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You might be skeptical about cooking prime rib in the air fryer, but get ready to be surprised! Air Fryer Prime Rib Roast is juicy, succulent, and perfectly cooked. Best of all, it's low effort, uses only 4 ingredients, and takes a fraction of the time most prime rib recipes need!
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Air Fryer Prime Rib
If you had told me a few years ago I could make a gorgeous, perfectly cooked prime rib roast in under 2 hours using an air fryer, I would not have believed you. It sounds too good to be true when you're used to cooking prime rib in a traditional oven!
But that's just it: you can air fry prime rib quickly and beautifully, and it takes hardly any effort. If you're intimidated by the idea of overcooking that expensive prime rib roast, then let the air fryer do the work for you, and stop worrying!
All you have to do is season the roast, place it in the air fryer, and check it every now and then with a meat thermometer. It couldn't be more simple! The outside of the prime rib turns out with a delectable crust, while the inside remains tender and juicy.
Air Fryer Prime Rib Roast Ingredients
- Prime Rib: This air fryer prime rib roast recipe is for a boneless rib roast. Bone-in roasts are most likely going to be too large to fit in the average air fryer, and the cooking times will vary. Please make sure your prime rib will fit in your air fryer before purchasing!
- Seasoning: I'm using a mix of kosher salt, black pepper, dried rosemary, and garlic powder. You can also use fresh rosemary and crushed garlic cloves. Simple seasoning is best for a prime rib roast to emphasize the naturally flavorful beef. I recommend kosher salt or sea salt flakes, as they give the best flavor. Avoid using fine table salt. You can also try other herbs that pair well with rib roast, such as thyme.
How to Air Fry Prime Rib
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. As it heats, rest your prime rib roast on a cutting board and pat it dry with paper towels. Sprinkle the roast generously on all sides with salt, pepper, rosemary, and garlic powder. Pat the seasoning down into the meat.
- Spray the air fryer tray with oil. Place the prime rib roast on the tray and air fry at 400°F for 8 minutes to sear the roast and lock in the juices. Then, lower the temperature to 300°F and air fry for 70 minutes. Check the internal temperature every 20 minutes using a meat thermometer and follow my Prime Rib Temp Chart.
- As soon as the roast reaches 5 degrees below your desired degree of doneness, pull it from the air fryer and leave it to rest, tented under foil, for 15 minutes before slicing. For medium-rare, this means taking it out of the air fryer at 130°F. See below for more temps.
- After resting, carve and serve. Enjoy!
Prime Rib Air Fryer Tips
- Before cooking prime rib, let it come to room temperature. This ensures the beef cooks evenly all of the way through.
- Before you slice it, let the roast rest for at least 15 minutes. This locks in the juices and also finishes cooking the roast at the final 5 degrees.
- I used an air fryer with a tray. If you have an air fryer basket or a smaller air fryer in general, make sure the roast will fit.
- An instant-read thermometer is the only way to ensure your roast is done accurately.
- Never use a pressurized cooking spray in your air fryer, as these sprays often have additives that break down the non-stick coating. Use a pure oil spray, such as olive oil or avocado oil.
Isabel's Air Fryer
It's amazing what you can cook with an air fryer! I love mine and highly recommend it. It even has a steaming function to re-hydrate stale bread!
photo courtesy of Our Place
Prime Rib Temperature
| Desired Temperature | Degree of Doneness |
|---|---|
| 125°F | Rare |
| 135°F | Medium-rare |
| 145°F | Medium |
| 150°F | Medium-well |
| 160°F | Well-done |
Storing Leftovers
Store leftover prime rib in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5 to 7 days. Reheat gently for best results. You can also freeze cooked prime rib. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil, and store for up to 6 months in the freezer.
Sauces for Prime Rib
Prime rib is the perfect cut of beef to serve with a creamy dipping sauce on the side. I love this recipe most with my horseradish sauce when serving for holiday dinners and special occasions, or with alfredo sauce penne pasta for using up leftovers!
