Picture it… You are at the supermarket looking at all of the possible prime rib roasts to purchase for a family dinner in a few days. You sift through the options, but aren’t quite sure how to definitively choose the best one. How do you decide? How do you confidently buy the best standing rib roast (prime rib)?

Don’t worry! This guide will take you through the whole process. You’ll be an expert before you know it. 😉

Table of Contents hide
  1. 1. Choosing a Grade
  2. 2. Deciding on the Cut
  3. 3. Buying Bone-in or Boneless
  4. 4. Selecting a Size
  5. 5. Your Shopping Checklist
  6. 6. Talking to a butcher or meat department employee like a human

Choosing a Grade

There are three grades of beef labeled by the USDA. They are in order of quality from “Select” to “Choice” to “Prime” with select being the lowest grade and prime being the highest. Most supermarkets carry choice meats as their main stock. You can basically expect better fat marbling and better cuts of meat as the grade goes up. You can also expect a higher price tag. Honestly, the roasts I purchased for this recipe and its photos were choice. And, they were both delicious. Unless you see a Prime grade roast that looks absolutely perfect or the choice options look, well, sad, choice is a perfectly good option.

With labels, you are probably not going to see anything labeled “Prime Rib”. You will more likely see the terms “rib roast” or “standing rib roast”.

Deciding on the Cut

There are 2 options of cut, the “first cut” and the “second cut”, though this may not be labeled. Here’s how you tell them apart. The “first cut” is near the loin end of the cow and is smaller, more uniform, and more tender than the “second cut”. “First cuts” are also more expensive in places that differentiate between the two cuts. Roasts from the “second cut” are on the opposite end of the ribs near the chuck part of the cow. They will be larger and fattier than “first cut” roasts. They will also have a large diameter from bone to fat cap and are typically as tall as they are wide.

Of note, because of the low roasting temperature for a reverse sear, rendered fat is going to be minimal. So, the additional fat from a “second cut” isn’t going to do much for you. It’s really a better choice for those who cook their roasts between 300-350°F (149-177°C), as the higher temperature allows them to take advantage of the maillard reaction. If you are reading this as a guide and not for the Dry-Brined, Reverse-Seared Prime Rib recipe, choose according to the characteristics that are most important to you and work with the style of roasting you plan to use.

Buying Bone-in or Boneless

I prefer to purchase prime rib with the bones still attached. While I do cut the bones off, I’ve found that bone-in rib roasts have more real-estate and are less trimmed down. I like this, because I get more control over prepping my roast.

Additionally, there’s an easy decision maker for purchasing bone-in or boneless that relies solely on your kitchen equipment.

  • If you have a roasting rack and you don’t want to buy the bones, then buy a boneless roast. A roasting rack keeps the roast from touching your roasting pan, so there is no need to have the bones re-attached.
  • If you do not have a roasting rack, keep the bones tied (trussed) and let them work as an insulator from direct heat at the bottom of the pan.

Selecting a Size

To determine how big of a roast you need, consider the people you are feeding. Are there big meat eaters? Any vegetarians or kids at the party? Once you have a number, the typical slice is roughly 1lb (455g) per adult eating. If you aren’t choosing from pre-packaged roasts and a butcher is cutting fresh for you, each bone will take care of roughly 2 people. It’s custom to describe a standing rib roast by number of bones. So, if I were cooking for 4-5 people, I would say I need a 2-3 bone roast.

Your Shopping Checklist

Okay, we have walked through factors you can mull over without being at the store. But, as well all know, what you want to purchase and what is available are two different things most of the time. So, here is a checklist to go through in your head when you are looking for a standing rib roast in your supermarket.

  1. Color/Colour: You want the color of the roast to be deep red or even purple. Beef that is a lighter red, pink, bown, or even gray has been exposed to oxygen longer. As beef’s myoglobin (purplish) oxidizes it will change to oxymyoglobin (cherry red) and then metmyoglobin (grayish). The freshest cuts will be the darkest and/or brightest.
  2. Marbling: You will want to inspect the fat distribution. Look for a roast that has strong marbling in the rib cap and thin, spider-webbed fat marbled into the center eye cut. It’s also good to have a uniform and relatively thick fat cap, as it protects the meat during the first, low roast and offers a wonderful flavor and crisp after the second, higher roast.
  3. Uniformity: Look for roasts that are the same size on both ends and don’t taper. If you have one end noticeably larger than the other, you can expect the roast to cook unevenly.
  4. Touch: You should be able to gently press your thumb into the side of the roast and feel tension with slight give and spring back. If the meat easily depresses and stays there it has probably been sitting for a bit. To get a good idea of what you should be feeling with roasts, touch the tip of your middle finger to the tip of your thumb and then press gently on the padded base of your thumb. That’s about what a medium-rare filet will feel like when cooked. It’s also the perfect tension for roasts and larger cuts of meat.
  5. Moisture: You want the meat to be “moist” (sorry, I know it’s a word we all hate) but have none or very little visible liquid in the packaging. Most supermarkets have absorbing pads beneath the meat. So, if you can see liquid, the meat has been sitting long enough or at a high enough temperature to release more moisture. Fresh-cut meat won’t have that.

This is why it’s so important to remove any meat from packaging as soon as you can. Think about it, whatever has been absorbed into those pads will remain in contact with your fresh meat until you separate them. Not to mention styrofoam and thin plastic wrap aren’t exactly the best barriers to bacteria. Open your meats, pat them down to remove excess moisture, and get them into the appropriate storage containers for how and when you intend to use them.

Talking to a butcher or meat department employee like a human

You made it! Now, let’s put all of the knowledge together. If you have the opportunity to speak to the person cutting your roast. Say the following things…

Hi! I’m looking for a prime-grade standing rib roast, preferably with the bones still intact. If you have anything with lots of marbling, from the first cut, that would be great. I have “x” number of people, so a “x” bone roast should be perfect (remember the math: 2 adults per 1 bone).

If you feel like a Sally (top-tier movie reference IMO) with all these requests and the anxiety is hitting hard, just say “I was told to ask for these things,” list the above things, and then say, “I have no idea what I’m doing. Can you help me?” Believe me, it is a rare person who won’t be friendly and helpful.

You got this! Now, go forth and use this knowledge for good!