The most traditional cut of beef for an elegant and impressive roast beef dinner is the standing rib roast, also called a rib roast or prime ribΓÇöalthough this last name is misleading, since the beef may not necessarily have earned the prime-quality grade. This grand, naturally tender, well-marbled cut comes from the rib section starting just behind the shoulder and running along the backbone to where the ribs end; smaller partial roasts are also sold. A full standing rib roast contains seven rib bones; these act as a natural roasting rack and give the roast its impressive appearance. The less meaty ends of the rib bones, known as the short ribs, are generally trimmed off, although they may be left on and ΓÇ£FrenchedΓÇ¥ (stripped of fat and gristle) for presentation purposes. Most markets will remove the backbone, or chine boneΓÇöa task accomplished only with a meat saw. Be sure to request this, or you will be miserable come carving time. Sometimes the chine bone is left on but scored with vertical cuts to allow you to carve through it easily. While this method is certainly serviceable, we find that having the chine bone completely removed promotes more even cooking. The cap fat is the thick layer of fat that covers the top of a rib roast; it should be trimmed to just a thin layer covering the outside of the roast.
There is an important distinction between the ribs closest to the shoulder, known as the large end or chuck end, and the ribs toward the loin, also known as the small end or better end. As the ribs progress away from the shoulder, the eye meatΓÇöthe center nugget of prized rib meatΓÇöbecomes more recognizable and tenderer. Toward the shoulder, the roast may be larger, but it is composed of several lateral muscles, referred to as cap meat, lifter meat, or blade meat, that vary in tenderness and flavor and are separated by layers of fat. When buying less than a full rib roast, ask for a roast cut from the loin end, where you will find the largest part of the rib eye and the greatest tenderness.
For convenience and ease of carving, there are also boneless, well-trimmed rib roasts, referred to as rolled rib roasts. While these lack the festive appearance of a standing rib roast, carving them is simple. These are sold with an external layer of fat tied around the exterior to keep the meat moist as it roasts and to give the roast a neat, compact shape. Some meat markets cut the rib bones off the meat but tie them back on the roast to protect the eye meat during roasting. The strings and fat, and bones if present, are then removed before serving. Further trimming to remove all the cap meat, leaving only the tender eye meat, produces the most expensive of all roastsΓÇöa boneless rib-eye roast.
We do not recommend roasting anything smaller than a two-rib roast, weighing about 4 to 5 pounds, perfect for serving four to six people. For larger roasts, expect each additional rib to allow two or three more servingsΓÇöthat is, a three-rib roast for six to nine servings, a four-rib roast for eight to twelve servings, and so on. For boneless rib roasts, figure on 5 to 8 ounces of trimmed meat per person.
