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Prime Rib Roast all-natural beef hormone-free beef

Prime Rib vs Strip Loin: Which roast is best for my Holiday Party?

As we creep into the end of October and early November, holiday festivities have been edging into our minds. It seems that no matter how early we start planning and preparing, there is never enough time before the holiday season hits. In preparation, we’ve been stocking up our inventory of holiday roasts (you can reserve your Prime Rib and Strip Loins now!) and can’t help but think about the delicious holiday meals that we get to share with friends and family each year with good food, good conversation, and better company. With this nostalgia fresh in our minds, we thought we’d share a little bit about two of our most show-stopping holiday roasts: the Prime Rib Roast and the Strip Loin Roast. When it comes to beef, few cuts are as revered as prime rib and strip loin. Both offer a delightful dining experience, but they come from different parts of the cow and possess distinct characteristics. What makes these roasts so special? What is the difference between the two? And which roast is right for my holiday gathering?

What is a Prime Rib Roast?

The Prime Rib is arguably one of the most famous and show-stopping items to be served at any gathering. But what makes this roast so special? 

This roast comes from the “rib” primal of the cow, which is the part on the front quarter below the backbone, specifically ribs 6-12. Because the muscles that comprise this primal are not heavily used by the animal, the muscle is tender instead of tough, and is well-marbled with lots of flavorful fat. The more marbling on a piece of meat, the more flavor and tenderness it has to offer. The fat within the muscle fibers melts during cooking, resulting in a juicy, rich flavor that is hard to beat. The popular Ribeye steak comes from the exact same area as the Prime Rib – in other words, you can think of the Prime Rib Roast as a bunch of Ribeye steaks stuck together. 
 

The prime rib is usually large in size and is characterized by it’s large, well-marbled “eye” of meat in the center, surrounded by more fat-marbled muscle, and a thick cap of buttery fat on top of the entire thing. The rich fat is what gives this roast it’s incredible flavor and soft, juicy bite.  

You can read more about a Prime Rib and reserve your premium Wyoming Pure all-natural holiday roast here!

Rib primal - beef
The Rib primal, where the Prime Rib and Ribeye are cut from
A close up of the Ribeye steak - can you see the "eye" of the steak surrounded by thick and juicy fat?
Prime Rib Roast all-natural beef hormone-free beef
Prime Rib Roast

What is a Strip Loin Roast?

Less popular but in no way inferior is the Strip Loin Roast. This roast comes from the “Loin” primal, which is below the backbone on the rear quarter of the beef. While the loin is home to many popular steaks like the Sirloin, Porterhouse, and Tenderloin, the Strip Loin comes from the “short loin” which is the same area as the popular New York Strip steak, and is taken from the longissimus dorsi muscle that runs parallel to the spine. In fact, Ribeyes are to a Prime Rib as New York Strips are to a Strip Loin – meaning, the Strip Loin is essentially several New York Strip Steaks stuck together. 

Similar to the Rib primal, the Short Loin primal also receives little work by the animal and is also extremely tender. The biggest difference between the Prime Rib and Strip Loin is that the marbling within the Strip Loin is more evenly distributed and has fewer large pockets of fat. The beef flavor in the Strip Loin is also significantly stronger and it offers a firmer bite. The strip loin is also typically boneless, which is convenient for quick-cooking methods.

The Strip Loin Roast is typically smaller in size, between 4-6 lbs, and as mentioned above has less overall fat than the Prime Rib. 

Wyoming Pure is one of the few farm-to-table beef companies that offer a strip loin roast – you can reserve them here!

 

Short Loin Primal where the Strip Loin and New York Strip are cut from
New York Strip Steak - all-natural beef, hormone-free beef
A close-up of the New York. Can you see the even marbling distribution and less fat throughout than the ribeye?
Strip Loin Roast

How to cook a Prime Rib Roast: 

Cooking the perfect Prime Rib Roast is arguably one of the most intimidating cooking ventures. Here are some steps to follow: 

1. Heavily season all sides of the Prime Rib roast with your favorite spice blend – we suggest garlic, salt, pepper for a basic finish, or some of the famous WyoHiser seasoning for an easy and delicious finish. Let the prime rib sit at room temperature for about an hour.
2. Sear the edges of the Prime Rib – this can be done by either baking at 425 for 15 minutes, or by searing the edges in a hot skillet. Searing the edges is KEY to a good Prime Rib Roast, and not only seals the flavor inside the meat, but also provides a crisp crunch surrounding the delicate and tender meat inside.
3. Finish baking the Prime Rib roast at 325 until the roast reaches an internal temp of 120. The amount of time this will take will depend on the roast size, but you can plan for about 30 minutes per pound of meat. For a 10 pound Prime Rib, this could take up to five hours or more, so be sure to give yourself plenty of time. 
4. Once the roast has reached 120 degrees, pull the roast from the oven and wrap in foil and let rest for approximately 20 minutes. You can plan on the temperature of the roast rising about 10 degrees after resting, so take this into account if you’d like a more-done or less-done roast. We like ours done at medium rare, or an internal temp of 130-135 degrees.
5. Slice and enjoy your delectable Prime Rib roast!
 

 

How to cook a Strip Loin Roast: 

The process for cooking a strip loin roast can be done in the same way as the Prime Rib Roast mentioned above: 

1. Season all sides of your Strip Loin roast heavily (we love the WyoHiser seasoning, but garlic, salt, and pepper works well too!) and let sit at room temperature for at least an hour.

2. Sear the edges of the Strip Loin either using a very hot skillet or by baking at 425 degrees for 15 minutes
3. Cook the Strip Loin to the right temp at 325 degrees – we use a meat thermometer to cook to an internal temp of 120-125 degrees (this is the temperature for a rare roast, but the temp will rise as it rests). Plan on 30 minutes for each pound of roast: a 4 lb roast could cook in as little as 2 hours, or a 6 lb roast might take up to 3.
4. Pull from the oven and cover with foil to let rest for 20 minutes. The temperature will continue to rise about 10 additional degrees upon resting. We shoot for an internal temp of 130-135 for the perfect medium-rare finish.
5. Slice and enjoy your perfectly cooked Strip Loin Roast!
Prime Rib Roast all-natural beef hormone-free beef
Perfectly cooked Prime Rib Roast
Perfectly cooked Strip Loin Roast

Should I serve a Prime Rib or Strip Loin Roast for my Holiday meal? 

As you can see, both the Prime Rib roast and the Strip Loin roast are incredible, show-stopping options for your holiday meal. Weather you are celebrating  Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any other special gathering, either of our roasts will be the perfect centerpiece for a fantastic event. The specific type of roast to choose depends on your preferences. 

Choose the Prime Rib Roast if: you’re looking for a show-stopping roast for a large crowd and love the soft, juicy, and fatty bite of a Ribeye steak. 

Choose the Strip Loin Roast if: you’re looking for a smaller roast with a tender yet firm bite and a strong beef flavor, or if you prefer your roast with less fat.

No matter which option you choose, be sure to choose the best tasting all-natural, hormone and antibiotic free beef, raised from our ranch and brought to your table. Find more on our website! May your holidays be filled with love and laughter!