Here is the one I use all of the time. Just made it again on Christmas Eve and it's always a big hit.
Prime Rib Roast for a Small Crowd
6 servings
Time: About 1 ½ hours, largely unattended
This is a simple roasting technique: high heat to sear the meat, lower
heat to cook it through. If you want a really crisp exterior, turn the
heat back to 450F for a few minutes right at the end of cooking: this
won't affect the internal temperature too much.
1 (3rib) roast, about 5 pounds, trimmed of excess but not all fat
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 or 2 cloves garlic
1 cup red wine, stock, or water
1. Bring the meat to room temperature by removing it from the
refrigerator at least one hour before cooking, preferably two.
Preheat the over to 450F.
2. Place the meat, bone side down, in a large roasting pan. Season it
with the salt and pepper. If you like garlic, peel the cloves and
cut them into tiny slivers; use a boning or paring knife to poke
small holes in the meat and insert the garlic into them.
3. Place the roast in the mover and cook for 15 minutes, undisturbed.
Turn the heat down to 350F and continue to roast for about 1 hour;
check in several places with a meat thermometer. When no spot checks
in under 125F (120F if you like your meat really rare and your guests
are of the same mentality), the meat is rare; cook another 5 or 10
minutes if you like it better done, then check it again, but in no
case let the temperature of the meat go above 155F.
4. Remove the meat from the oven and let it rest and cover with foil.
Pour off all but a few tablespoons of the fat and place the roasting
pan over a burner set to high. Add the liquid and cook, stirring and
scraping up any brown bits, until it is reduced by half. Slice the
roast and serve, splashing a little of the sauce on the meat platter
and passing the rest at the table.
Prime Rib for a Big Crowd:
With bigger roasts, 5 ribs or more, make sure to allow plenty of time to
let the meat reach room temperature. In step 2, use more garlic if you
like. In step 3, increase initial browning time to 20 minutes. After
that, cooking instructions remain the same, and cooking time will be only
marginally longer, but be sure to use an instant-read thermometer in
several different places to check the meat. Increase the liquid in step 4
to at least 2 cups.