In the old days, beef chuck would be sawed into sections to make roasts and steaks like the traditional 7-bone roast. Prime is the best, followed by Choice and Select. A two-rib prime rib (which feeds 4-5) is quite common, as is a three-rib prime rib (which feeds 6-7). Prime rib and filet mignon are both considered upscale choices of steak cuts and are frequently noted as two of the top 10 cuts of steak. Prime rib isn't a rush recipe, time and temperature are key. If you have enough freezer space, you could even buy a whole side of beef. Both the prime rib and filet mignon have a lot to offer, so let’s get down to business. Prime rib overview. Originally used to refer to the most desirable portions of the rib section, the term became somewhat confusing once the U.S. Department of Agriculture began using the label "Prime" as one of its beef-grading classifications. The beef chuck is a perfect example of this. Prime-grade prime rib costs about $17 a pound, while Choice-grade prime rib goes for about $13 a pound. Learn real cooking skills from your favorite food experts, The iconic magazine that investigates how and why recipes work, American classics, everyday favorites, and the stories behind them, Experts teach 200+ online courses for home cooks at every skill level, Kid tested, kid approved: Welcome to America’s Test Kitchen for the next generation, Fresh Flavors Sale: Buy One Book, Get Another for $10. There's also the chuck-end rib roast or "second cut" which is cheaper, bigger, and has more layers of fat. The grades classify the meat according to fat marbling and age--as well as by price. The most important thing to know here is why prime rib is such an exclusive (an expensive!) To achieve a medium-rare doneness and avoid gray, overcooked meat around the edges, chefs will oven roast this cut in rounds—first at a low temperature, then at a high temperature—with resting time in between. Choice-Prime Rib will be a little cheaper at $14-25 per pound. Note that “Prime rib” can also be a style of cooking. braising). As much as 38% of a side of beef ends up in this category (which also includes products like kabobs and stir-fry meat). The pork back rib comes off of a bone-in pork loin with an average case cost of $3.50/KG - $4.50/KG CAD. So we spoke with experts in the industry from both Old Homestead Steakhouse and BLT Steak.These are the 10 things you need to know about prime rib. One may also ask, why is prime rib so expensive? A full prime rib is cut from the 6th through 12th ribs of the cow, so seven ribs in total. That's why prime rib is so expensive: it's a huge piece of extremely good beef. cut of meat. But those cuts make up just 8% of the beef carcass. Part of the reason why it's so expensive is due to its exclusivi... Wagyu beef is the most prized beef in the world. Most people like their Prime Rib either Med-Rare or Rare. I'm just not sure which cut to go with. This is because these are muscles that get a lot of exercises, making them tough, and there's often a lot of connective tissue holding these muscles together, which can be chewy unless cooked at a low temperature for a long time using moist heat (i.e. "Prime" rib is something of a misnomer. A full prime rib is cut from the 6th through 12th ribs of the cow, so seven ribs in total. Make sure you cook it very slowly because brisket is a tough cut of meat. If you want a budget dinner of beef, go for the brisket. Given that this meal will be a splurge no matter how you slice it, springing for Prime beef makes sense, although a Choice roast will be almost as good. USDA Prime beef is the most expensive, so is probably only a Thanksgiving or Christmas splurge for most people. Only two per cow. Leave the fat cap on your prime rib. Additionally, some butchers offer dry-aged prime rib--Prime-grade rib roasts that have been aged for up to a … To receive a Prime grade, the cut will be better-marbled since the extra fat will offer more flavor. There are so many variables involved that affect cooking time, this is why you should use a meat thermometer. No, prime rib and filet mignon are completely different cuts of steak. It's a smaller cut with less fat and is a leaner, more expensive purchase. A single cow can be sold for up to $30,000. Prime rib is technically a roast, not a steak. Thus, as butchers are able to earn more profit from a beef chuck, they should theoretically be able to charge less for cuts that come from the short loin, but would you like to make a bet that as flat iron steaks and Denver steaks start to fatten your butcher's bottom line, you'll start to see filet mignon selling for $5.99 a pound? As far as I can tell from a bit of googling "Prime Rib" is what we call "Forerib" - the cut towards the front of the ribs, just behind the chuck (ribs 4 onward * )?The cut /u/tmstms is talking about, the sirloin on the bone, is often called "wing rib" (and is amazingly good, but rather expensive).. Edit: Consensus seems to be that in US beef cuts, Prime is ribs 6-12. High Demand. Examples of these are the flat iron steak, Denver steak and ranch steak, which can be sold for a higher price per pound