What’s the difference between beef OP Rib & Rib Eye?

Different international terminology for cuts of beef means that learning your way around them can be a little tricky! Join us as we look at the difference between two classic cuts, OP Rib and Rib Eye.

Let’s start with the naming
Before we move too far ahead into technical detail, let’s clear up the matter of the bone and naming convention.

IN AUSTRALIA, THE HOME OF RANGERS VALLEY CATTLE STATION;
Rib Eye / cube roll / scotch fillet = boneless
OP Rib = same cut, bone in

BY CONTRAST, IN THE US;
Rib Eye = boneless
Export Rib = bone in

What’s an OP Rib?
The word OP simply means Oven Prepared. This cut, also known as Standing Rib Roast comes from the rib section of a steer, which is between the chuck roll and striploin.

The rib section has many cuts! To understand the difference between an OP Rib and Rib Eye, it helps to understand the rib section in a little more detail;

A steer has a total of 13 ribs on each side;

• The first 5 (counting from the front or head of the steer) are called the chuck (shoulder),
• Ribs 6 – 12 are back ribs
• Rib 13 is generally left with the hindquarter.

OP Ribs are made up of the muscles of M. longissimus dorsi,  M. spinalis dorsi, M. semispinalis capitis and M. iliocostalis, connected to rib bones 6-12. As raw cuts in a butchery or restaurant, will be made up of between 2 and 7 ribs, with the ribs cut to size and trimmed.

What is a Rib Eye Steak?

Rib Eye describes the singular steaks cut from the exact same muscle group, but without any bone attached. If it is a cube roll or scotch fillet, it will have the M.iliocostalis removed.

How to cook OP Rib
Due to the larger size of an OP Rib, it takes a lot longer to cook than a Rib Eye, so preparation is essential for a spectacular meal.

OP Ribs are the perfect cut for the grill, whether that’s the oven or barbeque. Larger OP Rib pieces will require a little more care and time, while it is becoming more common to see the bone split, allowing for a speedier cook & service time.

How to cook Rib Eye
Rib Eye steaks are ideal for cooking hot and fast in the pan or on the barbecue (for highly marbled beef such as our Wagyu or Angus brands)

To learn how to cook marbled beef, we have a handy in-depth guide here.

Continuing your cuts knowledge
Rib Eye and OP Rib are some of the finest cuts of the animal and loved by diners worldwide. While they’re very luxurious, and photogenic, there are so many other amazing cuts in our highly marbled beef that deliver flavour, texture and value. To learn more, visit our interactive cuts chart here.

Take it a step further!
From OP Rib to Rib Eye, then just one more cut, that little fat cap and voila, it’s a Scotch Fillet or Cube Roll.

And for your entertainment….

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