How Long To Cook Prime Rib At 350°F

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Thinking about cooking your prime rib at 350°F? This higher temperature falls into the “hot and fast” style of BBQ — a method that gets your roast on the table quicker while still delivering great flavor. It does come with a few trade-offs, but for many cooks, the shorter cooking time is worth it.

The big question, of course, is timing: how long should you cook a prime rib at 350°F to reach your perfect level of doneness?

Below, you’ll find a simple breakdown of the exact cooking times you need, from rare to well-done.

How Long to Cook Prime Rib At 350°F Per Pound For Medium 

To get medium prime rib you need to cook it for 20 minutes per pound at 350°F  This level of doneness is what I usually go for as there is still a pink center and the fat has time to render.

How Long to Cook Prime Rib At 350°F Per Pound For Rare

To get a rare prime rib you need to cook it for 15 minutes per pound at 350°F.

How Long to Cook Prime Rib At 350°F Per Pound For Well Done

To get a well-done prime rib you need to cook it for 25 minutes per pound at 350°F.

Example Of Cooking A 8-Pound Rib Roast Medium

Let’s say your prime meat cuts weigh 8 pounds and you prefer medium doneness. An 8-pound roast will take 160 minutes at 350°F. (2.6 hours)

Ensuring Accurate Cook Times: 6 Things You Must Know

Now that we know how to calculate the cooking time, how can we make sure we’re as accurate as possible? There are six key things that help you dial in your timing and get consistently perfect results.

1. Know The Exact Weight 

Make sure you know the exact weight of the rib roast. This will be on the packaging if you got it in the store.

I recommend you buy fresh and free range from a butcher. Always confirm the weight with them on purchase. You will also need to know how many people your cooking for, this dictates how much prime rib you need to cook.

2. Meat Grading & Trimming The Fat Cap

Prime rib comes of from the standing rib roast, which located in the rib cage of a cow. These cuts of meat that contain a high percentage of fat. This is not a bad thing and part of why it tastes so good!

Prime ribs are graded on the amount of intramuscular fat which gives tastier juices and a rich flavor.

The subcutaneous fat (outside cap) can stop the meat proteins from cooking so you want to get it trimmed to 1/2 an inch. This cut can be an expensive roast to cook.

Especially if you buy USDA choice prime-grade beef.

So do it right!

3. Bone-In Or Bone-Out?

A boneless roast contains more meat per weight than a bone-in roast. A bone-in roast may also take longer to cook than a boneless rib roast as the heat has to penetrate the rib bones. 

Factor in whether or not you are cooking bone-in or out when estimating timings as this can affect your prime rib roast recipe. You will find that the string is usually left on the prime rib when cooking a bone-in roast.

By making the meat dry from overcooking as you didn’t factor in the weight of the bone.

Note: You can make some declious stocks and soups with the prime rib bones you chose to remove them

4. Indirect Or Direct Heat?

350°F is a high temperature for cooking cuts of beef which should be done with indirect heat and covered with foil.

This will allow for the fat and connective to render during the roasting time resulting in tender muscle fibers (meat) and the reintroduction of natural juices. The layer of foil will protect it from burning.

5. Forming A Crust From The Fat Cap With Direct Heat

Remember of that layer of fat on the cap? A sign of perfectly executed rib roasts is a well-browned crust by pan-sealing the entire roast with a bit of kosher salt to develop an outer crust from the fat.

This locks in juices and removes surface moisture for your rib roast recipe for the ultimate roast beef-eating experience.

You can also try a reverse sear on the outer layer of fat which is the same as above, just after it has cooked through!

6. Resting & Carryover Cooking Process

Cover the roast with foil or butcher paper while it rests — the internal temperature will rise by about 10°F during this time, a natural process known as carryover cooking. For this reason, remove the prime rib from your oven or grill a little before it reaches your ideal final temperature.

Keep the meat thermometer in place so you can monitor the rise as it rests.
Resting is essential for juicy, evenly cooked meat — plan for about 10 minutes per pound. Remove the foil or paper just a few minutes before carving, and it’s ready to serve.

A reliable meat thermometer is arguably the most important tool for nailing your cook time. Make sure you’re using a properly calibrated temperature probe so you can monitor the internal temperature accurately throughout the cook.

These digital probes sit inside the meat while it cooks and give you real-time updates, helping you stay in control. Remember, temperature—not time—is the true indicator of doneness.

Because cooking times can vary based on the size of the roast, your oven or grill, and even the weather, there’s no perfectly exact timing. That’s why an instant-read thermometer is the safest and most accurate way to know when your prime rib is cooked to perfection.

What Internal Cooking Temperature Does The Meat Need To Be?

Below is the temperature chart before the consumption of a rib of beef based on the preferred levels of doneness. Remember that the cooked temp of your meat can vary based on things like a thicker crust, grade of beef, or pound of bone.

Internal Temperature Gradients For Doneness 

• Rare – 125°F on a meat thermomoeter.
• Medium – 135°F on a meat thermometer.
• Welldone – 155°F on a meat thermometer

Smoke On!

Charlie

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