Buy This Cut Of Meat For The Most Satisfying Bite Of Prime Rib - Tasting Table

"If you've printed out a recipe for some slow-roasted prime rib roast, here's the most important "secret" you need to know to get the most satisfying bite: pick the right cut of meat. Not everything that the butcher hands you when you ask for a "cut I can make prime rib with" is the best. Instead, be specific. Ask for bone-in with the rib cap left intact."

"If you've been buying pre-packaged meat or just going with whatever the butcher recommends - well, it's time to change that. Make your way to a local butchery or the butcher shop section of your local grocer, and tell them you want a bone-in cut explicitly, stressing that you want the rib cap to stay attached to the ribs. Don't hesitate to ask your butcher questions about what you're seeing - most will be more than happy to tell you about the cut if you ask nicely."

Choose a bone-in prime rib with the rib cap (spinalis dorsi) left attached to maximize flavor, juiciness, and structural integrity during roasting. Bones provide concentrated flavor and help the roast keep its shape. The rib cap's meaty, fatty muscle melts and bastes the roast while cooking, enriching each slice. Buy from a butcher or butcher counter rather than pre-packaged meat and request that the rib cap remain attached. Ask about USDA grading and aim for Prime or Choice for better marbling, tenderness, and overall flavor.

Read at Tasting Table