Side by side
Ribeye
Rib roast · entrecôte · côte de bœuf
The muscle sitting over ribs six to eight. It barely moves during the animal's life, so the grain stays fine and intramuscular fat settles through it in a dense web. This is where the most spectacular marbling on any carcass appears.
The best pieces carry fine marbling all the way out to the fat cap around the spinalis, not just in the eye.
Short plate
Short rib · plat de côtes · costillar
The muscle between the ribs, built in thin alternating layers of fat and lean. On a grill it throws off more aroma than any other cut, because the fat drips into the fire and comes back up as smoke.
Look for a cross-section where fat and lean stack in clear layers rather than one thick fat seam.
Which one to buy
- Better forRibeye : Short plate
- GrillingAbout the same95 : 95
- SteakRibeye88 : —
- Hot potRibeye40 : —
- BraisingShort plate— : 50
Other comparisons
All cuts
Beef Primals
Chicken Portions
Bluefin Tuna Cuts
Temperatures are guidance for whole-muscle cuts. Ground meat and poultry need 71°C / 160°F throughout.