Prime Rib vs Rib Eye

[pokey]

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 

I used to own a place on that lake. Lovely area, bad restaurants. When I first started going there (in '83), I was referred to a "gourmet" Italian restaurant. I ordered veal parmigiani, which turned out to be a ground veal patty with sauce and squares of melted cheese on top that had orange edges, looking suspiciously muenster-like. The area may have changed, but I never did find any fine dining there.

 

[Bearcarver]

I used to own a place on that lake. Lovely area, bad restaurants. When I first started going there (in '83), I was referred to a "gourmet" Italian restaurant. I ordered veal parmigiani, which turned out to be a ground veal patty with sauce and squares of melted cheese on top that had orange edges, looking suspiciously muenster-like. The area may have changed, but I never did find any fine dining there.

Yup, We finally found that all the restaurants around the lake were below grade. We ended up regularly going to The Newfoundland Inn for a large assortment of very good beer & sammies (cheesesteaks etc). That was only about 10 or 15 minutes from our boat dock at the lake. This was in the late 70s to early 80s too.

 

[pokey]

On our way up we used to stop at a place called the Walpack Inn on the Jersey side of the Delaware River. It was a little out of the way, but was a nice spot. They had home-made whole-grain bread with a thick crust that was to die for.

To get back on topic, we did a rib-eye roast in the smoker. Cooked at 325 until internal temp was 120 - we like it rare. It was the best I've ever had. Why eat out when you can make food like this at home.

 

[eman]

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?

Boneless rib roast or boneless whole ribeye (same cut i think) are used for prime rib .

 Bone in rib roast or standing rib roast  is what bone in ribeyes are cut from but can be cooked as a roast.

 I am not a butcher, So i may be a little off on some of this statement. But i don't think i am.

 

 

[pops6927]

What you tell your butcher is that you want a whole boneless rib eye (or whatever size you want in lbs.).  

 

[smoke_chef]

Thanks eman... Thanks Pops... Thanks to 357 for getting this thread started. It was a good one! I look forward to posting my q-view of a boneless ribeye / prime rib.

 

[tigerregis]

Always ask for your cut to come from the loin end. The chuck end has lots of tougher muscle surrounding the eye.

 

[beefmeister]

O.K, the term "Prime Rib"  has NOTHING to do with the USDA grade of beef the prime rib came from.

Prime Rib = standing rib roast. Here is the important part, to whit:

prime rib refers to the primal cuts of beef. The primal cuts are the large cuts of beef that smaller cuts are derived from.

From Wikipedia : The rib  contains part of the short ribs, rib eye  steaks, prime rib, and standing rib roasts.

A Prime Rib Roast could be USDA Prime, Choice or Select, but they are all sourced from the primal rib section.

A USDA inspector at the slaughterhouse making a cut between the 7th & 8th rib on a half a side of beef will determine THE GRADE OF WHOLE ANIMAL.

 

[venture]

As always, please refer to Pops post.  The term "prime rib" has nothing to do with the quality grading of the meat.  It is just a marketing term.  It is a standing rib roast.  The USDA places no requirement on the quality grade for it to be called so called "prime rib". 

Listen to Pops and you will never go wrong!

 

[2013]

There is quite a bit of reference online (USDA for one) that "Prime" doesn't have anything to do with the meat grade (Prime/Select/Choice/Etc.) when describing the cut of meat referred to as Prime Rib. The "prime" in Prime Rib refers to the area of the cut: ribs 6-12. Rib Eye roast/steak is cut from the next section of the rib cage and is not as tender as the Prime Rib cut even though they look the same and are very much different in price. Hope this helps... Happy New Year!!

 

[demosthenes9]

 
There is quite a bit of reference online (USDA for one) that "Prime" doesn't have anything to do with the meat grade (Prime/Select/Choice/Etc.) when describing the cut of meat referred to as Prime Rib. The "prime" in Prime Rib refers to the area of the cut: ribs 6-12. Rib Eye roast/steak is cut from the next section of the rib cage and is not as tender as the Prime Rib cut even though they look the same and are very much different in price. Hope this helps... Happy New Year!!

;Your information is flawed in that "Rib Eye roast/steak" also comes from ribs 6-12, as others have discussed here.   Prime Rib is a Ribeye Roast.

 

[venture]

The nomenclature is expertly covered in Post #4.

