So you’re standing at the butcher counter, eyeing two beautiful ribeye steaks. One has a big ol’ bone attached (a classic bone-in ribeye), and the other is pure meat with the bone removed (a boneless ribeye). How do you choose? 🥩 It’s a debate as old as grilling itself: bone-in vs boneless ribeye – which one rules the grill? We’ll compare flavor, juiciness, cooking techniques, presentation, cost, and even some butchering tips. By the end, you’ll know exactly which ribeye cut is calling your name for the next barbecue.
Flavor and Juiciness
When it comes to flavor, ribeye is the king of steaks no matter what – thanks to its rich marbling. Those white streaks of fat melt into the meat as it cooks, making ribeyes ridiculously beefy and delicious. Bone or no bone, you’re getting a flavorful steak. Now, some folks swear the bone adds extra flavor, claiming that as the steak cooks, the bone marrow (sometimes nicknamed “prairie butter” by old-school cowboys) infuses a buttery richness into the meat. It’s a cool theory, but scientifically, it’s a bit of a tall tale. Bones aren’t very porous, so very little (if any) marrow really seeps into the steak. In blind taste tests, people often can’t tell a flavor difference between bone-in and boneless ribeyes. In other words, you’re not crazy if you think they taste the same.
Juiciness, on the other hand, is where the bone might give a slight edge. A bone-in ribeye can turn out juicier because the bone acts like a heat shield or insulator. The meat right next to the bone doesn’t get blasted by heat as much, so it stays more tender and pink. Ever notice how the bites nearest the bone are extra succulent? That’s the bone doing its job – keeping that section of steak a few degrees cooler so it doesn’t overcook. With a boneless ribeye, heat hits every side more evenly, which is great for consistent cooking, but you don’t have that “sweet spot” of extra-juicy meat by the bone. Don’t get me wrong: a boneless ribeye is still plenty juicy if you cook it right (and don’t incinerate it, of course). But a bone-in ribeye gives you a little built-in insurance against dryness. It’s like the bone is your buddy, making sure you’ve got at least a couple of super-moist bites in there.
In summary: flavor is essentially a draw (both cuts are mouthwateringly good), but for maximum juiciness and that primal eating experience of gnawing on a bone, the bone-in ribeye has a slight advantage. Meanwhile, the boneless ribeye shines in being a bit easier to cook evenly. Which matters more to you – the maybe-real, maybe-imagined flavor boost of the bone and a juicy center, or the simplicity of an all-meat steak? Up to you, my friend!
Cooking Techniques and Grill Types
Nothing beats the sizzle of ribeye steaks over a hot grill on a summer afternoon. Whether you’re grilling on charcoal (like the classic kettle grill above) or firing up a gas grill, ribeyes are a joy to cook. But does having a bone in the steak change how you grill it? Let’s dig into a few techniques that advanced grillers love (reverse sear, anyone?) and see how bone-in vs boneless ribeyes behave on different grills.
When it comes to grilling techniques, bone-in and boneless ribeyes are more alike than different – but there are a couple of tricks to keep in mind:
- Charcoal Grill: If you’re grilling over charcoal, you’ll get a beautiful smoky sear on either steak. With a bone-in ribeye, I like to start it with the bone side facing the hotter part of the coals. Why? The bone is a slow conductor of heat, so giving it a little extra time near the fire helps the steak cook more evenly. After searing both sides of the meat, you can even stand the steak upright on the bone for a minute to let the heat travel through. A boneless ribeye on charcoal doesn’t need that maneuver – just sear each side and move it to the cooler zone to finish. Both will develop that drool-worthy char. Just watch out for flare-ups; ribeyes are well-marbled, and dripping fat can make flames leap up (have a cooler zone or spray bottle handy).
