Prime rib is a holiday favorite, and it’s not at all difficult to prepare. The cut can be roasted, grilled and even smoked. With a Viking indoor or outdoor kitchen, this juicy prime rib crusted with coarse salt and herbs will make you look like a professional chef.

Use the Viking C4 to slowly smoke-roast your prime rib, or cook it on your Viking Outdoor Grill. If the weather outside is "frightful," as a favorite holiday song describes, head indoors and roast your prime rib in your Viking range or wall oven. Instructions for all three methods are included here.

Serve your prime rib with Boursin Mashed Potatoes and Green Beans Vinaigrette with Pine Nuts (both recipes are available on this site) for a memorable holiday meal. Leftover prime rib makes amazing sandwiches. I like to slice the meat thinly and heat it briefly in a skillet or under the broiler, and then top with a slice of brie or camembert cheese, layer with roasted red bell peppers and serve on ciabatta bread spread with garlicky mayonnaise.

Roast

• 1 3-rib standing prime rib roast, 5 to 6 pounds*
• 1/4 cup peeled garlic cloves, quartered
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup coarse sea or kosher salt
• 1/4 cup coarsely ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• Red Wine Jus (see below)

Use a sharp paring knife to make small slits all over the meaty side of the roast. Insert a sliver of garlic in the slits, until all garlic is used. Rub the roast with the olive oil, then sprinkle with the salt, pepper, rosemary and thyme. Rest meat at room temperature for 30 minutes.

To Smoke-roast in the Viking C4

In addition to the roast and ingredients above you will need 1 handful apple, oak or pecan wood chunks and water. Place wood chunks in a bowl, cover with water and soak. Preheat C4 to 250 to 275 degrees.

While the C4 heats up, heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until very hot, about 5 minutes. Add roast and sear on all sides. Open the C4 canopy and sprinkle some of the wood chunks over the hot coals. Place grate in C4. Place the skillet with the roast in the C4. Close the canopy. Close top damper almost completely and bottom damper halfway. Cook for 1 ½ to 2 hours. Check the internal temperature of the roast every 20 minutes with an instant-read or digital meat thermometer once the meat reaches 90 degrees, until internal temperature reaches 125 degrees for rare, 135-140 for medium rare. Add additional wood chunks halfway through cooking time. Remove skillet and roast from C4, using heavy pot holders and being very careful to avoid being burned. Place roast on a cutting board and allow to rest while you prepare the Jus. When ready to carve, use a sharp knife to remove the ribs, and then slice as thin or thick as you like.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

To Prepare Roast on the Viking Outdoor Grill Rotisserie

Using a boneless rib roast, prepare roast as directed above and let rest for 30 minutes. Slide one of the rotisserie forks onto the rotisserie rod. Slide the roast onto the rod and secure with the second fork. Tighten the forks and place the rotisserie attachment on the grill. Place a foil pan under the roast, turn the rotisserie burner on medium high and cook for 1 to 1 ½ hours, until internal temperature is 125 degrees for rare, 135-140 for medium rare. Let the roast rest for 10 to 15 minutes before carving.

To Oven-Roast in a Viking Range or Wall Oven

Prepare the roast as directed above, place roast bone-side down on broiler pan with rack and let rest for 30 minutes. Place oven rack on lowest position. Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Roast for 45 minutes, reduce oven temperature to 325 and roast until internal temperature reaches 125 degrees for rare, 135-140 for medium rare, about 45 minutes to 1 hour longer. Let rest 10 to 15 minutes before carving.

Red Wine Jus

• Drippings from cooking the roast
• 1 cup red wine
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• Sea or kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Carefully drain drippings from the cast iron skillet, foil pan or broiler pan into a measuring cup. Spoon off and discard the fat, leaving the beefy broth in the cup. Pour broth into a saucepan, add red wine and bring to a boil. Simmer until reduced slightly. Add rosemary and thyme and season to taste with the salt and pepper.

Makes 1 1/2 cups of Jus.

*Have butcher remove bones if cooking on the Viking Outdoor Grill Rotisserie