Easy Poor Man's Prime Rib - Made using a Sirloin Roast - My Crash Test Life (2024)

This Easy Poor Man's Prime Rib is a "knock-off" of myHow to Roast a Boneless Prime Rib recipe. By using a sirloin tip roast, marinating it and then following the same directions as my prime rib recipe, you can have a delicious tasting roast for only a fraction of the price!

Having successfully made the most DELICIOUS Boneless Prime Rib, I decided to see if I could accomplish the same delicious result with a cheaper cut of meat.

Why roast a Sirloin Tip Roast instead of a Prime Rib?

There is only one reason you would roast a sirloin instead of a prime rib and that is the difference in cost. A Prime rib roast can cost anywhere between $13-$25 per lb! So, for a 4 lb roast, you are looking at a cost of between $52 and $100!!!

As for a sirloin roast, I was able to find my roast on sale for only $3 per lb. So, for this delicious dinner, it only cost me approximately $12!

That's a savings of anywhere between $40 and $88 for this meal!!!

What is the difference between a Sirloin Tip Roast and a Prime Rib roast?

The top sirloin is more tender and smaller in size than the bottom sirloin. Sirloin, prime rib, and Ribeye are three types of steaks coming from the lower back portion of the animal. Prime rib comes from the rib section of the beef. With a little more marbling, Prime Rib is typically a more expensive cut of meat.

As for nutritional value differences, since the sirloin tip is leaner than other beef cuts, it has less than 134 calories per 3 oz serving according to the USDA, much less than a prime rib.

How did I modify this Sirloin Roast to taste like Prime Rib?

The only difference between this Poor Man's Prime Rib and my original Prime Rib recipewas to marinate the meat first.

Since a sirloin roast is a leaner cut of beef, I marinated the roast in olive oil, sage and rosemary overnight to add some additional fat to the roast.

What is the key to roasting this Poor Man's Prime Rib

According toCook's Country:

Weigh your roast and round it up to the nearest ½ pound. Triple that number and, if necessary, round up again ot he nearest whole number. This number is the total time that you have your oven on. Place the roast in the oven and set your timer to the calculated time depending on the size of your roast. When the time is up, turn off the oven and leave the roast alone for 2 hours.

Here is the example they give in the magazine:

• if your roast is 3.3 pounds, round up to 3.5 pounds. Multiply that number by 3 which comes to 10.5 which is in turn rounded up to 11 making your oven-roasting time 11 minutes.

How do you prepare this Poor Man's Prime Rib?

For this lean cut of meat, I suggest marinating it in about 1-2 tbps of olive oil overnight. I added some dried rosemary and sage along with the olive oil and sealed all the ingredients (including the meat) in a ziplock bag. I tossed the meat to cover it with the olive oil and seasoning and placed it in the fridge.

The next day, I allowed the roast to come to room temperature and sprinkled it heavily with salt, pepper and garlic powder.

Next, I placed the rib in a 500 degree F oven, fat side up and roasted it for the required time. Turn off the oven and walk away for 2 hours before opening the oven.

That's it!

What are the different temperatures for different levels of doneness?

How much Poor Man's Prime Rib meat is required to feed a crowd?

Estimate that your guests will eat about ½ poundper person when the roast is part of a holiday buffet, or¾ pound per personif it's the main course to a smaller holiday dinner.

Serve this Poor Man's Prime Rib recipe with the following sides:

Quick and Easy Parmesan Roasted Broccoli

Spicy Harissa Carrot Salad (Whole30, Low Carb, Paleo)

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