- Gas Grill: On a gas grill, you don’t get as much natural smoke, but you do get consistent, even heat. Boneless ribeyes shine here because they’ll cook very evenly – you can get a perfect crust on the outside and a consistent doneness throughout. With a bone-in ribeye, you might notice the area near the bone cooking a tad slower. The solution? Cook bone-in steaks on medium heat a bit longer, or use a two-zone setup (one burner high, one low). Sear the steak over high heat, then finish it on the cooler side with the lid down so the heat penetrates to the bone. If you’re aiming for medium-rare, remember that the meat right next to the bone might end up rare – which many of us consider a feature, not a bug! On gas or charcoal, an instant-read thermometer is your best friend to nail the perfect internal temp without worrying about the bone throwing you off.
- Reverse Sear Method: Ah, the reverse sear – a favorite technique of many grill geeks (including this dad). If you haven’t tried it, reverse searing means cooking the steak slowly at low heat first, then blasting it with high heat at the end to sear. It’s fantastic for thick cuts. For bone-in ribeye, the reverse sear is basically a cheat code. You can slow-cook the steak indirectly (say, in a 250°F oven or on the cooler side of your grill) until it’s about 10-15°F shy of your target doneness. During this stage, the bone is slowly warming up too. Then you transfer the steak over screaming-high heat (or even a ripping hot cast iron pan) to sear the exterior. The result? A perfectly even rosy interior and a gorgeous crust, bone-in or not. The bone-in steak will have that edge of extra juiciness near the bone, and the reverse sear ensures the rest of the meat stays just as moist. Boneless ribeyes also benefit from reverse searing, especially thick ones, but they were already a bit easier to cook evenly. With this method, both cuts come out nearly identical – so it’s more about the thickness of the steak than the bone.
Pro tip: If you’re reverse-searing on a grill, toss a chunk of wood on the coals or use a smoker box on gas during the low-heat stage. You’ll get a subtle smoky flavor that’ll make you a BBQ hero to your guests.
In short, bone-in vs boneless doesn’t drastically change how you grill a ribeye, but bone-in might need a touch more time and a couple of position tricks for even cooking. Both love high heat for a good sear, both appreciate a two-zone fire to finish without burning, and both will be amazing if you let them rest a few minutes before digging in. Whether you’re team charcoal or team gas (or team reverse sear), a ribeye is a rockstar on the grill. Just adjust slightly for that bone, and you’re golden.
Presentation and Steakhouse Aesthetics
Now let’s talk about looks. You eat with your eyes first, and a bone-in ribeye is undeniably a showstopper on the plate. Picture a massive tomahawk steak – a bone-in ribeye with an extra-long Frenched rib bone that looks like something out of The Flintstones – it’s the kind of steak that turns heads and makes jaws drop (literally, if you’re trying to take a bite of it!). Even a standard bone-in ribeye, sometimes called a “cowboy steak” when the bone is trimmed to a shorter handle, has a certain rustic elegance. The bone sticking out gives the steak a signature shape and creates a dramatic presentation. This is why high-end steakhouses often feature bone-in ribeyes as their premium menu item. It just feels fancy and primal at the same time. When that sizzling plate arrives with a thick, juicy bone-in ribeye, it’s a picture-worthy moment for sure.
Boneless ribeyes, while equally delicious, are a bit more understated in appearance. They’re basically a big slab of beautiful beef with nice marbling and a charred crust. Don’t get me wrong – a perfectly cooked boneless ribeye looks awesome too (hello, gorgeous sear marks and maybe a pat of melting herb butter on top!). It’s just that without the bone, the steak is smaller visually, and maybe a tad less “wow” when serving to guests. Think of it as the difference between a sports car with a spoiler (bone-in) and one without. Both are cool, but one is just flashier.
In terms of steakhouse aesthetics, if you’re going for that classic upscale chophouse vibe at home, bone-in is the winner. The bone acts almost like decoration – you can even hold the bone with a cloth and carve slices of meat off it for a table-side presentation, reenacting your inner steakhouse chef. Bone-in steaks often come thicker, which adds to the lavish look. Plated with a sprig of rosemary and a roasted garlic bulb, a bone-in ribeye is pure food art.
