Is a ribeye steak the same as prime rib

Some people swear by their cast-iron ribeye steak while others crave a big slice of medium-rare prime rib. The reality is that these two preparations come from the exact same muscle of a cow.

So what exactly separates these two cuts of beef? The biggest difference between prime rib vs ribeye is how they are cooked, butchered, and graded. 

There are a lot of important details that differentiate these two cuts, and we are here to help explain them.

Now let’s take a closer look and help you figure out what suits your tastes and which one will be best for family dinner or a holiday get-together. 

In this Post

• Prime Rib vs Ribeye: What's the difference?
• Prime Rib vs Ribeye: Similarities
• What is Prime Rib
• What is Ribeye
• FAQs
• Why is it called Prime Rib?
• Is Prime rib the same as Ribeye?
• Prime Rib vs Ribeye Roast 
• Final Thoughts: Prime Rib vs Ribeye

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Prime Rib vs Ribeye: What’s the difference?

Two of the most popular preparations of beef come from the exact same cut. Whether you love a grilled ribeye steak or a slab of roasted prime rib, you are eating meat from the same part of the cow. 

Both prime rib and ribeye are trimmed from the large beef rib primal that is attached to the beef ribs and the short ribs.

The muscle that runs the length of this cut is called the longissimus dorsi which is the meat in both prime rib and ribeye. 

The difference between ribeye and prime rib is how they are cut. Prime rib is left as a large roast with ribs attached, while ribeyes are the same piece of meat that is cut into steaks.

Essentially, a ribeye steak and a thick slice of prime rib are the exact same thing, only cooked differently.

Prime Rib vs Ribeye: What Part of the Cow

The beef rib primal comes from the top section ranging from the spine to the bottom plate. The whole cut is separated from the chuck between the 5th and 6th ribs and extends to the 12th rib where it meets the short loin.

Prime Rib vs Ribeye: Flavor and Texture

Both of these prized cuts by beef lovers have the same flavor and texture prior to cooking. The only variable is how they are prepared and the USDA grade of the beef. 

While prime rib should only be Prime beef, ribeyes can be Select or Choice graded. The higher the grade, the more fat it will have which means the cut will be more tender and flavorful.

Below is a brief description of the different USDA grades:

Which one is more expensive: Prime Rib or Ribeye?

When buying from a grocery store, ribeyes can be purchased as an individual steak which means you might spend less than buying a prime rib since you only have to buy precisely what you might eat. 

On the other hand, Prime rib comes in a large piece that is more expensive overall if you are only cooking for a few people.

There will be more meat than can be consumed meaning that you spent more than if you had bought individual ribeyes.

This being said, a ribeye can have a lower or higher price per pound than prime rib depending on its grade and whether you purchase it at a store or a restaurant.

Market demand for ribeyes has dictated that restaurants can charge significantly more money for this steak than for the same size of prime rib. The same cut of meat, different techniques, different prices!

Cost of Ribeye

To get into more detail, if you get a Prime (grade) ribeye steak, it will cost considerably more than if you get a Select (grade) ribeye steak.

Another factor is the cut such as whether you are getting a bone-in steak like a Cowboy ribeye or a Spencer steak that is highly trimmed of its fat.

Cost of Prime Rib

On the other hand, Prime rib should be Prime grade, meaning that its price per pound only changes with the beef market prices.

Prices go up during the holidays, when there is a run on beef, or if there are mass shortages because of a disease. 

The other factor is that Prime ribs are often split in half with the first cut being more expensive per pound than the second cut (more on this later).

Prime Rib vs Ribeye Cost Comparison Table

Prices are based on Premium online beef retailers and California steak houses.

Which one tastes better: Prime Rib or Ribeye?

As a longtime chef, I would have to say that a ribeye cooked on a hot grill or in a cast-iron pan is better tasting than prime rib any day of the week. 

This comes down to one simple scientific phenomenon called the Maillard reaction.

This is the caramelizing of the amino acids and sugars in meat that give it a flavorful brown exterior from the meat making direct contact with the hot pan or grill.

A ribeye has more surface that is browned and thus has more flavor.

Prime rib is often served with beef jus and horseradish which is added to elevate the flavor because it needs a little help.

Prime Rib vs Ribeye: Similarities

Prime rib and ribeye are similar in the fact that they are made of the same exact muscles from the same cut of beef.

The ribeye is simply an uncooked slice taken out of a prime rib or a lesser grade of the same roast. 

