Is Prime Rib Worth It? | Cook's Illustrated (2024)

FAQs

Is Prime Rib Worth It? | Cook's Illustrated? ›

Prime Grade versus Choice Grade

Prime rib is comparatively expensive because it's a highly desirable, highly delectable cut of meat that's known for being very juicy, flavorful, and tender. It's also a case of supply and demand — prime rib roasts are much more limited in number, while individually cut ribeye steaks are more plentiful.

The prime rib is well-marbled throughout its meat, meaning that it has a decent amount of fat content that renders down as it cooks to keep the beef tender.

Prime rib's name is a misnomer because it contains the word "prime." All prime rib is not prime grade steak, the highest rating assigned to steak based on heavy, even marbling (which makes for incredibly tender results). You can buy prime grade prime rib at a premium from high-end butchers.

Why Is Prime Rib So Special? Prime rib has a large "eye" of meat in the center, which is juicy, tender, and marbled with fat. Surrounded by a thick cap of fat, fat-marbled muscle encircles the "eye." The prime rib, a muscle not heavily used, is tender, juicy, and extremely flavorful.

Succulent Flavor: Prime Rib is cherished for its succulent and tender texture. When cooked to perfection, the meat practically melts in your mouth, leaving behind a rich, meaty flavor that lingers on the palate.

Overcooking the Prime Rib

That's why prime rib is so expensive: it's a huge piece of extremely good beef. Therefore, it's important not to cook it beyond medium-rare. Going past that temperature means the roast will no longer be tender.

It's impossible to crown one cut the winner. Whether ribeye or prime rib is the better pick depends entirely on the occasion! These two choices may come from the same cut of beef, but they're not interchangeable; ribeyes and prime rib roasts are cooked differently and serve different purposes.

Choose a rib roast that has a bright color with milky white fat. Avoid dull-colored meat and yellow fat. Also, look for even fat distribution and a good layer of fat around the ends. This isn't the time to look for the leaner cuts.

We prefer bone-in prime rib because the bone insulates the meat as it cooks and produces more flavorful and tender results, but we suggest buying the type that is called for in the recipe you are using. The primary benefit of getting boneless is ease of carving.

Is prime rib better than ribeye? ›

It's impossible to crown one cut the winner. Whether ribeye or prime rib is the better pick depends entirely on the occasion! These two choices may come from the same cut of beef, but they're not interchangeable; ribeyes and prime rib roasts are cooked differently and serve different purposes.

Shop smarter with this beef cut that tastes like a premium roast. Top loin roast, which comes from the short loin in the middle of the cow's back, is the roast that generates strip steaks (it's also called “strip roast”).

Prime ribs often cost more due to the fact that they have more marbling and flavor. If you have intentions on cooking the meat yourself, you may find it a bit difficult to get prime rib.

Since prime ribs and ribeye steaks come from the same primal cut of beef, the difference in their flavors comes from the way they are cooked. Prime ribs are seared and then roasted slowly under low heat, making them more tender, while ribeyes are grilled quickly over high heat, making them more charred.