One more fun factor: eating off the bone. After you’ve savored the main meat, there’s something satisfying about picking up that rib bone and nibbling off the remaining bits of charred beef (we’re all friends here, you can admit you do it!). It makes the experience feel complete. With a boneless ribeye, you won’t have that little bonus round.
So for presentation points – bone-in clearly steals the show. If you’re cooking to impress (maybe date night or a celebration dinner), that ribeye with the bone will make a statement. If you’re just grilling for a weeknight dinner or slicing steak for sandwiches, the boneless ribeye’s simpler shape might not matter as much. It all depends on the occasion and how extra you want to be.
Cost and Accessibility
Alright, let’s get down to dollars and cents (because hey, steak ain’t cheap!). In terms of cost, the bone-in vs boneless ribeye situation can be a little confusing. You’d think removing the bone would make the steak cheaper (less weight, right?), but actually, boneless ribeyes often cost more per pound. Why? It comes down to butchering and demand.
Removing the bone takes extra labor for the butcher, and you end up with only meat in the package – which is what most customers want. Boneless cuts are convenient, so stores know they can charge a premium for that convenience. Bone-in ribeyes, on the other hand, include the weight of the bone (which you’re paying for but not eating). If a bone-in steak weighs, say, 20 ounces, a good 5 ounces of that might be bone. So even if the per-pound price is a bit lower, you’re not getting quite as much edible meat. In many cases though, you’ll actually see bone-in ribeyes priced slightly lower per pound than boneless. As an example, a grocery store might list bone-in ribeye at $14.99/lb and boneless at $16.99/lb. If you do the math, you might pay roughly the same for two similar-sized steaks, one bone-in, one boneless – the bone-in just weighs a bit more total. It feels like a better deal because you’re getting a larger steak for the price, bone and all.
However, there’s a twist: the trendy tomahawk ribeye often gets marked up. Some stores and restaurants charge a premium for those giant bone-in showpieces. It’s a bit of a marketing gimmick – you’re paying extra for the spectacle of that long bone. I’ve seen instances where a tomahawk (bone-in) was priced higher per pound than the boneless ribeye right next to it. Essentially, you were paying top dollar for the bone! From a pure value standpoint, that’s not great (unless you really want a conversation starter on your plate). So, pro tip: if you want bone-in flavor and juiciness without the “Instagram tax,” go for regular bone-in “cowboy” cuts or buy a whole rib roast and cut your own steaks (more on that in a sec). Skip the overpriced tomahawk at the supermarket if the boneless is significantly cheaper.
In terms of accessibility, boneless ribeyes are everywhere. Any supermarket or big-box store with a meat section will have boneless ribeye steaks available, typically cut about 1-inch thick and ready to grill. Bone-in ribeyes might be a little harder to find in a standard grocery store day-to-day. They tend to appear more often at butcher shops, warehouse clubs (Costco, for example, often sells whole bone-in rib roasts or packs of bone-in ribeye steaks), or as specialty items. Often though I find it’s best to check Costco or other warehouse clubs when you’re planning a big backyard BBQ vs. just cooking for yourself or your significant other at home. That said, many grocers do carry “rib steaks” (which is another name for bone-in ribeye) especially during summer grilling season or around holidays (when people roast prime ribs). If you don’t see them in the case, you can ask the butcher – many times they have bone-in cuts in the back or can cut a roast for you. No matter what, you can usually find high quality steaks from meat purveyors online like Snake River Farms, Porter Road and Certified Piedmontese, which we also highlight below.
One cool thing: if you’re watching for sales, sometimes the whole bone-in rib roast (the primal cut that ribeyes come from) goes on sale for a great price per pound. You can buy the whole thing and have the butcher cut it into steaks. This often nets you bone-in ribeyes at a much lower cost per steak than buying them individually. Plus, you can choose your thickness. (Hello, 2-inch-thick steaks!). The boneless ribeye roast goes on sale too, but typically a bit higher priced than bone-in. Again, you’re paying for convenience when you go boneless.
