Bone In vs. Boneless Ribeye Steak: What's the Best Value Buy?

If someone is worried about Value first... I don't think they care much about taste...

Let me put a Vegas spin on this... At Nero's I get the rib eye without the bone, because the rib eye with the bone in is too damn big. add the lobster tail to the smaller rib eye. lucious.

now back to "supermarket sweep."

A bone in ribeye is a rib steak. Boneless is a true ribeye. Cooking with the bone in will enhance the flavor a bit. Boneless will cost more because it's all meat. Something that hasn't been mentioned is grade. A ribeye with the prices you mentioned is probably select, not choice. I think you're taking a chance on buying a select cut, particularly in a rib/ribeye. Pay a little more and enjoy.

Good Luck!
Ric at Joes

Generally with steaks, the meat closest to the bone (porterhouse, t-bone, ribeye, etc.) is the tenderest. I don't know why, but that's the way it is.

Generally, the big drop off in flavor for normal folks is just below the third one. (select) Anything after that will taste loads different as it won't be as tender. Besides, you can doctor select cuts and they will taste quite good without paying the extra money.

$3.99 T-bones this week, I'm pick some up for the weekend.

I believe this is choice and not select as I have had no issues with the past purchases being tough.

It should state on the label if it's select or choice...or just ask the butcher.
Seriously, talk to the butcher. When our local Safeway had Ranchers Reserve choice bone-in Porterhouse for $4.99 a #, we were right over. Hubby talked to the butcher, asked for 3 steaks, cut 2" thick with a nice filet. The butcher brought out a tray, we ended up buying 4. Grilled one for supper that evening(rare-medium). So tender you could cut it w/a fork. The other 3 were suckered using our food-saver. Now, this is a big steak, more than enough for the 2 of us....I use the l/o's for tacos.

If you work with meats alot you should be able to see the differences between choice and select. If not, there are cook books that explain the differences and how to spot them.

Actually, it doesn't have to be either - the USDA grading process for cuts of meat is purely voluntary. There's a grocery store around here that perennially sells has a special on family packs of KC Strips for $4.99 / lb. It sounds like a great bargain, but if you examine the label closely the cuts are ungraded and frankly not very good - I'm not sure where they get them from, but they're more like top round than strip steaks.

Now that is sad. I can certainly tell the difference between top round and a strip steak, and I can tell the difference between select & choice, it's all in the marbling. People get with it....I'm saying again...get to know the butcher...talk to 'em...ask questions...tell them what you want. The butchers know what is being sold. If you're shopping at a reputable grocer, the butcher should be able to answer any questions, and most are happy to...if not, I wouldn't shop at the grocer. My Grandparents worked in the stockyards in Chicago, they knew the cuts of beef. I will always treasure Sunday family dinner, the best part, Grandma would roast beef bones and we would scoop out the marrow and slather it on her fresh baked rye bread. Now, this was free to employees, scraps to feed your family. Now a days, roasted beef bones are a high end dish in top dollar so called gourmet restaurants especially in NYC.