Good luck and good smoking.

 

[beefmeister]

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[ak1]

Nice pics.

So, what's your point?

 

[beefmeister]

Ha ! no point, just gotta luv naked beef !!

 

[sarnott]

Thanks for all the great information. I learned a lot and now I want to go to a short meat cutting school so I can learn more (if there is such a thing)! Now I have a question that, on this forum, is somewhat embarrassing.

A few week ago, I planned on smoking a rib roast (well, half of a rib roast, about 4 pounds). Unfortunately the weather didn't cooperate so I had to cook it inside and to tell the truth, it came out awesome. I rubbed it with OVOO and rubbed it with kosher salt, two colors of pepper, garlic and onion. I roasted it at 500 degrees for 22 minutes, then turned off the oven for about 2 hours. I kept my Maverick probe in the roast to watch the temperature because I didn't trust the recipe and timing but it came out perfect.

My question is, I really wanted to smoke it. I was thinking about searing the second half at 500 degrees in the oven again, then putting it in a 225 smoker until done but was wondering if the searing would stop the smoke. I also considered reverse searing it by smoking it a while, then putting it in the 500 degree oven to reverse sear it but just didn't know which way would work best. For rib roasts, I like some smoke but let the spices and rubs add most of the flavor but what is the best way in a smoker to get a great crust with a medium rare, juicy interior and a light smoke.

Thanks and, if you are ever stuck cooking inside, this approach from Chef Ron Lock is exceptional. 

   http://chefronlock.com/recipes/roas...ction_type_map=["og.likes"]&action_ref_map=[]

Thanks,

Scott

 

[Bearcarver]

 
Thanks for all the great information. I learned a lot and now I want to go to a short meat cutting school so I can learn more (if there is such a thing)! Now I have a question that, on this forum, is somewhat embarrassing.

A few week ago, I planned on smoking a rib roast (well, half of a rib roast, about 4 pounds). Unfortunately the weather didn't cooperate so I had to cook it inside and to tell the truth, it came out awesome. I rubbed it with OVOO and rubbed it with kosher salt, two colors of pepper, garlic and onion. I roasted it at 500 degrees for 22 minutes, then turned off the oven for about 2 hours. I kept my Maverick probe in the roast to watch the temperature because I didn't trust the recipe and timing but it came out perfect.

My question is, I really wanted to smoke it. I was thinking about searing the second half at 500 degrees in the oven again, then putting it in a 225 smoker until done but was wondering if the searing would stop the smoke. I also considered reverse searing it by smoking it a while, then putting it in the 500 degree oven to reverse sear it but just didn't know which way would work best. For rib roasts, I like some smoke but let the spices and rubs add most of the flavor but what is the best way in a smoker to get a great crust with a medium rare, juicy interior and a light smoke.

Thanks and, if you are ever stuck cooking inside, this approach from Chef Ron Lock is exceptional. 

   http://chefronlock.com/recipes/roas...ction_type_map=["og.likes"]&action_ref_map=[]

Thanks,

Scott

Sarnott,

There are a number of ways to do a Prime Rib, including both of the ways you mentioned.

Below is what works best for me:

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/110433/prime-rib-new-best-ever

Bear

 

[beefmeister]

I'm glad to see Chef Lock uses Herbs de Provence as do I along with cracked Black Pepper, Kosher Salt, granulated garlic, a touch of Lawrey's Season Salt and a hint of Cayenne. I rub the beast with peanut oil or EVOO and season heavily.

I slow roast at 225 or 250 in the smoker or in the oven on convection (depending on mood and time constraints) to an internal of 118.

Let rest AT LEAST 30 minutes loosely tented w/foil. I don't sear at 500 at the beginning or the end. With the heavy amount of herbs and seasonings, the exterior turns out beautifully browned and crusty.

Damn the cholesterol, full speed ahead...

P.S. try making your own au jus sometime...umm,umm

 

[whtplainssmoker]

I've done a prime rib a couple of times in the smoker and it came out great both times.  The first link below came out a little better.  Even color throughout the roast. 

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/...-pulled-pork-and-smoked-sausage-lots-o-q-view

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/...-smoked-angus-rib-eye-roast-with-rib-eye-view

 

[sarnott]

Thanks Beefmeister,

I couldn't agree more about homemade au jus, I use Chef JJ's recipe and it comes out great every time!