To sum up cost: Bone-in ribeyes are usually a touch cheaper per pound and can save you money if you don’t mind a little bone weight. Boneless ribeyes cost a bit more per pound but all that weight is edible meat, and they’re readily available everywhere. If budget is a big factor and you have a good local butcher, bone-in might give you more bang for your buck. If convenience and zero waste matter more, boneless is the straightforward choice. As for accessibility: boneless wins simply because it’s the standard, but a true grilling enthusiast will sniff out a bone-in steak with a little extra effort (and it’s often worth the hunt!).
Butchering and Handling at Home
If you’re the DIY type in the kitchen (and a lot of us grill dads are), you might consider buying a whole ribeye roast and butchering it at home. The ribeye section typically has ribs 6 through 12 of the cow. A bone-in ribeye roast is basically a prime rib with the bones still on. A boneless ribeye roast is the same thing with the ribs removed. When you cut steaks from a bone-in roast, you’ll naturally get bone-in ribeyes (one rib bone per steak, usually). Cut them between the bones and bam – you’ve got impressive thick steaks with a bone attached. If you take a boneless roast and slice it, you get the boneless ribeye steaks most people are familiar with.
Handling a bone-in piece of meat might seem intimidating at first, but it’s actually kinda fun. You’ll want a sharp boning knife or chef’s knife (check out our review of Dalstrong knives, which have some of the best chef’s knives for handling a big piece of meat like this). You can choose to French the bone (trim the meat and fat off the protruding part of the bone for a cleaner look) if you’re going for that tomahawk presentation. Or just leave it rustic – there’s no wrong way. One tip: if you’d rather cook the roast whole (as a prime rib) but still want easy carving, ask the butcher to cut the bones off and then tie them back on. That way you roast with the bones (for flavor and juiciness), but can simply snip the strings and lift the boneless roast off for slicing. You get the best of both worlds.
For handling on the grill, bone-in and boneless have a few small differences. A bone-in ribeye is often larger in overall size (because of that bone sticking out). Make sure you’ve got a pair of long tongs to manage it – you don’t want to be that guy frantically poking at a heavy steak and dropping it because the bone made it unwieldy. When flipping a bone-in steak, try to grab the steak part (not just the bone) with your tongs so you don’t tear meat from the bone. Sometimes I’ll use the bone as a sort of handle with tongs when searing the sides of the steak (holding the steak vertically by the bone to crisp up the fat cap). Just be mindful that bone can scratch non-stick surfaces or cut into foil pans, etc., so treat it like a tool. With boneless steaks, it’s pretty straightforward – just flop ‘em down and flip as needed, nothing fancy.
Another home-handling consideration is trimming and seasoning. Bone-in ribeyes might have a little extra fat and connective tissue around the bone. I usually trim any excess hard fat off the edges (leave the marbling inside intact, of course). There’s often a layer of silverskin or membrane on the outside of the ribs if you buy a whole roast – that can be trimmed away too. Boneless ribeyes are usually pretty much ready to go out of the package. Seasoning wise, both cuts love a good salt and pepper rub (I’m a fan of a simple coarse salt, black pepper, maybe garlic powder blend). Just be sure to get seasoning into the nooks and crannies around the bone on a bone-in steak. And don’t forget to oil the steak lightly or the grill grates to prevent sticking – especially on that bone side which has less fat than the meat.
One last thing: leftovers & bone usage. If you grill a bone-in ribeye and have that tasty bone left, you can save it for making beef stock or toss it into a pot of stew for extra flavor later. Some people even smoke the leftover bones to make smoked beef stock – talk about next-level! With boneless, well, you’re left with an empty plate (and a full belly). No bone leftovers to play with. If you’re feeling generous and have a dog at home, you might be tempted to give them the rib bone – just be very careful because cooked bones can splinter (generally not recommended for dogs).
