Mail Order Prime Prime Rib for Christmas

[robyn]

OK - Chanukah is easy. I always make brisket. Christmas is hard. My husband likes a pork tenderloin dish I make (with an apple cream sauce) - but I am sick of cooking it. I was thinking of a "prime" prime rib. I have only cooked a prime rib once before. Got it at Fresh Market. It wasn't "prime" - it was choice - but it was pretty good - and easy to prepare (members here talked me through it).

I thought a "prime" prime rib would be even better. They aren't sold where I live - so I started looking at mail order. And now I am totally confused. I can buy fresh from Lobel's - or frozen Niman Ranch from Costco (Costco is about 1/2 the price of Lobel's). Or from a half dozen other places with prices in between.

The situation is complicated by a couple of factors. First - Christmas is Tuesday. So mail order products would arrive no later than Friday. I'm not sure I want a "fresh" roast that has taken a long trip - and then spent 4-5 days in my refrigerator. The Lobel roast can come with bones cut and tied (which seems like it would be the easiest to deal with) . The Costco roast only comes whole. How hard is it to bone and tie a roast? Will I need a bandsaw to do it <g>? I suspect the butchers at my local Costco would do it for me - but I would rather have a root canal than go to Costco the day before Christmas.

Anyway - any suggestions from experienced buyers of rib roasts - mail order or otherwise - would be appreciated. About what to buy? Where to buy it? Fresh or frozen? Even prime versus choice. My husband and I don't eat a lot of beef - but - as with most things - even those we don't eat very often - we can tell the difference between good - better - and best. The brisket I bought from Publix this year was mediocre. OTOH - it wasn't expensive - and we both like kugel better than brisket anyway <g>. But I don't want to jump through a lot of hoops and spend $150-300 for a hunk of meat that isn't any better than what I can buy locally at Fresh Market for $50-75. Robyn

[Jmahl]

I have had good luck with the local market, dry aged in the frig for 5 or 6 days. There is a thread somewhere with my photos from last year. The result was good or better than any restaurant roasted slow and low.

Good luck,

Jmahl

[Marlene]

I really hate the way Costco has started packaging their prime ribs. Upside down, you can't see what kind of fat cap the roast has, which is pretty important, in my view.

IF you have to mail order, I'd go with Lobels, frozen, and then let it thaw in your fridge. There's nothing wrong with the picture of the prime rib that Lobel's is showing.

Dry aged is nice for Prime Rib as well as steaks. And I'd go with the prime rather than choice, definitely. While I know how to bone and tie a prime rib, I'd much rather someone do it for me.

[jayt90]

Marlene, the OP is looking at a frozen Niman ranch roast, naturally raised, available on the U.S. site, not in the warehouses. The Lobel roast is fresh, and not too far away.

[Marlene]

Sure, but even at not too far away, that fresh roast is going to sit in her fridge for several days. I'd rather go with frozen in a case like this and thaw. That Niman roast is going to have to come from one of their warehouses.

I eat a lot of beef, and this would be my preference in a case like this. Your milage may vary.

Edited December 8, 2007 by Marlene (log)

[jayt90]

The Costco.com products are sent directly by courier, and are not the same as the warehouse items. I would have to check Costco.ca to see if I can get that type of roast where I live.

[Marlene]

The costco meats here are Kirkland lake signature. I don't know who they come from. I've always been pretty happy with Costco meats but I don't buy prime rib from them anymore since they started packing upside down and we can't order meat from them online in Ontario.

[jayt90]

I asked. In Canada they are generally Alberta AAA and once in awhile U.S. (don't know what grade, but similar.) They are never Canada Prime, and they don't bring in U.S.D.A. prime.

I'll have to look at their store packs of rib roasts, now that you point out the problem.

[Marlene]

It's rare that you'll see Canada prime anywhere in Ontario, including Cumbraes. Once in a while, you'll see that Bruno's has some Canada prime strip steaks, but most of our prime goes to Japan. But to get back to Robyn's question, I'd still go with the Lobels for all the reasons I outlined.

[budrichard]

Since you don't have a source for USDA Prime, then Lobel's is quite simply superior to anything else and it will not be frozen. Delivered on Friday, no problem sitting in your fridge until Tuesday. I have never been dissapointed by Lobels.

But I would really investigate local sources for USDA Prime or Choice for that matter.

BTW trying to debone and cut if you don't have the right tools and expertise will not be good!

How many people are you going to feed, if only two, then what you really will get is a double cut Rib Steak. A full Standing Rib will feed at least 15 people.

Do a search for preparation methods. You will find a plethora of ways people cook a rib roast, some simple and some arduous!-Dick

[maher]

ive bought pretty regularly from Lobels and i have to say ive never found cause to complain about the quality. If you want more or less fatcap, ive found them very willing to accomodate, just list that in your order. I would also be happier keeping the cryovac wrapped roast in the fridge for a few days rather than buying frozen.

the other online source that i like is allen brothers. you might want to check them out as well.

[gperls]

I just received my Niman Ranch 3-bone prime rib that I ordered through Costco. I cook a prime rib every year, and like to try different sources. I've heard Lobel's is the best, but their prices are too high for me. I thought this one would be a good compromise.

It arrived at its appointed time, still frozen in cryovac. It is beautifully marbled, and not too much of a fat cap (I love making yorkshire pudding from the beef's fat). I may try a week of dry aging at home, ala Alton Brown.

If interested, I can report back on how it turned out after the holiday.

[robyn]

I just received my Niman Ranch 3-bone prime rib that I ordered through Costco. I cook a prime rib every year, and like to try different sources. I've heard Lobel's is the best, but their prices are too high for me. I thought this one would be a good compromise.

It arrived at its appointed time, still frozen in cryovac. It is beautifully marbled, and not too much of a fat cap (I love making yorkshire pudding from the beef's fat). I may try a week of dry aging at home, ala Alton Brown.

If interested, I can report back on how it turned out after the holiday.

←

So how did it turn out? Robyn