Avoid Burning Your Prime Rib Rub By Following One Crucial Tip

Making a restaurant-worthy prime rib requires more intentionality than picking up the right cut of meat. In fact, the spice rub brings an all-too-important flavor component that maximizes your prime rib's taste. Whether you buy a classic and simple dry rub or make your own salt blend à la Ree Drummond, you never want to risk burning your seasonings. To ensure your prime rib cooks all the way through without over-cooking your spices, it's best to abide by a low and slow cooking process.

Cooking your meat for a prolonged period over low heat allows it to cook all the way through without singeing and searing your dry rub seasonings. This rule holds up regardless of how you cook your prime rib, though different cooking mechanisms call for different specifics. For example, when roasting your prime rib in the oven, the low and slow cooking process best materializes over four to five hours at a temperature of roughly 200 degrees Fahrenheit. If you're grilling your meat, you'll want to keep the temperature on the lower side, around 325 degrees Fahrenheit, and avoid putting the steak directly over the flame. In general, heat the meat until it reaches an internal minimum of 115 degrees Fahrenheit. 

While cooking temperature clearly makes a difference in your prime rib seasonings, how — and when — you apply your rub may play a less important role. So long as you don't burn your seasonings, there's no end-all-be-all to applying your spice rub. 

Exact ratios and timeframes go out the window when it comes to lathering your prime rib in your favorite dry rub. However, you'll generally want to apply your seasonings thoroughly to cover the entire piece of meat. Although it's best to sprinkle your spice rub generously, you don't need to go too crazy with how much you use. After all, you want your blend to adhere to your meat, and if you go overboard, those seasonings will likely slide off your prime rib's base. 

The guidelines for when to apply your rub are equally flexible, as you can season your meat while your prime rib is still in the refrigerator or when it's coming to room temperature. The difference in flavor won't be too drastic, even if you wait until right before you start cooking your meat. Of course, when in doubt, make a slow-roasted prime rib roast and experiment with different timespans.