Prime Rib vs Rib Eye

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357mag

Smoke Blower
Original poster
Jun 21, 2010
149
65
Piedmont Triad of NC
What is the difference between prime rib and rib eye? In other words, if I have a whole uncut rib eye, would that be the same as a prime rib?
 
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(from let's talk steak) The difference between the Rib Eye and the Prime Rib is the way it’s prepared. The Rib Eye is cut from the rib section before cooking, while Prime Rib is cut from the Rib Roast after it has cooked. They are both from the rib roast.

 and just because it's called prime rib does not mean that it is prime grade or even choice.
 
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First off prime rib and rib eye are the same cut of meat like bob (Eman) says. If youbuy a bone in or bone out it's the same meat. So of can get it for a good price go for it. We cam get it in fla for maybe 5.99lb.
 
standing rib roast

f61ed732_standingribroast.jpg


rib eye roast

fcd7b8ed_ribeyeroast.jpg


They are both cut from the same cut; the standing rib roast has the rib and backbones left on, the rib eye roast has them removed.  The body of meat is the same cut, just how it's trimmed or not trimmed.

sorry, had to edit it... gotta have some cooked pics... yummm...

b11c81d4_PrimeRibRoast3.jpg
7592c630_ribcooked.jpg


a0e54f8b_standingcooked.jpg
d713afa0_ribeyecooked.jpg
 
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(from let's talk steak) The difference between the Rib Eye and the Prime Rib is the way it’s prepared. The Rib Eye is cut from the rib section before cooking, while Prime Rib is cut from the Rib Roast after it has cooked. They are both from the rib roast.

 and just because it's called prime rib does not mean that it is prime grade or even choic
As far as I know > What he said.
 
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But in order to be "prime rib", doesn't it HAVE to be from a prime grade beef? Otherwise it would just be choice rib or choice rib eye, no?. It usually carries a price tag as if it were cut from prime grade beef.

I know some meatcutters will label cuts of meats with a little spin to get them to sell. Like a London broil is preperation for flank steak but you see a round steak in the package..
PDT_Armataz_01_27.gif
 
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But in order to be "prime rib", doesn't it HAVE to be from a prime grade beef? Otherwise it would just be choice rib or choice rib eye, no?. It usually carries a price tag as if it were cut from prime grade beef.

I know some meatcutters will label cuts of meats with a little spin to get them to sell. Like a London broil is preperation for flank steak but you see a round steak in the package..
PDT_Armataz_01_27.gif
Yes actually, but most people, including me call it "Prime Rib" in general, kinda like everybody calls kitchen counter top laminate---"formica", even if it's not "Formica". 

If you look closely, "Pops", that sly fox didn't get caught in that trap. He was wise enough to call it "Standing Rib Roast".
 
But in order to be "prime rib", doesn't it HAVE to be from a prime grade beef? Otherwise it would just be choice rib or choice rib eye, no?. It usually carries a price tag as if it were cut from prime grade beef.

I know some meatcutters will label cuts of meats with a little spin to get them to sell. Like a London broil is preperation for flank steak but you see a round steak in the package..
PDT_Armataz_01_27.gif
If you read the last line of my original reply , It states that, It doesn't have to be prime or even choice to be labeled prime rib.

 I buy most of my beef and pork from one butcher at one store. they sell mostly angus choice beef. I can get choice grade from them for a better price than select grade at other places.

 then you have winn dixe and albertsons who offer (certifed beef)  or (WD Brand) for very high prices but can't (won't) tell me what the actual grade is???
 
 
 If you read the last line of my original reply , It states that, It doesn't have to be prime or even choice to be labeled prime rib.
 I buy most of my beef and pork from one butcher at one store. they sell mostly angus choice beef. I can get choice grade from them for a better price than select grade at other places.

 then you have winn dixe and albertsons who offer (certifed beef)  or (WD Brand) for very high prices but can't (won't) tell me what the actual grade is???
 I'm not arguing here. I understand that sliced rib roast is commonly known as prime rib, my point is that it isn't really prime rib unless it's infact prime rib.

 My Albertson's here is an LLC store and they only carry choice meat. I've never seen them label a rib roast, either standing or not, as prime rib. I can, however, go to Midwestern Meats nearby and select from a wide variety of prime cuts and in fact, get a prime rib, If I have 80-90 dollars in my pocket.
 
There's enough meat cut identification on this site, if the search function is used.

When I went to meat cutting school we learned a primal cut rib has seven bones. The short ribs and the chine bone are removed. Now you have a full rib. Next you trim as much as required.

