Best Prime Rib

Name: Piccolo Pete's Prime Rib
Prep time: PT0D0H0M
Cook time: PT0D3H20M
Total time: PT0D3H20M
Yield: serves 8-10
Ingredients: ¼ cup coarsely ground black pepper; 3 Tbsp. dried basil; 2 Tbsp. dried oregano; 1 Tbsp. dry mustard; 1½ tsp. celery salt; 15 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped; Kosher salt, to taste; One 5-lb. boneless prime rib roast; 1½ cups dry red wine

Bring a beloved Omaha steakhouse specialty home.

Serves
serves 8-10
Cook
3 hours 20 minutes

PHOTOGRAPHY: DAVID MALOSH; FOOD STYLING: SIMON ANDREWS; PROP STYLING: SUMMER MOORE

By SAVEUR Editors

Updated on December 12, 2022

Prime rib is a beloved Omaha, Nebraska, steakhouse specialty. This recipe—one of our favorite versions—comes from the now-defunct restaurant Piccolo Pete’s, where the meat was rubbed with Italian spices, roasted low and slow, and then blasted with high heat to form a flavorful crust. Use any leftover roast in this prime rib sandwich for a meaty lunch the next day. This recipe first appeared in our August/September 2013 Heartland issue.

Featured in: “Here's the Beef,” by Betsy Andrews.

Ingredients

¼ cup coarsely ground black pepper
3 Tbsp. dried basil
2 Tbsp. dried oregano
1 Tbsp. dry mustard
1½ tsp. celery salt
15 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
Kosher salt, to taste
One 5-lb. boneless prime rib roast
1½ cups dry red wine

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Instructions

Step 1

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 200°F.

Step 2

In the bowl of a food processor, add the black pepper, basil, oregano, mustard, celery salt, garlic, and salt to taste, and process to a fine paste; set aside.

Step 3

Using kitchen twine, tie the meat securely at 1-inch intervals, then place in a roasting pan. Pour the wine into the pan and cover tightly with foil. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat reads 105°F, 2½–3 hours. Remove from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 500°F. Uncover the meat and rub the roast all over with the reserved spice paste. Return to the oven and cook, uncovered, until the meat’s internal temperature reaches 120°F, 15–20 minutes more. Set aside to rest 20 minutes before slicing. Serve hot, with warm pan drippings on the side.