FAQ
It's best to cook prime rib first at a high temperature to sear it, and then at a low temperature over a long period of time to slowly cook it. In the case of air fryer prime rib, the roast cooks for under 2 hours at a temperature of 300°F. Cooking it at a higher temperature runs the risk of drying out the beef.
Uncooked prime rib lasts about 3-5 days in the refrigerator when stored properly at a temperature of under 40°F. Store it tightly wrapped in plastic in a dish to prevent it from dripping. See my guide on Dry Aged Prime Rib for more info and in-depth tips.
For a roast of this size, you should only need to leave it out for about 30 minutes to 1 hour before it reaches room temperature.
What to Serve with Air Fryer Prime Rib
- Scalloped Potatoes: My scalloped potatoes are not only easy to make, they're so tasty and creamy! Perfect for serving with prime rib.
- Creamed Spinach: Just like your favorite steakhouse, creamed spinach is an amazing side dish for prime rib and easy to make while your prime rib is in the air fryer.
- Garlic Green Beans: Made in the Instant Pot, these garlic-seasoned green beans are a wonderful side for prime rib as well as being easy and quick to make.
- Popovers: Classic popovers made using beef drippings are great for soaking up sauces with prime rib.
- Brussels Sprouts: You can make these brussels sprouts in the air fryer, too!
Prime Rib Recipes
See my guide on How to Cook Prime Rib for a comprehensive walkthrough on cooking prime rib!
My air fryer prime rib recipe will impress you! Even though it's very easy to make even for beginners and uses hardly any ingredients, it's so juicy and tender with the perfect crust on the outside. I know you're going to love every bite!
Air Fryer Prime Rib Roast
Ingredients
- 3 pound boneless prime rib - do not use bone-in
- 1 Tablespoon kosher salt - or sea salt flakes
- ½ Tablespoon pepper - freshly cracked black pepper is best
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary - or 3 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
- ½ Tablespoon garlic powder - or fresh crushed garlic cloves to taste
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 400°F. As it heats, rest your prime rib roast on a cutting board and pat it dry with paper towels. Sprinkle the roast generously on all sides with salt, pepper, rosemary, and garlic powder. Pat the seasoning down into the meat.3 pound boneless prime rib,1 Tablespoon kosher salt,½ Tablespoon pepper,1 teaspoon dried rosemary,½ Tablespoon garlic powder
- Spray the air fryer tray with oil. Place the prime rib roast on the tray and air fry at 400°F for 8 minutes to sear the roast and lock in the juices. Then, lower the temperature to 300°F and air fry for 70 minutes. Check the internal temperature every 20 minutes using a meat thermometer.
- As soon as the roast reaches 5 degrees below your desired degree of doneness, pull it from the air fryer and leave it to rest for 15 minutes before slicing. For medium-rare, this means taking it out of the air fryer at 130°F. See below for more temps.
- After resting, carve and serve. Enjoy!
Notes
- Before cooking prime rib, let it come to room temperature. This ensures the beef cooks evenly all of the way through.
- Before you slice it, let the roast rest at least 15 minutes. This locks in the juices and also finishes cooking the roast the final 5 degrees.
- I used an air fryer with a tray. If you have an air fryer basket, or a smaller air fryer in general, make sure the roast will fit.
- An instant-read thermometer is the only way to ensure your roast is done accurately.
- Never use a cooking spray like PAM in your air fryer, as these sprays often have additives that break down the non-stick coating. Use a pure oil spray, such as olive oil or avocado oil.
Patricia Rourke says
Since I'm by myself I try to find small standing prime rib roasts about 3 pounds. Managed to locate a beauty and stumbled on this recipe.Followed the cooking directions to a T but altered the seasoning by using McCormick Montreal steak seasoning. If I could give 10 stars I would as it came out perfectly medium rare after letting it rest. Thank you...I'll be using it again and again!
Isabel Laessig says
That's fantastic, Patricia! I'm so happy you enjoyed it - thank you!
Kimberly A Knippel says
Can I ask why not to use bone in? The bones the best part!
Isabel Laessig says
Hi Kimberly! It's just a matter of size. If you're able to fit a bone-in prime rib in your air fryer, go for it! I haven't had any luck fitting a bone-in roast in mine.