Because they are in every way the same type of beef, they taste similar and have the same texture or mouthfeel.

The biggest similarity is the structure of the muscle and the fat that makes both of these cuts very moist and juicy.

Related: Brisket vs Tri-tip

What is Prime Rib

Prime rib is two things and one thing at the same time. It is first a cut of beef, and secondly, it’s a preparation of this cut that involves slow roasting the meat until it is a tender medium rare with a crackly crust on the outside.

Prime rib’s name comes from a grading by the USDA. This grading is based on the overall marbling of the animal which is directly related to its tenderness, juiciness, and flavor.

If the same cut is graded Choice, it should be called a Standing Rib Roast. 

The second part of the name is in reference to the fact that it is attached to the ribs. This large roast consists of 7 bones and a large eye of muscle that can weigh between 14 to 20 pounds.

The whole roast is often split into two parts to make it more cost-effective and marketable to retail consumers who may only be feeding a smaller group, unlike restaurants. 

• The first cut – This is the smaller and more expensive half that extends from the 10th to the 12th ribs. This end is more uniform and has a better appearance when sliced.

• The second cut – This is the larger half of the prime rib that stretches between the 6th to the 9th rib. This half is cheaper but has more connective tissue and fat. 

What Part of the Cow is Prime Rib?

The prime rib comes from the upper section of the rib primal close to the spine on the sides of the cow. This cut is situated between the chuck and the short loin. Check out the image above for a visual reference.

What does Prime Rib taste like?

A slice of prime rib is a fairly pure expression of the flavor of the natural beef as it is only seasoned on the edges.

The beef flavor is the star of the show as it doesn’t rely on the flavors and aromas from a grill. 

Prime rib is often served with creamed horseradish and beef jus which can add a lot of flavor but can cover up the natural taste of the beef.

How to Cook a Prime Rib

There are many techniques for cooking a prime rib, and every chef has their own tricks that they utilize.

The most classic technique consists of starting the salt and pepper seasoned prime rib on a rack inside of a very hot oven.

The temperature is then turned down and the prime rib is left to roast for several hours.

Now, there are all kinds of techniques including the very popular reverse sear where the heat is turned up at the end of the cooking process. You will even find people smoking their prime ribs for 5 to 6 hours.

The most important step in cooking a prime rib is removing the prime rib from the oven when it hits the perfect internal temperature.

Using an instant-read thermometer is essential to hitting this target as the temperature of the roast will continue to rise about 10 degrees after it finishes cooking in the oven.

Get a good thermometer and test regularly as the temperature rises above 100°.

What can you substitute for Prime rib?

Prime rib is the perfect storm of fat and connective tissue that makes it the perfect cut for slow roasting, but it is fairly expensive for anything other than a special evening or a holiday.

Luckily there are other options that can fill the void and are either less costly or less of a commitment because of their smaller size.

• New York Striploin – This is an uncut New York steak that is great for roasting and is about half the cost of prime rib.

• Chateaubriand – If you like filet, this bulbous end of the tenderloin makes a great roast that is super tender.  

• Tenderloin – This option is not the cheapest, but you can buy a smaller piece that will cost you less overall. It’s the whole filet mignon that is impossibly tender when cooked medium-rare.

• Sirloin Tip Roast – This is by far the cheapest option, but it does have a little chew to it. This is harder to find as it is often ground for burger meat, so you will want to call ahead for this cut.

What is Ribeye

A ribeye is a steak cut from the beef rib primal that can be attached to the bone but is often served without.

Essentially, if you were to take a prime rib and slice it crosswise into steaks, you would have a bunch of ribeye steaks. 

This is without a doubt the most prized steak on the cow by beef lovers. It is beloved for its semi-tender texture and its fat content which makes for a juicy steak eating experience. 

Types of Ribeye Steak Cuts

The ribeye steak has several variations of how it’s cut and with different lengths of the bone attached.

These different trims can then get several nicknames and can be confusing. Even though you might see these other names on packaging in the butcher case or on a restaurant menu, they are still ribeye steaks.

• Saratoga steak – a fat trimmed center-cut ribeye 

• Cowboy steak – thick-cut ribeye that is served with a short frenched rib attached

• Tomahawk ribeye – thick-cut ribeye that is served with a long frenched rib attached

Frenched – when a bone is trimmed of all its meat, sinew, and fat leaving a clean, exposed bone

• Delmonico steak – this is actually a different cut from the short loin but ribeyes are sometimes mislabeled as Delmonico.

