Even the most seasoned chef is impressed with a delicious piece of prime rib. Compared to other cuts, prime rib is more succulent and has superior flavour and texture. However, as it’s a pricey cut of meat, you want to ensure that however you prepare it, it results in a crowd-pleasing dish that will have everyone clamouring for seconds before finishing their first serving.

However, preparation is half the battle.

Choose a well-marbled prime rib — the more marbled the cut, the juicier, more flavourful, and tender it will be. Also, if possible, choose a piece of meat with the bone in it. Bones offer insulation, and the meat around them cooks slower than the rest of the roast. The sections nearest the bones will be extra-tender and juicy. Always season an hour before roasting; ensure to slather with seasoned butter (garlic, cracked black pepper, rosemary and thyme) and roast atop onions, heads of garlic, and more herbs.

For roasting, some folks believe in starting the roast in an oven preheated to the highest temperature setting to develop a delicious sear. However, others believe in the reverse sear method, which, as the name suggests, is cooking at a low temperature for hours. Before it reaches the desired level of doneness, the oven is cranked up to the highest temperature, and the roast continues to cook for 10 minutes. Remember the roast has to rest before serving, and as it rests, it continues to cook. Therefore, you should remove the roast from the oven at around five degrees from the desired internal temperature. As it rests, the internal temp will continue to rise, reaching the desired temperature. Chef’s tip: An instant-read digital thermometer gives the most accurate reading.

Here’s a handy Butcher Block-approved guide, followed by a recipe for amazingly delicious prime rib with red wine sauce.