Estimating how much food to cook can be a challenge, whether you’re cooking for a whole dinner party or just yourself. If you’re just making dinner for one, you’ll probably quickly learn how to balance amounts and work out what quantities you need, but when it comes to cooking for other people, that’s a lot harder.
You never know how hungry people will be, and if you’re making something fancy, you won’t want to buy vast amounts more than you need.
How many pounds of prime rib per person? On average, you should allocate a pound of prime rib for every person.
This will depend a little bit on what else you are serving; if you’ve got piles of mashed potato, stacks of veggies, extra bread, and a starter and dessert, you can might get away with serving just a little less, but this is a good rule of thumb to use when buying.
Prime rib is a great meal to serve if you want to impress your guests, so it’s better to have too much than too little if you’re expecting company. It’s juicy and succulent, and you don’t want to run out before everyone is full, so it’s better to buy a little extra just in case.
How Much Prime Rib Per Person?
If you’re buying rib on the bone, you can estimate that one rib will serve two people at a sit-down dinner where it is the main course. If you were having a dinner with ten people, five ribs should be plenty.
If you’re buying rib off the bone, a pound should be enough, so you would need ten pounds for ten people.
| People | Pounds of Rib |
| 1 | 1 |
| 2 | 2 |
| 5 | 5 |
| 10 | 10 |
| 15 | 15 |
| 20 | 20 |
If you are serving prime rib as part of a buffet meal, you should still buy plenty; it is a popular and succulent food, and many people will be keen on it. Depending on what else you serve, around ½ pound per person should be a safe gamble, but remember if you have leftovers, they can be eaten the following day.
Where Should You Buy Prime Rib?
Many people swear by their local butcher. You can get prime rib in large supermarkets, but if you want really high quality meat, it’s better to go for someone you know and trust. Butchers do tend to be a more expensive way to buy meat, but they are often more ethical, more environmental, and can be more accommodating.
You can buy your prime rib with or without the bone, but it’s thought that buying it with the bone will usually result in a juicier cut of meat. Butchers are often willing to cut it off the bone and then tie it back on.
This allows you to cook the meat with the bone in, increasing the flavor and juiciness, but allows you to remove the bones very easily when you come to carve the meat at dinner.
How Much Does Prime Rib Cost?
It will depend on where you buy it and whether they have any deals on, but prime rib is not a cheap food to serve. Prime rib usually costs around $11.99 per pound, and as the pounds tally up so neatly to the people with this food, it’s easy to get an idea of how much your meal will cost – at least in terms of the main.
You might pay a lot more to get prime rib from your local butcher, but you may find the meat is of higher quality and the service is better. You may also get deals if you buy regularly from them, or other convenience factors like home delivery.
If you’re serving ten people, the meat alone is going to cost you over $100 even if you buy it cheaply, and that’s not accounting for sides, drinks, etc. However, prime rib can be very worth it!
Why is Prime Rib Such a Choice Food?
If you’re going to serve it, it’s a good idea to know what it is and where it comes from. It is cut from the back of the upper rib section of a steer. There are six to seven ribs usually, but you needn’t buy the whole amount unless you’re feeding quite a gathering!
Prime rib is also easy to turn into a “wow” food because it is inherently delicious. It has a fatty pocket that cooks into a whole succulent hunk of deliciousness. The muscles surrounding the fat are not used by the animal much, which means they are tender and full of flavor.
Prime rib is considered a very popular meal for fancy restaurants to serve, so it’s a great way to wow your dinner guests with rich meat they will really enjoy. Nobody is going to accuse you of being stingy if you serve this up for dinner.
Is Prime Rib Easy to Cook?
Prime rib isn’t the easiest meal to cook, and given its price tag, isn’t for the faint-hearted. Do your research and consider a practice run (or more) before the big day. Prime rib is superb meat, but it’s not forgiving if your cooking technique is poor. Get a good meat thermometer and find a trustworthy recipe before you start.
Learn: How to Thaw a Prime Rib
Final Thoughts
A pound of prime rib per person, or a rib to two people, should be a suitable amount for your dinner guests. However, it’s best to err on the side of caution; choose to be a bit generous, and you may get some to enjoy the next day!
Prime rib is a great dinner choice to really wow and delight your guests, and with a careful cooking hand, it can be among the most succulent and popular meats there are. It may not be cheap, but there’s a good reason for its popularity and success.
Whether you’re doing a buffet or a sit-down meal, prime rib will go down a storm with your guests, and leave them satisfied and impressed. No fancy restaurant could do it better!