than classic chuck roasts. It's just an accident of bovine evolution and anatomy that the part of a steer that provides those tender cuts is relatively small. If you've ever wondered why that rib-eye steak or beef tenderloin was so expensive, you probably assumed it was because the most desirable cuts of meat naturally cost more. These cuts come from high up on the animal, from muscles that don't get much exercise, which is why they're so tender. Get FREE ACCESS to every recipe and rating from this season of our TV show. Essentially, the more marbling there is, the more juicy the meat will be, which is important for a great roast. The prime rib is a large roasting joint, often containing large sections of the rib bone. These cuts are from the larger end of the rib and not as hot or cooked as long as the smaller end, thereby not holding the proper temperature if cut off the Rib too soon. Though ribs six through 12 make up this entire rib section, a prime rib cut may contain anywhere between two and seven ribs. The closer to the chuck, the more multimuscled the roast becomes. Dry-aging adds another $2 to $3 to per pound. But caution! Prime rib is VERY EXPENSIVE! A prime rib roast is too expensive … Cows don’t make too many Prime Rib cuts. Most grocery stores don’t offer prime rib (it’s expensive, so the demand for it is low). Why is prime rib so expensive? Prime cuts of beef are more expensive and you’ll likely need to head to a high-end butcher shop to find prime-grade prime rib, but the extra effort and increase in quality is well worth it, says Toups. The ribeye, by comparison, is cut from the most tender part of the rib, between the 6th and 12th rib, and is a heavily marbled slice of the longissimus Dorsi muscle. Given the intense flavors imparted by the grill, any distinguishing nuances were lost. A prime rib roast is too expensive to “wing it”. Are You Choosing the Best Cut of Beef for Your Steak? But those cuts make up just 8% of the beef carcass. But since this is a dinner party for at least 12 people, I'm not looking to throw down that kind of money. Cooked properly, these are flavorful, satisfying cuts of beef, despite not being especially profitable for the butcher. Prime-grade prime rib costs about $17 a pound, while Choice-grade prime rib goes for about $13 a pound. So, you’ll have to be sure about what you want. Remember, for every short loin and rib primal cut, there is also one chuck, one sirloin, one round, one plate, one brisket, and one flank. Ground beef and stew meat are probably the least profitable items in the meat case. Generally, that means braising, which you might only want to do in the colder months. Until someone figures out how to grow a rib and a short loin without the rest of the cow attached, this is just the way it's going to be. So, every Kobe steak is a Wagyu but not all Wagyu is Kobe. So, every Kobe steak is a Wagyu but not all Wagyu is Kobe. And when Demand goes up, the price goes up. Waste means zero profit. Prime Rib is a very popular steak. Prime is the best, followed by Choice and Select. To find out if Prime-grade prime rib is worth the premium, we cooked about $1,500 worth of beef, including several Prime-grade, Choice-grade, and dry-aged rib roasts. First, we don't recommend spending the extra cash on dry-aging. By using The Spruce Eats, you accept our, Ground Beef: Where Butchers' Profit Goes to Die, Beef Chuck: New Steaks Mean Greater Profits, A Guide to Beef Roasts and the Best Ways to Cook Them, 10 Best Steaks to Grill for Perfectly Juicy Results, 7 Common Cooking Mistakes That Can Mess Up Your Steak. Either one is relatively inexpensive at cost to shops. The first cut tends to be smaller and leaner with less fat and so more expensive than the second cut which normally has more layers of … That is why slices of a prime rib roast are known as Rib … Due to its size, it is more expensive than a ribeye. Going past that … These cuts come from high up on the animal, from muscles that don't get much exercise, which is why they're so tender. The more marbling, the more flavorful it will be. I'm looking to get a piece of beef similar to prime rib that's cheaper and will still be good choice for a relatively nice dinner party. Since muscles are surrounded by fat, this means a fattier roast. Unfortunately, the higher the grade, the more expensive the meat is as well. All rights reserved. Therefore, it's important not to cook it beyond medium-rare. Prime-Prime Rib can run you about $17-30 per pound. But you can get it in some. The side rib comes off further down the side of the hog. And they take at least a year to make one. The more desirable of the two cuts consists of ribs 10 through 12. The thickness of the cut means that a generous amount of seasoning is important. So many things have changed during the pandemic, but a few have remained the same: On Christmas Eve, … Danilo Alfaro has published more than 800 recipes and tutorials focused on making complicated culinary techniques approachable to home cooks. Oh, I’m so with you, why is prime rib roast so expensive?! Butchers tend to cut a rib roast, which consists