The One Ingredient That Makes Martha's Prime Rib the Ultimate Holiday Roast

There are many festive roasts to choose from during the holiday season, and Martha's prime rib roast is one that never misses. It's an impressive main dish you'll see on the table for special occasions—and most often during a Christmas feast. This cut of beef is quite the investment, so when deciding on a recipe, you can't go wrong with Martha's.

Prime rib roasts require some preparation to enhance their flavor, but they rely on minimal ingredients. The real work comes from the temperature and cooking method. Since Martha is trusted for doing the holidays the right way (and beyond), her prime rib roast recipe includes one ingredient you probably haven't seen in other recipes you've encountered online. Ahead, we share how this one ingredient upgrade makes Martha's prime rib the ultimate holiday roast.

Martha's Recipe

Martha's prime rib recipe requires just three ingredients, in addition to salt, pepper, and olive oil. As with many prime rib recipes, an herb mixture is created and rubbed on the beef to season it. Martha combines dried bay leaves, sage, and orange zest to create the blend. If you've made prime rib before, you know that adding orange zest to the mix sounds unfamiliar—but it does wonders for this dish. The rest of the preparation relies on temperature control and precise timing in the oven.

How to Add Orange Zest to a Prime Rib Roast

The amount of meat you have for your roast will determine how much rub you need. Martha's recipe calls for one three-rib roast of beef, trimmed and frenched, and 1/3 cup finely grated orange zest from 2 to 3 oranges.

For a roast this size, finely grate 2 to 3 oranges using a fine cheese grater or zester. Once you have the zest, mix it into the rest of your rub, including the bay leaves, sage, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Rub the mixture all over the beef to coat it completely. Cover the roast and refrigerate it overnight or for up to one day before cooking.

Orange Zest to Herb Ratio

The chopped sage leaves and orange zest are used in a 1-to-1 ratio for this recipe, making the rub easy to assemble. If you prefer another herb in place of sage for your prime rib, feel free to swap it in—just maintain the same 1-to-1 ratio with the orange zest for the best results.

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Why Orange Zest Makes a Difference

• Flavor: Prime rib is a rich and fatty cut of beef, but when seasoned with orange zest, its flavor brightens. A little zest goes a long way—you don't want to overdo it. Because you're using only the zest and not the juice, it won't make the meat taste "orangey." Instead, it enhances the savory sage and bay leaves in the rub.
• Even browning: In addition to enhancing flavor, the orange zest helps create a light crust on the outside of the beef. Because orange zest is low in sugar, it gently aids the browning process on the outer layer where the rub is applied before cooking.