Boneless rib roast is a classic meal of tender, succulent beef. Make this boneless prime rib recipe for Sunday dinner or a holiday roast!
This brown sugar coffee rubbed rib roast is a delicious main course that is perfect for your holiday table, or any special occasion. Heck, it’s so simple to make, you can even serve it for Sunday supper!
It’s fantastic with traditional sides like baked or mashed potatoes, roasted brussel sprouts, and yeast rolls. For special occasions, I serve it with steakhouse style dishes like lobster bisque soup and steakhouse creamed spinach.
The deep, rich, smoky and sweet flavors of the coffee dry rub pair perfectly with the beef. Those same flavors are also in the creamy coffee gravy that is a MUST to pour over the top.
Boneless prime rib FAQ
Here are answers to a few commonly asked questions.
Yes, boneless rib roast is another name for boneless prime rib. It’s a standing prime rib roast, with the bones removed. Also known as ribeye roast, because it’s cut from the rib primal, the same area that ribeye steak is cut from.
There are advantages to both. A standing rib roast makes for a beautiful presentation, and it’s true that bones add flavor. With or without the bones, the beef roast has a thick cap of fat and plenty of marbling, which add plenty of flavor.
Another option is to purchase a bone-in prime rib roast and have a butcher remove the bones for you. Ask them to tie the bones back onto the roast for you.
One of the advantages of a boneless rib roast is the shorter cooking time. On average, it takes about 12 minutes per pound to cook it to medium-rare. A bone-in roast typically takes 15 minutes per pound.
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- How much prime rib to buy
This boneless prime rib recipe makes enough to serve 10 adults. If you’re buying a bone-in roast, or a boneless one with the bones tied to it, you’ll need a 10 pound (5-bone) roast. Otherwise, you’ll want an 8-pound boneless rib roast.
Need to serve a different number of people?
To serve fewer people (or more!), use this prime rib serving size chart to determine what size to buy. Then, use the “adjust serving size” button on the recipe card at the bottom of this post and it will automatically adjust the ingredient amounts for you!
- Rib roast rub
The spices and flavorings in the coffee dry rub are simple, but very effective! Not only does the rub add flavor, but it also marinates the meat. The salt does a great job of ensuring that the roast comes out perfectly juicy!
- Bourbon
There are a couple of tablespoons of bourbon in the dry rub, as well as in the coffee gravy. You can leave it out if you’d like, but rest assured that alcohol does cook out when it reaches 172°F (78°C).
- Coffee beans
Be sure to use dark roast coffee beans or espresso beans. Grind them to espresso-grind to prevent any extra large grounds from infiltrating the roast.
Boneless prime rib recipe tips
It’s very important that you know how to cook a boneless prime rib roast properly. Cooking it with high heat and/or too long will leave you with a meal that lacks flavor and tenderness.
Plan ahead
Keep in mind that the meat needs to marinate for at least 1 day, and preferably two.
Avoiding tough prime rib
Prime beef roast is a cut that needs to be slow roasted at low heat, and only to rare or medium rare. Beyond medium (140°F), all of the fat renders down, essentially melting out of the meat. This causes prime rib to be tough and chewy.
Storing leftovers
Keep any leftover prime rib in an airtight container in the fridge and use it up within 5 days. You can cut up the beef for sandwiches, or even add it to a pot of slow cooker white bean soup.
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Boneless Rib Roast (Prime Rib Recipe)
Ingredients
Roast Rub
- 8 lb boneless beef rib roast visible fat trimmed to 1/2-inch (See Note 1)
- 1/3 cup dark roast coffee beans espresso-ground
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp bourbon (See Note 2)
- 1 tbsp salt divided
- 1 tsp coarsely ground pepper
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 8 shallots medium-sized shallots, unpeeled, tops trimmed
Coffee Cream Gravy
- 1/2 cup beef broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon bourbon
- 1 teaspoon dark-roast coffee beans espresso-ground
- salt to taste
Instructions
Rub for Rib Roast (1-2 Days Ahead of Eating):
- Pat the meat dry with paper towels. Blend coffee, brown sugar, bourbon, 2 teaspoons salt, and the peppers. Rub all over and into meaty parts of roast. If you're making a bone-in roast, set bone side down on a rimmed baking sheet. For boneless roast, it doesn't matter which side is down. Chill, uncovered, at least 1 and up to 2 days.
Roasting:
- Preheat oven to 450°F. Sprinkle all over with remaining 1 teaspoon of salt.
- Place shallots beneath V-shaped rack in a roasting pan. Set roast, bone side down (if making bone-in roast), on rack. Roast for 30 minutes, then reduce temperature to 350°F and roast another 30 minutes.
- Remove shallots with tongs and let cool. Keep roasting beef until an instant-read thermometer inserted into center of thickest part reaches 125° -130°F for medium-rare, 1 to 1 3/4 hours longer.On average, it takes about 12 minutes per pound to cook a boneless rib roast to medium-rare. A bone-in roast typically takes 15 minutes per pound.
- Lift to a cutting board and let rest 30 to 40 minutes, loosely tented with foil.
Gravy:
- Squeeze soft insides of roasted shallots into a blender. Add broth, cream, bourbon, and coffee and whirl until smooth.
- Set roasting pan on stovetop and pour gravy into pan. Cook over medium-high heat, scraping up browned bits, until gravy thickens slightly and turns a nutty brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and strain into a serving bowl.
- Slice rib roast meat 1/3 to 1/2 inches thick and if applicable, cut between bones. Serve with gravy.
Notes
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- If you’d like to make this recipe using a bone-in prime rib roast, it will require a longer cook time. On average, it takes about 12 minutes per pound to cook boneless prime rib to medium-rare. A bone-in roast typically takes 15 minutes per pound. Or, ask your butcher to remove the bones and then tie them back onto the roast for you. Then you can make it according to this recipe.
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- For those of you who don’t drink alcohol, it will evaporate when you cook the sauce for at least 20 to 30 seconds. Alcohol evaporates at 172°F (78°C), so any sauce or stew that is simmering or boiling is certainly hot enough to evaporate the alcohol.
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Nutrition
You state this is a recipe for cooking a boneless rib roast , and then say to place roast in the pan bone side down. is there any difference in the cooking times and method between bone in vs boneless?
Hey Ron, the recipe can be made with either boneless or bone-in prime rib. On average, it takes about 12 minutes per pound to cook a boneless roast to medium-rare. A bone-in roast typically takes 15 minutes per pound. If you’re cooking a boneless roast, it doesn’t matter which side is facing down. Hope this helps.
Hello – you had a previously shared recipe for prime rib that was not the coffee rub. Is that recipe still available somewhere?
Emailed you, it’ still on the site!
directions talk about a bone in roast – does the timing apply to boneless? I like your interesting rub and gravy method. We often do a bone in Christmas rib roast, on the grill if my SU is feeling up to it. You are correct that there is no finer meal than a prime rib roast! Love the pic of the slice from the large end – that is my fave part!
Hey Jan, there’s a section in the post that mentions cook time for a bone-in prime rib. It’s 15 minutes per pound (on average) for medium rare.