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Food Cutting Techniques
How to Cut Prime Rib Download Article Co-authored by Jessica Gibson Reviewed by Jennifer Levasseur
Last Updated: February 24, 2025
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Butchering a Prime Rib Roast
|
Cutting Ribeye Steaks
|
Carving Cooked Prime Rib
|
Things You'll Need
|Show more|Show less X
This article was reviewed by Jennifer Levasseur and by wikiHow staff writer, Jessica Gibson. Chef Jennifer Levasseur is a Personal Chef and the Owner of The Happy Cuisiniere based in Breckenridge, Colorado. She has over 12 years of culinary experience and specializes in Mountain and Contemporary Rustic cuisine. Moreover, she can craft dishes and modify menus to accommodate dietary restrictions, such as gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, pescatarian, and dairy-free diets. In addition to a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Management from the University of Houston, Chef Jennifer holds Associate’s degrees in Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry Arts from Houston Community College. This article has been viewed 45,643 times.
Prime rib is a great meat to cut yourself. Purchase a large primal cut from your butcher and cut a prime rib roast according to the size you need. Once you have a prime rib roast, cut individual ribeye steaks. Decide if you'd like to keep the bones in or remove them. It's also important to learn how to carve a cooked prime rib roast so the meat stays warm and the slices are presentable.
Steps
Method 1 Method 1 of 3:
Butchering a Prime Rib Roast
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1 Decide which end of the primal cut to use. Get out your large primal cut and place it on a large cutting board. One end of the cut should be slightly thinner and leaner. This is the single eye end of the cut. The other thicker end will be larger and have more fat running through it.[1]XResearch source
While you can use either end of the cut, consider using the smaller end if you're serving fewer people or want a leaner roast. If you're serving a crowd, you may want a roast that includes more of the larger end.
You'll also need to decide how many rib bones to include in your roast. For example, to feed a large number of people, consider cutting a 5 rib roast.
2 Cut along the bone to create the prime rib roast. Take a sharp knife that's at least 10 inches (25 cm) long and make a long, deep cut into the meat. Make the cut parallel to the rib bones so you don't cut into the bones.
Try to make an even cut so the roast doesn't have a jagged or rough edge.
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3 Trim off any sinewy bits. Look at the edges of the roast for bits of fat or muscles that are hanging off. Use your knife to cut these away. Take care not to cut deeply into the fat or muscle of the roast.[2]XResearch source
If you leave strands of the sinew, they may become tough as the roast cooks.
4 Store or cook the prime rib roast. If you want to store the roast for later, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then place it in an airtight container. Refrigerate the roast for up to 3 to 5 days. To simply prepare the roast, sear the sides in a skillet until the meat is browned. Then finish roasting the meat in the oven until it's as cooked as you like.[3]XResearch source
Refrigerate leftover cooked roast in an airtight container for up to 3 to 5 days.
Advertisement Method 2 Method 2 of 3:
Cutting Ribeye Steaks
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1 Cut away the bones if you want boneless steaks. Set the prime rib on the cutting board so the bones point up. Keep a firm grip on the bones with one hand and use your knife to slice the meat next to the bone so it follows the curve. Then cut away the meat near the base where the bones are connected.
You should now be able to pull away the bones and cut the meat into steaks.
2 Decide how thick you'd like to make the steaks. Steak thickness is a matter of personal preference, so think about how thick you'd like them and how you plan on cooking them. Keep in mind that thicker steaks will probably need to be grilled longer or finished in the oven in order to cook completely.
Most ribeye steaks are cut between 2 inches (5.1 cm) and 3 inches (7.6 cm) thick.
3 Slice between the bones to make individual steaks. If you're leaving the bones in the prime rib, take a sharp knife and cut down between each bone. You'll have less control over how thick the steaks are because you'll just have to cut evenly between the bones.
If you're cutting a boneless prime rib, lay a ruler down so you can measure how thick the steaks will be.
4 Refrigerate or use the ribeye steaks. If you want to use the steaks later, wrap them individually in plastic wrap and put them in an airtight container. Refrigerate them for up to 3 to 5 days. To cook the steaks, decide if you want to toss them on the grill or cook them on the stove top.
Refrigerate the leftover cooked steak in an airtight container for up to 3 to 5 days.
Advertisement Method 3 Method 3 of 3:
Carving Cooked Prime Rib
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1 Hold the bones and cut between the bones and the meat. Place the prime rib roast on a cutting board so the bones are pointing up. Hold the bones with one hand and use the knife in your other hand to cut down in a curve between the bones and the meat.[4]XResearch source
Use a long, thin-bladed knife to make it easier to slice the meat. Never use a serrated knife which could tear the meat as you're cutting.
2 Fold the bones back and cut them away. Bend the bones back and away from the meat so you can see where they're loosely connected to the base of the roast. Then slice through the connection near the bottom so you can pull the bones away.[5]XResearch source
You should now have a large block of boneless prime rib that's ready to be sliced.
3 Decide if you want to trim away excess fat. If you prefer leaner prime rib, take your knife and cut away the fat that's visible on the roast. If you're serving guests and aren't sure if they enjoy the fat, you may want to leave it so they can decide for themselves.[6]XResearch source
4 Cut the prime rib into 1/2 in (1.3 cm) thick slices. Hold the meat firmly in place using one hand and hold the carving knife with the other. Cut steady, even slices through the meat so you get pieces that are 1/2 in (1.3 cm) thick. Try to make gentle, even slices so it doesn't tear the meat as it's cut.[7]XResearch source
If you use a sawing motion to carve the prime rib, you'll get jagged slices of meat that don't look as pleasing.
