Rib Roast vs. Prime Rib: How to Cook a Prime Rib Roast

A rib roast is a tender, flavorful cut of meat from the side of a cow, from the region between the short loin and chuck. Popular for holidays and special occasions, thanks to its high price tag, prime rib roast, or standing rib roast, consists of an uncut portion of the ribs, which contains anywhere from three to seven individual ribeye steaks (or rib eye steaks or rib steaks).

The rib roast has a large fat cap that gives the meat flavor and covers almost an entire side of the cut of beef. Cut off the excess fat if the fat cap is too thick, then season the rib roast with kosher salt and fresh black pepper. At steakhouses, where ribeye steaks are typical offerings, accompanying side dishes might include au jus, mashed potatoes, crispy onion strings, or creamed spinach.

Prime rib is a cut from the primal ribs of the cow, just like a rib roast, but it differs in its butchery and preparation. The term ”prime rib” refers to the cut of meat and not the grade. USDA Prime is the highest grade and has the most marbling. Choice is the second-highest grade and refers to beef with moderate marbling. You can purchase prime-grade prime rib or choice-grade prime rib.

Roast beef refers to any cut of beef that slow roasts in the oven. Boneless prime rib is a classic piece of meat for roast beef, although bone-in prime rib is more commonly available at grocery stores and markets. Look for a white fat cap, visible rib bones, and the USDA Prime label when buying prime rib. If you also want a list of preparation tools and step-by-step instructions, learn how to make the best prime rib recipe with Chef Thomas Keller.

Rib roast and prime rib share similarities, such as their beefy flavor and origins on the side of the cow, but there are differences, too. Here are four areas in which the two cuts of meat differ:

1. 1. Butchery: Both rib roast and prime are primal cuts of beef; however, prime rib recipes call for the cut to remain whole, whereas a butcher typically divides a rib roast into individual ribeye steaks. The rib roast is generally a boneless cut of meat, while prime rib comes with the bone still in it.
2. 2. Cooking method: You can use either the oven or the stovetop—or both—to cook prime rib. The reverse sear method involves roasting prime rib in an oven on low heat until it reaches a safe internal temperature, then cranking up the heat until the roast browns nicely. Alternatively, brown the roast and render the fat in a heavy-duty cast-iron skillet or roasting pan on the stovetop, then move it to a moderate oven to finish cooking. To cook ribeye steaks, use the grill or the stove to get a brown crust, or roast ribeye in the oven. Ribeye is a smaller piece of meat, so it requires a shorter cooking time than prime rib. Use a meat thermometer for both cuts of meat to achieve the proper level of doneness.
3. 3. Cost: Bone-in meat is cheaper than boneless meat because it requires less processing by the butcher. Both rib roasts and prime rib are available in boneless and bone-in options, although grocers offer rib roast boneless more often than prime rib. For this reason, the cost of rib roast tends to be higher. Additionally, the grade of beef impacts the price, as does whether or not the cut is dry-aged beef.
4. 4. Size: After butchering, prime rib remains its full size, whereas rib roast becomes smaller steak cuts or ribeye steaks. The size of the piece of meat impacts the cooking time and cooking method. Larger cuts of meat must cook at a lower temperature for longer, while smaller steaks can withstand high heat, either on the grill or stove or in the oven.

Rib roast and prime rib are two popular cuts of beef, but there are others you will commonly find at the grocery store. Here are three more popular cuts:

• Beef ribs: Short ribs and back ribs are the two types of beef ribs. After a butcher cuts the prime rib roast, the small amount of meat still attached to the rib bones becomes the beef back ribs cut. Beef short ribs are a cut of meat from the lower part of the cow’s rib cage (the short plate) behind the brisket. Braise both ribs in a low-temperature oven or barbecue them at a high temperature.
• Filet mignon: A cut from the beef tenderloin, filet mignon is tender but lacks fat marbling. Despite the lack of fat, filet mignon is one of the most tender cuts of beef, but you can enhance its flavor and juiciness with salt, pepper, and other seasonings. Sear the meat in a hot pan or roast it in the oven until it reaches a medium-rare doneness. Allow the meat to rest at room temperature for at least five minutes before you make the first cut.
• Sirloin: This cut of meat comes from the sirloin primal cut—the cow’s lower back, beginning at the sixth and last lumbar vertebra, and the hip bone. Top sirloin steaks are leaner and less tender than ribeye, T-bone steak, or strip steaks, but they’re juicy and flavorful when you grill or pan-sear them.

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