns out!
Liz B says
It was perfection.
Thank you!
Lily says
So glad you liked it!
Biana says
This looks like delicious restaurant style roast! Thank you for posting step by step directions for making it.
Lily says
Absolutely, hope you enjoy it!
rika says
My son loves rib eye. I think he is going to love this recipe because he loves honey and butter too.
Lily says
That combination of flavors makes the delicious crust of the roast.
Alex says
This looks like it would be great for a dinner party! I usually get initimidated by the idea of cooking big cuts of meat, but you've made it seem so approachable (and it sounds delicious too!)
Lily says
I know how you feel... especially when you drop a lot of money on a big cut of meat, the last thing you want to do it mess it up! This is my tried and true recipe that hasn't failed me.
Carrie Robinson says
This would make the perfect Sunday dinner! 🙂 Definitely making this soon. Yum!
Lily says
Hope you like it!
Beth says
This looks so juicy and very tasty! Can’t wait to give this a try! My family is going to love this!
Lily says
Hope they enjoy it!
Joe says
When you say cook on top and on bottom for 7 minutes, are you referring to the top/bottom rack of oven or do you turn it over to cook both sides up for 7 minutes? TIA.
Lily says
Hey Joe,
Thanks for the comment- good question! I recommend sticking the roast in the middle of the oven on one side for 7 minutes, then take it out and flip it over on the other side. Stick it back in the oven and blast it for another 7 minutes. I recommend doing this step to help lock in the juices while it slow cooks. Let me know how it turns out for you.
Lily
kate says
Where does it say to cook it for 7 min on one side and then the other?
Lily says
Hey Kate- great question. That was how the original recipe was written. After making this roast several times, I've omitted the 7-minute sear on both sides.
Rebecca W. says
We made this today and it turned out spot on delicious! Thank you for posting!
Lily says
Thank you for taking the time to comment! So glad you liked the recipe.