5 Avoid carving more slices than you need. Plan on carving enough slices to serve each of your guests once. Leave the rest of the roast on the cutting board so the meat stays warm longer. Then you can slice more servings as needed or store the meat for later.[8]XResearch source
To store leftover prime rib, put it in an airtight container and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.
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Things You'll Need
Sharp knife
Cutting board
Airtight storage containers
Plastic wrap
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Reviewed by: Jennifer Levasseur Personal Chef This article was reviewed by Jennifer Levasseur and by wikiHow staff writer, Jessica Gibson. Chef Jennifer Levasseur is a Personal Chef and the Owner of The Happy Cuisiniere based in Breckenridge, Colorado. She has over 12 years of culinary experience and specializes in Mountain and Contemporary Rustic cuisine. Moreover, she can craft dishes and modify menus to accommodate dietary restrictions, such as gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, pescatarian, and dairy-free diets. In addition to a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Management from the University of Houston, Chef Jennifer holds Associate’s degrees in Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry Arts from Houston Community College. This article has been viewed 45,643 times. 5 votes - 80% Co-authors: 4Updated: February 24, 2025 Views: 45,643 Categories: Food Cutting TechniquesArticle SummaryX
Before cutting a prime rib roast from a primal cut, note that one end of the cut will be thinner and leaner and the other end will be thicker and have more fat running through it. If you plan to serve fewer people or want a leaner roast, cut your roast from the smaller side. However, if you’re serving a crowd, use the larger end. When you’re ready, use a sharp knife to make a long, deep cut into the meat that’s parallel to the rib bones. After cutting your roast, look at the edges for bits of fat or muscle that are hanging off and cut them away. To learn how to cut ribeye steaks, keep reading!Did this summary help you?YesNo
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Reader Success Stories
Fred Gibson
Jan 22, 2021
"Needed to go over the basics. One suggestion: sharpen your knife on a steel or ceramic rod first. The effort used to cut the roast in the videos was hard to watch. Pretty dull knife, apparently."..." more
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Yes No Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Reviewed by: Jennifer Levasseur Personal Chef Co-authors: 4Updated: February 24, 2025 Views: 45,64380% of readers found this article helpful. 5 votes - 80% Click a star to add your vote
Fred Gibson
Jan 22, 2021
"Needed to go over the basics. One suggestion: sharpen your knife on a steel or ceramic rod first. The effort used to cut the roast in the videos was hard to watch. Pretty dull knife, apparently."..." more Share yours!
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Download Article Co-authored by Jessica Gibson Reviewed by Jennifer Levasseur 
How toCut Roast Beef 
How to Trim, Slice, & Cut the Perfect Brisket 
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Reviewed by: Jennifer Levasseur Personal Chef This article was reviewed by Jennifer Levasseur and by wikiHow staff writer, Jessica Gibson. Chef Jennifer Levasseur is a Personal Chef and the Owner of The Happy Cuisiniere based in Breckenridge, Colorado. She has over 12 years of culinary experience and specializes in Mountain and Contemporary Rustic cuisine. Moreover, she can craft dishes and modify menus to accommodate dietary restrictions, such as gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, pescatarian, and dairy-free diets. In addition to a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Management from the University of Houston, Chef Jennifer holds Associate’s degrees in Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry Arts from Houston Community College. This article has been viewed 45,643 times. 5 votes - 80% Co-authors: 4 Updated: February 24, 2025 Views: 45,643 Categories: Food Cutting Techniques Article SummaryX
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1 Decide which end of the primal cut to use. Get out your large primal cut and place it on a large cutting board. One end of the cut should be slightly thinner and leaner. This is the single eye end of the cut. The other thicker end will be larger and have more fat running through it.[1] 
2 Cut along the bone to create the prime rib roast. Take a sharp knife that's at least 10 inches (25 cm) long and make a long, deep cut into the meat. Make the cut parallel to the rib bones so you don't cut into the bones. 
4 Store or cook the prime rib roast. If you want to store the roast for later, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then place it in an airtight container. Refrigerate the roast for up to 3 to 5 days. To simply prepare the roast, sear the sides in a skillet until the meat is browned. Then finish roasting the meat in the oven until it's as cooked as you like.[3] 
1 Cut away the bones if you want boneless steaks. Set the prime rib on the cutting board so the bones point up. Keep a firm grip on the bones with one hand and use your knife to slice the meat next to the bone so it follows the curve. Then cut away the meat near the base where the bones are connected. 
2 Decide how thick you'd like to make the steaks. Steak thickness is a matter of personal preference, so think about how thick you'd like them and how you plan on cooking them. Keep in mind that thicker steaks will probably need to be grilled longer or finished in the oven in order to cook completely. 
4 Refrigerate or use the ribeye steaks. If you want to use the steaks later, wrap them individually in plastic wrap and put them in an airtight container. Refrigerate them for up to 3 to 5 days. To cook the steaks, decide if you want to toss them on the grill or cook them on the stove top. 
5 Avoid carving more slices than you need. Plan on carving enough slices to serve each of your guests once. Leave the rest of the roast on the cutting board so the meat stays warm longer. Then you can slice more servings as needed or store the meat for later.[8] 