Then one either bones and rolls it or cuts the the chuck end two bones roast off. That is a standing rib, the rest is prime rib because it is the first five bones. Confused yet? The counting of bones reverses as soon as the primal cut is removed from the front. A rib-eye is the fully cap removed dorsal major muscle which is the same muscle as a loin steak. A rib-eye is a cut and is identical to a NY strip. That is the reason it is called a Delmonico. There are regional differences in nomenclature and cutting but, you cannot have a rib-eye bone-in. That is a rib steak.

You can argue all you like but, that is the way it is. A dead give-away for standing rib is short bones. When buying a prime rib roast, look for long bones and a large eye.
 
Ok, then I guess a prime rib doesn't have to be from prime grade beef. I was misinformed somewhere. I'll be getting the chicken at the next lousy wedding I go to for sure.
 
If a rib roast is cooked properly , Most folks wouldn't know the difference in choice or prime. Unless they saw it b4 it was cooked and knew what they were looking at.
 
There's enough meat cut identification on this site, if the search function is used.

When I went to meat cutting school we learned a primal cut rib has seven bones. The short ribs and the chine bone are removed. Now you have a full rib. Next you trim as much as required.

Then one either bones and rolls it or cuts the the chuck end two bones roast off. That is a standing rib, the rest is prime rib because it is the first five bones. Confused yet? The counting of bones reverses as soon as the primal cut is removed from the front. A rib-eye is the fully cap removed dorsal major muscle which is the same muscle as a loin steak. A rib-eye is a cut and is identical to a NY strip. That is the reason it is called a Delmonico. There are regional differences in nomenclature and cutting but, you cannot have a rib-eye bone-in. That is a rib steak.

You can argue all you like but, that is the way it is. A dead give-away for standing rib is short bones. When buying a prime rib roast, look for long bones and a large eye.
Awesome contribution. Thanks! 
PDT_Armataz_01_37.gif
 
So, does this mean we could have a "Prime" standing rib roast in one hand, and a "Select" Prime Rib in the other hand.

And the "Standing Rib Roast" would be a better piece of meat than the "Prime Rib" ???

Hmmmm

Bear
 
So, does this mean we could have a "Prime" standing rib roast in one hand, and a "Select" Prime Rib in the other hand.

And the "Standing Rib Roast" would be a better piece of meat than the "Prime Rib" ???

Hmmmm

 Hmmmmmm.

 Now your jumping from select to prime. Thats 2 grades up. some could tell the difference ,some couldn't , Raw it would be very easy to see and yes the stander would be a better piece of meat. but i've eaten lower graded cuts that were fantastic and some choice and even prime that i would have a hard time feeding to my dog. All in the preperation.

Bear
 
 Hmmmmmm.

 Now your jumping from select to prime. Thats 2 grades up. some could tell the difference ,some couldn't , Raw it would be very easy to see and yes the stander would be a better piece of meat. but i've eaten lower graded cuts that were fantastic and some choice and even prime that i would have a hard time feeding to my dog. All in the preperation.
Yup,

I used to say, "I never met a Prime Rib that I didn't like".

Then I had it at a restaurant near Lake Wallenpaupack, PA. It sucked, had a nasty back taste.

Then about a month later I had a Prime Rib at a different restaurant near Lake Wallenpaupack. It sucked too, with much the same back taste.

I thought my taste buds were destroyed. How can this be? Two Prime Ribs that sucked?

So I was telling a buddy of mine about it. He was a retired meat cutter, who bought a restaurant. Was featured in "Fine Dining" magazine.

He said, "That's an easy one to explain!" Those two "so-called restaurants" got their pre-cooked, pre-seasoned "Prime Ribs" out of the back of the same delivery truck. They might have even used the same model Microwave to heat them up.

My Taste buds are fine, and since that, I have not met another Prime Rib that I didn't like.

THE END

Bear 
 
Okay... so, I can be a little slow sometimes. This... is one of those times. One of you guys that totally get this bottom line it for those of us who don't. Let's say I want to make what my family perceives as smoked prime rib. The traditional steak house version of prime rib. Let's also say I can't afford the $100 hunk of meat. What exactly do I tell my butcher I'm looking for? I think from what I've read there is a cut in the butchers case called "prime rib roast"? But then I think I read that there are other cuts called by different names that when cooked the same way will have equal or better quality? Then, the whole with bones... without bones throws me. All the prime rib I've ever had did not have bones. They have the dude in the big hat and white coat carving it off a hunk right in front of you. Maybe that wasn't prime rib? Pops picture of a rib eye roast is what I've always thought prime rib was?
 
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