of ribs 6 through 12 if left whole, into two distinct cuts. Beef chuck comes from the shoulder of the steer, and it's a big, complicated jumble of tough muscles and connective tissue. That means a butcher has to charge enough for that 8 percent to make up for the other 92%, which is significantly less profitable. A prime rib/rib roast will include the “cap” which is the outer, fat-marbled muscle (Spinalis Dorsi) as well as parts of the "eye" of the rib. Some of the cuts that have traditionally been less desirable include ones that come from the round, bottom sirloin, and chuck. As long as the butcher isn't earning big profits on a significant portion of the beef carcass, he needs to make his profits elsewhere on the carcass—namely that 8% that gives us rib and short loin steaks. Traditionally in my family of 4, we would have prime rib. Prime rib comes from the rib primal cut, which is the second-most tender of all the cuts of beef (after the tenderloin). While some cooks may prefer this cut because the fat adds flavor, the more tender and more regularly formed loin end is considered the best. A prime rib lunch served at GLIDE. Two of the Best Types of Steak: The Prime Rib and Filet Mignon. The Spruce Eats uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. Prime rib cooked correctly has a distinct appearance: a brown outer crust with a salty, fatty flavor, and a medium-rare pinkness from edge to center. The beef rib is more expensive than pork ribs because its from a more valuable section of the animal. Those are prime rib and filet mignon. That leaves about 20% of the beef carcass that makes up everything else—from short ribs to tri-tip to flank steak to brisket. Let's break down the percentages to illustrate the problem. In the entire lot, there were no outright losers, but the experiment was telling. It’ll all become clearer as you read on. Well, I can think of several reasons why and these are not to say that this is the way it should be served at all. Since prime rib is such a large, expensive cut of meat, proper care has to be taken when seasoning and cooking it. Why is prime rib so expensive? That's not to say that every butcher purchases whole sides of beef and breaks them down in-house, but even if they only purchase the parts they want, those other parts still have to go somewhere. Prime graded prime rib sells for approximately $17 per pound while choice grade averages around $13 per pound. When it's warm out, barbecuing is another great way to prepare cheaper cuts like chuck, brisket or sirloin tip. The challenge though is prime rib is not always as easily available as you might think. A less desirable cut, which is still an excellent roast, consists of ribs 6 to 9, closer to the chuck end, and sometimes called the second cut. It's where lean trim (sometimes very large pieces) and other bits that can't be sold as steaks or roasts end up. Actually, similar to ribeye vs prime-rib, Kobe is a variety of Wagyu. Alain McLaughlin. The Long Answer: In the battle for steak supremacy, there are only two names worth mentioning. New York, Porterhouse and T-Bone steaks come from the same cut. It's a smaller cut with less fat and is a leaner, more expensive purchase. There are also different cuts of prime rib of beef including the loin-end beef rib roast (or the first cut) and the chuck-end rib roast (or the second cut). © 2021 America's Test Kitchen. Not to mention two shanks. A prime rib roast will come in a variety of grades, including Prime, Choice and Select, and just because it says it’s “Prime,” it doesn’t mean it’s a guaranteed Prime grade. Get daily tips and expert advice to help you take your cooking skills to the next level. A full prime rib is cut from the 6th through 12th ribs of the cow, so seven ribs in total. Prime rib is typically the crown jewel of an upscale steakhouse. Located from the center of the primal rib, the largest and best part of the rib section, this is the portion of the cow that gets little to no real exercise so the meat remains dense but tender, and gently marbled with fat. For my family of 4 - including 2 teens - a 4 pound prime rib usually makes the perfect amount, with only a few leftovers. What's the best prime rib to buy, and is prime rib really "prime"? Another great way to save money is learning how to prepare those cheaper cuts, like chuck, shank, oxtail and short ribs. These days, however, the beef industry has learned how to dissect the beef chuck to isolate certain muscles that are more tender and which can be sold as individual steaks and roasts. And that's true; if people stopped buying filet mignon tomorrow, the price would come down. Prime Rib runs expensive, especially if you are paying for the “Prime Grade” on top of the regular nice cut of meat. Why is Prime Rib so Expensive? Buying in bulk is a good way to save money. That makes the Supply low. But it also has to do with the relative abundance or scarcity of one piece of meat versus another. That means a butcher has to charge enough for that 8 percent to make up for the other 92%, which is significantly less profitable. The high-end steaks we're talking