When you're fixing dinner for a special occasion, the question isn't should you serve steak—it's what kind of steak will you be making?! Will it be a prime rib or a ribeye steak? And now that you're thinking about it, do you know the difference? Before you head to the butcher or supermarket, here's what you need to know:
While both ribeyes and prime rib roasts are among the most treasured, beloved cuts of beef out there, the two aren't exactly the same. Ribeye steak is the cut you'll slap on a hot grill or skillet and sear and char until its done to your liking. Meanwhile, a prime rib is more of a special occasion dish.
Deciding which one is best for your occasion depends on how many people you're serving, how much time you have, and where you're planning on cooking. Fun fact: Ree Drummond very first blog post was "How To Cook A Steak." She made a juicy ribeye with seasoned salt and lemon-pepper seasoning (oh, and plenty of butter). "It doesn't get any better than this," she said. Though that's not to say that Ree doesn't enjoy a prime rib, either. In fact, it's her go-to for a Christmas feast. This big, glorious cut roasts slowly in the oven and is easy to serve to a crowd in slices. Keep reading for more about ribeye vs. prime rib.
Is ribeye the same cut as prime rib?
Though prime rib is typically served in restaurants as a "steak" or a slice of meat, it's always cooked as part of a larger roast (known as a standing rib roast) before it's sliced into servings. Prime rib is an impressive cut of meat that is easier to make than it looks—though as Ree points out, overcooking this special-occasion cut would be a tragedy of epic proportions, so arm yourself with a meat thermometer or take the steps necessary to babysit this roast until it's just right.
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.
American butchers will break down a cow into eight parts—or primal cuts in butcher jargon. Both ribeyes and prime rib come from the rib primal cut, which is located toward the forequarter of the cow, high on the back where the muscle doesn't get much exercise, resulting in the prized fatty marbling.
Ribeye steaks and prime rib (read: standing rib roasts) are what's known as the sub-primal cuts of a rib primal cut, meaning that they're secondary cuts of meat after the cow is initially broken down. (Another fun fact: A cowboy steak is a bone-in ribeye with an exposed rib bone.)
Which is better: ribeye or prime rib?
It's impossible to crown one cut the winner. Whether ribeye or prime rib is the better pick depends entirely on the occasion! These two choices may come from the same cut of beef, but they're not interchangeable; ribeyes and prime rib roasts are cooked differently and serve different purposes. Holiday feasts where there are many mouths to feed call for a stunning, tender prime rib as the centerpiece. Date nights and family cookouts, on the other hand, are perfect for grilling up a juicy ribeye.
Do they taste different?
Since prime rib and ribeye technically come from the same part of the cow, there's not much of a difference in flavor. Both are gloriously rich, beefy, and tender. But the different methods of cooking them will play a role in the final taste.
How to cook a prime rib vs. ribeye?
The main difference between the two cuts is how they're cooked. Ribeyes are quickly grilled or seared in a screaming hot cast-iron skillet to achieve a crackly char and pink middle. Prime rib is cooked slowly, similar to a roast. It's typically seared to get that heavenly crust before it visits the oven to cook low and slow to perfection.
Which is more expensive: prime rib or ribeye?
Though the final answer to this question will depend on your supermarket or butcher, prime rib tends to be the cut requiring a deeper pocket. But that's mostly because it typically feeds more people and may include a rib or upwards of seven. A ribeye is pricy too, though. In the world of steaks, the ribeye is one of the priciest cuts due to its winning qualities.