That being said, there have been plenty of times where I’ve just chucked a few of those bones in a bag in the freezer, and then used them for a soup stock, bone broth or gravy during Thanksgiving later on. There are plenty of uses for the bone!
In a nutshell, if you don’t mind a bit of hands-on work, you can treat yourself to custom-cut ribeyes at home. Bone-in requires a tad more knife work and grill finesse, but it rewards you with a striking steak and maybe some broth later. Boneless is quick and easy, from butcher paper to grill to plate with minimal fuss. Choose your adventure!
Best Mail-Order Ribeye Steaks Online
Sometimes the best steak isn’t at the local market – it’s online, waiting to be shipped to your door packed in dry ice like a meaty treasure chest. For those of us who want top-quality ribeyes (bone-in or boneless) without hunting around town, mail-order steaks are a game changer. Here are a few of the best online sources for ribeye steaks that I personally drool over:
- Snake River Farms – If you’re after insanely marbled, buttery-rich ribeyes, Snake River Farms has you covered. They’re famous for American Wagyu beef, which means you get that melt-in-your-mouth texture and beautiful marbling in every bite. A bone-in Wagyu ribeye from SRF is an experience, let me tell you. They’re not cheap, but for a special occasion it’s totally worth it. Even their boneless ribeyes are a cut above (pun intended). This is the place to splurge when you want a steak that will truly impress.
- Porter Road – Porter Road is like having a friendly neighborhood butcher who delivers to you. They source pasture-raised beef from small farms and hand-butcher everything themselves. Their ribeyes (usually boneless, but occasionally bone-in cowboy cuts pop up) have incredible flavor, and many cuts are dry-aged for extra beefiness. What I love is you can trust you’re getting humanely raised, hormone-free meat. The pricing is fair for the quality, and you might find interesting cuts there too. If you’re an adventurous griller who cares about where the meat comes from, Porter Road is a top pick.
- Certified Piedmontese – Ever heard of Piedmontese cattle? It’s a unique breed known for being very lean and tender. Certified Piedmontese specializes in this beef, which means their ribeye has about half the fat of a regular ribeye but still remains tender and flavorful. It’s a great option if you want a slightly healthier steak without sacrificing tenderness. Their ribeyes are usually boneless (the breed is the main star here), and you can get grass-fed options too. I’ve found Piedmontese beef has a clean, meaty taste with a nice soft bite. It’s like the fit cousin of a traditional ribeye – still fun at parties, just watches its waistline.
All of these online providers will ship steaks straight to you, flash-frozen and in pristine condition. It’s a fantastic way to access steaks that might be better than what you find locally. Plus, you can often choose the exact thickness and cut style. Bone-in vs boneless? Up to you! Many places (like Snake River Farms) offer both versions if available. Just be ready to pay for that shipping and quality – it’s not bargain-bin shopping, but the results on the grill speak for themselves.
For a complete run down of these online mail order steak companies, check out our full review.
Further Reading
We’ve got a few different posts that may be useful for you:
- Wondering if it’s better to serve filet mignon or ribeye for guests? Learn more about their different flavor profiles and which one may be best for which occasion.
- Some call sirloin the king of steak, so we wrote a detailed breakdown of sirloin and ribeye to help you choose what’s right for you.
- Thinking of different recipes to try out with your ribeye? Check out our Ribeye French Dip recipe, a real crowd pleaser.
- We’ve got a lot more posts that go into detail on eye of round, New York strip, how to choose the best steak, and much more.
Final Thoughts
Now, armed with all this knowledge, you can make the call in the bone vs. boneless ribeye showdown. No matter which you pick, when that steak hits the grill and the aroma of sizzling beef fills the air, you really can’t lose. At the end of the day, the best ribeye is the one cooked to perfection and shared with good company (preferably with a cold drink in hand). So go forth, grab your steak of choice, and happy grilling! 🍻🔥🥩
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