Made with a bone-in beef rib roast, Montreal steak seasoning, and a garlicky herb butter, this standing rib roast cooks low and slow in the oven for tender, juicy slices from end to end. A simple dry brine, long rest, and quick high-heat finish give you steak-house flavor at home without complicated steps. Perfect as a holiday centerpiece or a special Sunday dinner.

A plate of sliced standing rib roast and creamy mashed potatoes sits on a table with a fork and knife. A glass of red wine, a bottle, and a rustic pot of dried flowers are in the background. — *A show-stopping standing rib roast that slices cleanly and stays juicy, no guesswork required.*

A Restaurant-Worthy Dinner At Home

Standing Rib Roast with Herbed Butter is what you make when you want steak-level flavor in a showy roast. A dry brine, slow oven, long rest, and quick sear at the end work together to give you tender, juicy slices from end to end.

This is the recipe that you make when you want to impress. As long as you have a meat thermometer, you can’t mess it up.

It’s not hard to make a standing rib roast, it just takes a little planning. You need to season the roast a day ahead, stir together a big batch of garlicky herb butter, and let the oven do the rest. The meat cooks low and slow until it’s pink all the way through, rests so the juices soak in, then you blast it with high heat at the very end for that deep, browned crust.

Warm Up Your Winter: Southern Classics!

Most steak recipes call for searing at the beginning, but my husband likes to sear at the end and this method works perfectly for a large piece of meat like this rib roast.

That herbed butter is what gives the roast a luxurious flavor. Half of it goes all over the roast, into every nook and cranny, where it melts down into the meat as it cooks. The rest goes into the freezer, where it’s waiting for garlic bread, vegetables, baked potatoes, chicken, fish, almost anything.(If you don’t want leftover garlic butter, just cut it in half – but trust me, you’ll want to put this butter on everything!)

Serve it as the centerpiece with simple sides that can soak up all those pan juices. Flaky buttermilk biscuits can bake while the steak rests and creamy mashed potatoes can cook on the stove. If you have two ovens, there is nothing better than some au gratin potatoes with a standing roast.

A plate with two slices of medium-rare standing rib roast and a serving of creamy mashed potatoes, topped with cracked black pepper. A knife and fork rest on the plate.

The Lineup for Roast and Herbed Butter

You can find the full ingredient list with exact amounts in the recipe card at the bottom, but here are a few notes before you get started.

Beef rib roast: Look for a 2 to 3-rib roast, bone-in. Your butcher can trim and tie it for you so it cooks evenly and is easier to carve. If you are feeding an even larger crowd, the recipe makes enough butter for a 6 lb roast.
Montreal steak seasoning: This gives you a nice mix of salt, pepper, and spices without having to measure a bunch of things. Any similar steak seasoning blend works here.
Garlic and shallot: Fresh garlic and a finely chopped shallot melt into the butter and add a deep savory flavor. Pre-minced garlic is not ideal for this.

Bringing Your Standing Rib Roast to the Table

Step One: Dry Brine the Roast

A raw, seasoned standing rib roast is tied with string and sits on white parchment paper next to an open container of Montreal steak seasoning. — Pat the roast dry and rub it all over with the steak seasoning.

Step Two: Make the Herbed Butter

Butter tip: If your butter is still a little firm, let the bowl sit on the counter for a few minutes. Stir again so it is easy to spread.

A close-up of a cutting board with a pile of chopped shallots and rosemary next to a kitchen knife, ready to season a standing rib roast. — Chop the garlic, shallot, and rosemary.

A glass mixing bowl contains chopped shallots, butter, dried herbs, and seasoning for a standing rib roast, with a wooden spoon resting inside. The ingredients are ready to be mixed. — Add the garlic, shallot, rosemary, Dijon, pepper, lemon zest, and lemon juice to the softened butter.

A glass bowl filled with mixed dough containing herbs and seasonings sits on a gray textured surface. A pink spatula with a wooden handle rests in the dough, ready to complement your standing rib roast. — Mix until smooth and combined.

Step Three: Coat the Roast in Herbed Butter

A standing rib roast coated with a thick layer of seasoned herb and spice butter sits on a sheet of white parchment paper, ready to be cooked. — Take the butter and rub it all over the roast with clean hands, covering the top, sides, and ends.

Step Four: Slow Roast in the Oven

A cooked, seasoned standing rib roast is resting on a black roasting rack inside a metal roasting pan, with juices collected at the bottom of the pan. — Place the buttered roast on a rack set inside a roasting pan fat side up. Slide it into the oven.

// This is the roasting pan I’ve been using for years //

Step Five: Slice and Serve

A plate with several slices of medium-rare standing rib roast sits on a beige napkin, next to a knife and fork. A bottle of wine and a folded gray napkin are visible in the background. — Slice between the bones or into thick, steak-like slices.

If you want a roast that looks impressive but cooks predictably, this standing rib roast delivers every time. The herbed butter does the heavy lifting, and the simple method gives you tender, juicy slices every time.

A collage of four cooked dishes, with text reading "Just getting started in the kitchen? Shop my favorite cooking essentials to help find everything you’ll need!" and icons of a shopping cart and whisk at the bottom.

If you loved this recipe, give it a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating! Also, snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #butterandbaggage and tagging me @butterandbaggage.

A plate with a thick slice of medium-rare standing rib roast and a serving of mashed potatoes, sprinkled with black pepper. In the background, there is a glass of red wine and cutlery on a napkin.

Oven-Roasted Standing Rib Roast with Garlic Herb Butter

Author: Barbara Curry

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PREP: 15

COOK: 4

Chill Time: 1

TOTAL: 1 4 15

Servings:

Ingredients

▢ 5-6 lbs beef rib roast 2-3 ribs
▢ ¼ cup Montreal Steak Seasoning
▢ 2 cups unsalted butter softened
▢ 1 head of garlic minced
▢ 1 shallot finely chopped
▢ 6 rosemary springs finely chopped, about ¼ cup
▢ 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
▢ 1 tablespoon black pepper
▢ 1 lemon zest and juice

Equipment

Roasting Pan

Meat Thermometer

Instructions

24 hours before cooking, rub the roast with Montreal steak seasoning. Refrigerate uncovered for 24 hours. Remove and let it come to room temperature before cooking. Preheat the oven to 250º.

Herbed butter

Add softened butter to a large bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix them into the butter with a rubber spatula until they are fully combined. Divide in half and freeze half of it for future use.
Take the other half of the butter and rub it all over the roast covering all of the sides. Place on a rack in a roasting pan and place uncovered in the preheated oven. Bake until a meat thermometer reaches 130º in the center for medium rare. About 3-4 hours.
Remove from the oven and tent with aluminum foil. Let it rest for 30 minutes. While it is resting, turn a grill up to 500º. In the alternative, you can use the oven on broil. Sear each side on the grill, about 2 minutes on each side. Remove and slice right away.

Barbara’s Tips + Notes

Storage

Store: Once the roast has cooled, slice whatever you think you will use over the next couple of days and place the pieces in an airtight container. Refrigerate and reheat gently in a low oven or in a covered skillet so the meat warms through without overcooking.
Freeze: For longer storage, wrap individual slices tightly in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer bag, pressing out as much air as you can. Thaw in the refrigerator, then warm the slices in a covered dish in a low oven, adding a spoonful of broth or pan juices if you have them.

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