• Beef rib steak – another name for a bone-in ribeye

• Spencer steak – a highly trimmed steak that only includes the center muscle of the ribeye

• Market steak – simply another name for a boneless ribeye

• Scotch filet – is a fat cap trimmed bone ribeye

• Beauty steak – a fancy name for a ribeye

• Ribeye cap – A popular exterior muscle on the edge of the ribeye that is sometimes sold as an individual steak.

What does Ribeye Steak taste like

The ribeye steak is mostly characterized by its strong but balanced beef flavor that delivers a punch of juicy fats that explode with flavor.

Ribeyes can have a fairly high-fat content for a steak which imparts a sweet buttery flavor in grain-finished cattle.

However, if the cow was grass-fed, the meat will have a minerally and slightly gamey flavor that is more expressive of its deep beef flavor. 

How to cook Ribeye

The flavor of a ribeye is heavily affected by how it’s cooked. If you prepare a ribeye steak in a hot cast-iron skillet with some garlic, and thyme, and finish it with butter, it will take on those flavors along with a deep caramelized protein taste. 

If you grill your ribeye over charcoal, the steak will pick up those charred bitter flavors and some smoky aromas.

This is the most popular technique for ribeye steak fans as this technique really accentuates the cut’s beefy flavor. 

When it comes to seasoning a ribeye steak, people use all kinds of various rubs and flavorings, but as a chef, I like to let the high-quality meat be the star.

I only season a ribeye with this specific kosher salt and black pepper. 

Different Ways to Cook a Ribeye

You may hear about cooks using a sous-vide technique to cook their ribeyes, but there is no need for it as this cut is nice and tender.

Sous vide will weirdly affect its mouthfeel and render some of that beloved fat away that gives a ribeye its signature taste and texture.

There are also a lot of people playing around with the reverse sear method of cooking steaks. This works just fine and can result in a perfectly cooked ribeye.

Personally, I prefer to let my ribeye spend its entire cook time on the grill taking on the char and the smoke that makes a grilled steak so delicious.

Don’t let an ego get in the way of a perfectly cooked ribeye. Buy an instant-read thermometer and skip using your fingers to test when it’s done. Why ruin dinner because you misjudged its doneness.

FAQs

Why is it called Prime Rib?

Prime rib gets its name from the USDA grading system of beef. The highest quality of beef in terms of marbling and tenderness gets the Prime grade. If the same cut does not have a prime grade, it is called a standing rib roast or a ribeye roast.

Is Prime rib the same as Ribeye?

A prime rib is a large 14 to 20-pound piece of the beef rib primal that is USDA graded as Prime. A ribeye is a steak that is cut crosswise from a prime rib or the same part of the cow with a lower USDA grade such as Choice or Select. 

Prime Rib vs Ribeye Roast 

Prime rib implies that it has a Prime grade by the USDA. Unfortunately, this line has been blurred by the foodservice industry and retail food outlet’s that struggle with razor-thin margins. 

Prime rib as a name is often used improperly as a way to label and sell the same cut with a lesser grade.

When a cow gets graded lower than prime, this cut should be labeled or sold as a standing rib roast or ribeye roast.

This signifies that you are getting a lower grade, and you should not be charged for the price of a Prime graded piece of beef.

Restaurants and retailers often cross this line as they do not want the cost of purchasing Prime beef, but then struggle with how to label or write the name on a menu.

They use the Prime rib name as it is recognizable and they can then also charge accordingly. 

Chef Tip: Do not hesitate to ask the meat counter or the restaurant server to check if the “prime rib” is actually graded “Prime”. If you are getting charged for it, you should get prime beef!

Final Thoughts: Prime Rib vs Ribeye

Prime rib and ribeye are literally from the same piece of beef from the same primal cut of the cow. However, they are prepared very differently and can have a large variance of marbling and overall quality.

If you are trying to decide between prime rib vs ribeye for what to make for a get-together or a holiday gathering, make the decision based on how you want to prepare the meat.

If you want to fire up the grill, make ribeyes. If you want to simply put a roast in the oven, then make a prime rib. 

The real answer is that they are both perfect for beef lovers and are sure to elicit some oohs and aahs from family and friends!

Which is better prime rib or ribeye?

Can you cook a ribeye steak like a prime rib?

Is beef ribeye roast the same as prime rib?

Is ribeye the same as rib steak?