Herb-Crusted Prime Rib with Red Wine Shallot Jus & Ojai Mountain 2022 Syrah

Prep time: 30 minutes (plus 24 to 48 hours dry brine) | Cook time: 4 hours | Total time: 4 hours 30 minutes active | Serves: 6 to 8

Prime Rib Ingredients

The roast

• 1 bone-in standing rib roast, 3 to 4 ribs (6 to 8 lbs.), chine bone removed by the butcher

• 3 tablespoons kosher salt (for dry brine)

• 2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper

The herb crust

• 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

• 6 garlic cloves, finely grated or minced to a paste

• 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped

• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves

• 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

The red wine shallot jus

• 3 large shallots, finely minced

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus 2 tablespoons cold butter to finish

• 1 cup dry red wine (an inexpensive table wine; do not use the 2022 Syrah)

• 2 cups good-quality beef stock

• 2 sprigs fresh thyme

• Pan drippings from the roast

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Substitutions and sourcing notes:

On butcher preparation: Ask the butcher to remove the chine bone (the backbone section) and to tie the rib bones back onto the roast with butcher's twine. This makes carving dramatically easier: you remove the twine, slice between the ribs to remove the bone rack, then carve the roast into individual slices. The bones can be served alongside or saved for stock.

On dry brining: Kosher salt rubbed over the entire surface 24 to 48 hours ahead and refrigerated uncovered is the single most effective preparation step for prime rib. It seasons the meat deeply, draws moisture to the surface which then reabsorbs, and dries the exterior for a better crust. Do not skip this step if time allows.

How to Make Herb-Crusted Prime Rib with Red Wine Shallot Jus

Prime rib is the most time-intensive recipe in the program but also the most forgiving once it is in the oven. The reverse sear method removes almost all of the uncertainty: the low, slow roast produces edge-to-edge medium-rare, and the high-heat finish builds the crust in minutes. The jus takes 15 minutes and happens while the roast rests.

Step 1: Dry brine (24 to 48 hours ahead)

Pat the roast thoroughly dry with paper towels. Rub the kosher salt and black pepper generously over the entire surface, including the bone side and the ends. Place the roast bone-side down on a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Refrigerate uncovered for 24 to 48 hours.

The uncovered refrigeration is intentional: the circulating air dries the exterior further, which is what produces the deep, crackling crust in the final high-heat blast. Do not wrap it.

Step 2: Make the herb crust and apply (day of, 30 minutes before roasting)

Remove the roast from the refrigerator 1 hour before roasting to take the chill off. Cold meat placed in the oven prolongs the low-temperature phase unevenly.

Combine the Dijon mustard, garlic paste, rosemary, thyme, black pepper, and olive oil in a small bowl. Mix well. The paste should be thick and spreadable.

Apply the herb crust generously over the top and sides of the roast, pressing it into the surface. Leave the bone side uncrusted; it will not brown and the crust is wasted there.

Step 3: Reverse sear — low roast (3 to 3.5 hours)

Preheat the oven to 250°F. Place the roast bone-side down in a roasting pan (the bones act as a natural rack). Insert a probe thermometer into the thickest part of the roast, away from any bone.

Roast at 250°F until the internal temperature reaches 120°F for medium-rare. This takes approximately 3 to 3.5 hours for a 6 to 8 lb. roast, but go by temperature, not time. The low temperature produces even cooking from edge to center with no grey band.

Remove the roast from the oven. Transfer to a cutting board and rest for 30 minutes. The temperature will hold or rise slightly during this time. This rest is not optional: it allows the juices to redistribute before the high-heat blast.

Step 4: Reverse sear — high-heat blast (15 minutes)

While the roast rests, increase the oven temperature to 500°F. Allow the oven to fully preheat; this takes 15 to 20 minutes.

Return the roast to the oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until the herb crust is deeply golden and caramelized and the surface is crackling. Watch carefully; the crust can go from perfect to burnt in under 2 minutes at this temperature.

Remove from the oven and rest for 15 minutes before carving. The internal temperature at this point should read 130 to 135°F for medium-rare.

Step 5: Make the red wine shallot jus (15 minutes, while the roast rests)

Pour the pan drippings into a fat separator or a liquid measuring cup. Skim off the fat, reserving 2 tablespoons for the jus. Discard the rest of the fat.

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter with the reserved dripping fat in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the minced shallots and cook, stirring, for 4 to 5 minutes until softened and lightly golden.

Pour in the red wine and scrape up any browned bits. Bring to a boil and reduce by half, about 4 minutes. Add the beef stock, thyme sprigs, and any accumulated juices from the resting roast. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until the jus is slightly reduced and deeply flavored. Taste and adjust with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and swirl in the cold butter to finish with gloss and richness. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a warm pitcher.

Step 6: Carve and serve

Remove the twine from the roast. Slice between the rib bones to remove the bone rack as a single piece. Carve the roast into 1/2-inch to 1-inch slices using a sharp carving knife. Arrange on a warmed platter and serve the jus alongside in the pitcher.

Timing note for hosts: Dry brine 24 to 48 hours ahead. On the day, the roast goes into the oven 4 hours before dinner. The 30-minute rest and 15-minute high-heat blast happen in the final hour. The jus takes 15 minutes during the final rest. Carving takes 5 minutes. This is a dish with a long oven timeline but almost no active work; it runs itself.

Wine Pairing Notes: Ojai Mountain 2022 Syrah

The 2022 Syrah is the most powerful wine in the program: greatest mass and concentration, dense dark fruit, and broader mid-palate amplitude than either the 2021 or 2023. Prime rib cooked via reverse sear and finished with a high-heat crust produces a dish with the kind of weight and rendered-fat richness that needs exactly that level of wine presence.

The red wine shallot jus is the pairing mechanism. Its reduction of wine, shallot, and beef stock mirrors the wine's savory structure; the cold butter finish adds gloss and a slight richness that softens the wine's tannins at the moment of contact. The herb crust of rosemary, thyme, and black pepper echoes the wine's savory aromatic profile, creating continuity between glass and plate.

What makes this the right Syrah vintage for prime rib: The 2021 Syrah's precision would be overwhelmed by the roast's mass. The 2023's lifted, approachable character would disappear next to the rendered fat. The 2022's density is the correct match: it has the concentration to hold its own through a full carved portion and a second pour.

Decant for 30 to 45 minutes. The 2022 Syrah benefits significantly from air; its fruit opens and its tannins soften with time. Open it before the roast goes into its high-heat blast.

Serving temperature: 64 to 67°F. This is the warmest serving temperature in the program, appropriate for the vintage's density and the richness of the dish. If the bottle has been in a warm room, 5 minutes in the refrigerator corrects any excess warmth.

At the table: Pour as the roast rests after the high-heat blast. By the time the jus is made and the carving is done, the wine will have opened fully. Serve in large-bowled glasses; the 2022 Syrah needs room to breathe even after decanting.