Poor Man’s Prime Rib

I have a problem: I have champagne taste and a sparkling wine budget. This usually isn’t a bad thing–I just have to plan those occasional champagne splurges, and it makes me appreciate them. The first recipe I’m trying this week is in that spirit: Poor Man’s Prime Rib. I love me some prime rib, but it’s not something you’ll find on my table at home. In a restaurant for a special occasion, sure, but restaurants sell prime rib a few slices at a time. An entire standing rib roast (AKA prime rib) that’s not even cooked is a lot more than your average prime rib dinner. But can any other cut of meat compare? I have my doubts, but I’m going to find out.

This is seriously the best way to cook a roast. It makes an inexpensive piece of meat taste like prime rib! Tender and delicious!

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The Ingredients

As I mentioned above, the main reason I tried this recipe was the rice of a standing rib roast. It’s an expensive cut of meat. While I was shopping for my Poor Man’s Prime Rib, I took a look at the real thing and almost fainted.

It was on sale for $9.39 per pound, making one roast about $60. Pretty splurgy, but the regular price is what gave me the vapors—it was just over $98. That’s right, almost $100 for a roast that would still need to be cooked by yours truly.

I noped right out of that and over to the eye round roast that was priced a lot more reasonably at $5.29 a pound. It was 4 pounds and just over $22. That’s a downright steal compared to the standing rib roast!

The rest of the ingredients were simple seasonings I had in my pantry: salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.

Poor Man's Prime Rib Ingredients
Eye of round roast, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper

The Process

Preparing my Poor Man’s Prime Rib was almost as easy as tackling that one-item shopping list. Scratch that—it was easier since I didn’t have to leave the house.

Preheating the oven to 500ºF took a while, but I didn’t include that in my time. I just turned the oven on and prepped the roast while it preheated.

The prep work was nothing but sprinkling the meat with the seasonings. I skipped the bottom because it had a fairly thick layer of fat, but I did season the top and sides. After that, it was into the oven. Here is how my time was spent:

  • 3 minutes to prep
  • 2 hours 58 minutes to cook
  • 3 hours 2 minutes total

I had to adjust the time since my roast was larger than 3 pounds. Fortunately, the recipe says to roast for 7 minutes per pound, then turn the oven off and let it sit for 2 1/2 hours. The internal temperature was supposed to have been at least 145ºF, but my roast was 132ºF.

I thought about putting the roast back into the oven to cook more, but I ended up serving it as-is. I cut from both ends for dinner that night and saved the rest for leftovers. It had to be reheated anyway so that cooked it a little more.

The seasoned roast, ready to go into the oven
The seasoned roast, ready to go into the oven

So how was it?

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I had my doubts about this budget-friendly take on prime rib, but it proved me wrong. It wasn't quite as tender as the real deal, but it was flavorful and juicy. On the upside, the cut of meat used is leaner than prime rib, in case you're watching your fat or calorie intake. The seasoning and cooking method is similar to popular prime rib recipes I found, so you'll need a few hours to make it. Bonus: the leftovers are great for sandwiches! I bought some provolone cheese and hoagie rolls with the roast so I was leftover-ready.
The Hungry Pinner
The Hungry Pinnerhttps://www.hungrypinner.com
I'm Candice, and I'm The Hungry Pinner. I created this blog to share my love for cooking and my experiences with the MANY recipes I've found on Pinterest over the years. Join me as I blog my way through those recipes to find out if they are worth trying yourself.

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5 COMMENTS

    • Hi Lucy, There is a small chance they will need to cook for a few extra minutes, but it’s hard to predict in this situation. A meat thermometer is a must for this recipe and especially in this situation. I would start with the time listed in the recipe and leave an extra 15-20 minutes in your schedule just in case the roasts need some extra time to cook. Roast them in the same pan and leave plenty of space between them so the hot air in the oven can circulate for even cooking. And even if you have a meat thermometer that beeps when it reaches the desired temperature, I would also use a regular timer as a backup. Let me know how it turns out and merry Christmas!

    • I’m sure you’ll be pleased. I have made this recipe a few times and it has always turned out nicely. I recommend using a meat thermometer that will beep when the desired temperature is reached in addition to a regular timer. A meat thermometer ensures your roast is done to the right temperature, and a beeping thermometer is especially helpful in case the the desired temperature is reached before the timer goes off. Let me know how your’s turns out and merry Christmas!

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I had my doubts about this budget-friendly take on prime rib, but it proved me wrong. It wasn't quite as tender as the real deal, but it was flavorful and juicy. On the upside, the cut of meat used is leaner than prime rib, in case you're watching your fat or calorie intake. The seasoning and cooking method is similar to popular prime rib recipes I found, so you'll need a few hours to make it. Bonus: the leftovers are great for sandwiches! I bought some provolone cheese and hoagie rolls with the roast so I was leftover-ready.Poor Man's Prime Rib