Best Ribeye Roast Recipe! A Cattle Rancher’s Recipe! (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between a ribeye roast and a prime rib roast? ›

Alright, prime rib and ribeye roast are essentially the same primal cut of beef. The main difference between these cuts of beef are that you will typically find prime rib cooked with the bone-in (also called a bone-in ribeye) and a boneless version of prime rib will be labeled as a ribeye roast.

Both rib eye and prime rib are excellent steak cut options for different purposes. They're both incredibly flavorful, have fantastic marbling, and are both prime beef options with just the right amount of fat to improve taste and texture.

Ribeye roast includes one of the most tender muscles on the animal, the spinalis dorsi. Food scientists rank the spinalis as the third-most tender on the animal. This is the small muscle attached to the top of the roast, and is also called the ribeye cap.

Situated under the front section of the backbone and used primarily for support. Popular cuts from the Rib include the rich, flavorful Ribeye Steak and the Prime Rib Roast.

Dry Brine for Prime Rib

Experienced pitmasters recommend starting your prime rib preparation days in advance with a dry brine. That's a BBQ term for salting your meat, then letting it sit in a refrigerator while the salt penetrates the meat.

First, we have to take into account size, because prime rib roasts are sold whole, they're a much larger cut than an individual steak and are priced accordingly. But even if you managed the impossible and found a ribeye steak that was the same weight as a rib roast, you'd be paying more for the roast.

Trim excess fat.

A nice fat cap can enhance the mouthfeel of the Prime Rib but you don't want more than ¼ inch of thickness. If you DO go boneless, you have the option to trim off the flat part that extends away from the main muscle, called the “tail.” We always do.

Bake in the oven on the middle rack for 30-40 minutes (thinner steak will take 30 minutes, thicker will bake for up to 40 minutes) or until it's at the temperature you like. Remove the steak from the oven and allow it to rest for 15 minutes.

The trick to grilling a roast is searing it first and fast over high heat and then moving it to a lower temperature and allowing it to continue cooking slowly. The sear will not only create a perfect barbecue crust, but it will also lock in those juices that you don't want to escape.

Should you cook a ribeye fast or slow? ›

How Long Should You Cook a Ribeye Steak? Cooked over high heat, a thick ribeye steak (1.5 to 2 inches thick) will cook in approximately 10 minutes, about 5 minutes on each side. A thin ribeye steak (1.5 inches or less) will cook in approximately 6 minutes, about 3 minutes on each side.

Pull the rib roast out of the fridge and let temper on the counter for three hours. USDA guidelines requires food not be held above 33°F (1°C) for more than 4 hours. A three-hour rest on the counter is well within time constraints.

The ribeye actually comes from a prime rib roast (or standing rib roast) before it's cooked, so a ribeye is classified as a steak. In a nutshell, prime rib always begins its journey to a lucky plate as a roast; a ribeye always starts out as a steak. Both, however, come from the same cut of beef.

While it is challenging to provide an exact number, an average-sized cow can yield approximately 120 to 180 individual ribeye steaks. Whether you prefer bone-in or boneless, ribeye steaks are a versatile and flavorful option for steak enthusiasts.

Cut Ribeye Steaks or roasts at Home

For Steaks - cut across the grain, as solid lines indicate, into 3/4" to 1" thick steaks. For Roasts - cut across the grain, as broken line indicates, into smaller roasts, sized to your liking. Excess fat may be trimmed after slicing into steaks.

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.

When you're shopping for prime rib, ask for a standing rib roast. That's the name you'll see at the butcher counter. The standing rib roast unsurprisingly comes from the rib section of the cow.

Since the loin end of a standing rib roast is more tender than the rest, prime rib is generally considered to be the best cut all around, but the front section of a rib roast has the advantage of more fat.

Know What You Want

Or is it juiciness? If it is the former, opt to purchase a cut that contains ribs six to nine (also known as the chuck end) as this is certain to come with more fat. If it is the latter, buy a prime beef cut that includes ribs 10 to 12 (also known as the loin end) as these are leaner and more tender.