The Easiest-Ever Holiday Roast

Canal House Cooks Every Day | Roast Prime Rib of Beef Every once in a while, a recipe comes along with such stunning simplicity it makes us wonder how we've managed to make cooking so complicated. And when it comes to holiday entertaining—long guest lists, crowded grocery stories and a kitchen as busy as a bus station—we need all the help we can get.

Enter what will be your go-to holiday roast. A stately sight to behold, this roast prime rib (from the handsome cookbook Canal House Cooks Every Day, itself a testament to the "simple is best" philosophy) looks impressive but calls for three ingredients and two anything-but-taxing steps. Leaving you the calm presence of mind to care for other pressing holiday concerns, like cookie-baking and finding the perfect sequin dress for New Year's Eve.

Tips to keep holiday entertaining stress-free

Authors Christopher Hirsheimer and Melissa Hamilton prefer to roast large cuts of meat like this at a low temperature, "the gentle heat cooks them evenly throughout (which means beautifully rosy-pink slices of beef)." With such a foolproof method, there's no need to be intimidated by this kingly cut of meat. This is a recipe that yields excellent results that belie its effortlessness. Don't you just love when that happens?

Canal House Cooks Every Day | Roast Prime Rib of Beef
Roast Prime Rib of Beef
from Canal House Cooks Every Day
Serves 8-10

1 prime rib roast of beef, 8-12 pounds, tied between the ribs
Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Generously season the roast all over with salt and pepper. Heat a heavy skillet large enough to accommodate the roast and sear the meaty sides until they are nicely browned, 5-10 minutes.

Transfer the roast to a large roasting pan, rib side down, and roast in the oven until the internal temperature reaches 120 degrees for rare, 130-135 degrees for medium-rare, or 140 degrees for medium, 3-4 1/2 hours. Transfer the roast beef to a carving board or a warm serving platter and let it rest for 30 minutes. Remove the string before carving.