up as it roasts.
Q: Does “prime rib” have anything to do with Prime
grade beef?
Glad you asked. The answer is no. The term “prime rib” has
existed longer than the USDA’s beef grading system, which
classifies beef according to its potential tenderness and
juiciness into various grades. The roast is called prime rib
because it’s what many butchers and consumers
traditionally considered the best part of the cow. After the
USDA began using its labeling system with the label
“Prime” denoting the highest quality, things became a little
confusing. It’s possible to buy a prime rib that is also Prime
grade, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be so. My local
Whole Foods sells Choice grade prime rib, for example,
while the discount supermarket around the corner also
carries Select grade prime rib.
Q: What’s a good size roast to buy?
Generally, you want to aim for about a pound of bone-in
prime rib per person, more if you have a hungry clan. A full
seven-rib prime rib is a massive hunk of meat, between 20
to 30 pounds. That’s too big to fit into my oven, which is
why I, like most people, buy my prime rib in three- or four-
rib sections. These sections have different names, depending
on where they are cut from:
- The Chuck End: Ribs 6 through 9, from closer to the
cow’s shoulder (aka the chuck); referred to variously as
the “chuck end,” “blade end,” or “second cut.” It’s got