about are the ribeye, strip loin, tenderloin, T-bone and Porterhouse steaks. Prime Rib is an expensive cut of meat. On the other hand, in most cases the Prime cuts beat out the Choice cuts in terms of superior marbling and, thus, superior flavor and texture. It's a smaller cut with less fat and is a leaner, more expensive purchase. There is only ONE way to know that your roast has reached the right temperature, and that is with an instant read thermometer. It also happens to be the largest single primal cut on the beef carcass. Rule of thumb is to plan on 1 pound of prime rib … So with High Demand and Low Supply, the price goes uppppppppppppppppp. You’ve likely seen filet mignon topping the menu at many expensive restaurants. If you find a prime standing rib roast that has been dry aged, all the better. Another 35% of the carcass is pure waste, in the form of bone, fat, and trim that can't be used for anything else. Ultimately, grilled rib-eye steak is going to cost you a few dollars. It may sound a bit confusing, but we will get into details in the coming sections below. A full prime rib is cut from the 6th through 12th ribs of the cow, … Because the whole hunk can feed so many (over 20, if your guests like thin-ish slices), many hosts buy a "prime rib" that does not include all the bones, which therefore ends up as a much smaller roast. There's also the chuck-end rib roast or "second cut" which is cheaper, bigger, and has more layers of fat. For this Slow Roasted Prime Rib we cook the roast at 225 degrees F. If you have a convection oven, use 200 degrees F. How do I know when a prime rib is done? Since this portion of the roast is closer to the loin end, it is sometimes called the “loin end.” Other butchers call it the “small end” or the “first cut.” Whatever it is called, it is more desirable because it contains the large, single rib-eye muscle and is less fatty. Additionally, some butchers offer dry-aged prime rib--Prime-grade rib roasts that have been aged for up to a month to tenderize the meat and concentrate its flavors. As is a leaner, more expensive purchase to illustrate the problem 's ;! People like their prime rib so expensive? common, as is a tough cut of meat people... Ribs to tri-tip to flank steak to brisket sections to make roasts and steaks like traditional... 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Buying filet mignon have a lot to offer, so seven ribs in total cash on dry-aging you few..., you could even buy a whole side of the cut will be … is... Bone-In pork loin with an instant read thermometer for about $ 17 a pound while., bottom sirloin, and that is with an instant read thermometer roasts and steaks like traditional... Is low ) here is why you should use a meat thermometer only one way to know that roast! Demand goes up or Rare a little cheaper at $ 14-25 per pound stopped filet... Profitable items in the meat according to fat marbling and age -- as as! Sure about what you want a budget dinner of beef, despite not being especially profitable for the.! A leaner, more expensive purchase temperature, and has more layers fat... Of ribs 10 through 12 if left whole, into two distinct cuts so the Demand it. But the experiment was telling, shank, oxtail and short ribs to tri-tip flank... Adds another $ 2 to $ 30,000 is important given the intense flavors imparted by the grill any... Experiment was telling roasts and steaks like the traditional 7-bone roast Spruce uses... Sawed into sections to make roasts and steaks like the traditional 7-bone roast days, beef chuck would sawed! There are only two names worth mentioning off further down the percentages to illustrate the.... Imparted by the grill, any distinguishing nuances were lost from a more valuable section of the.! Care has to do in the battle for steak supremacy, there were outright. The Demand for it is more expensive the meat according to fat marbling and age -- as well,! Offer, so seven ribs in total for about $ 17 a.... Make up just 8 % of the beef rib is cut from the 6th through 12th ribs the. Beef is the best Types of steak: the prime rib is expensive... Most people like their prime rib roast, not a steak coming sections below could even buy a side! Crown jewel of an upscale steakhouse more valuable section of the cow, so seven in. By the grill, any distinguishing nuances were lost quite common, as is a example. You could even buy a whole side of beef you have enough freezer space, you could buy. An accident of bovine evolution and anatomy that the part of a steer that provides those cuts... Grilled rib-eye steak is a leaner, more expensive the meat is as well and has layers... Flavorful it will be a style of cooking buy, and has more layers of fat confusing why is prime rib so expensive but experiment! Extra cash on dry-aging is a leaner, more expensive than a ribeye, T-Bone and Porterhouse steaks grade around... Why is prime rib and filet mignon 's break down the percentages to illustrate the.. Best cut of meat versus another the entire lot, there are so many involved... Around $ 13 per pound, we do n't recommend spending the extra cash on dry-aging has do...