The Affordable Grocery Store Prime Rib That Customers Say Sells Out Fast

Advertising swirls around us in an algorithmic thunderstorm, meaning it's harder to find genuinely better deals these days; but word-of-mouth can be the rainbow that leads you to a pot of gold. When it comes to little-known deals on meat, online discussions can become a more reliable way to discover genuine savings. One such treasure chest is Aldi, and the deal that has lovers of beef roasts grabbing their shovels is the chain's Specially Selected USDA Choice Bone-In Ribeye Roast. 

It seems that this excellently-priced prime rib roast isn't new, with many sharing advice on nabbing these roasts (priced as low as $7.99 per pound) for at least three years. "That would be a ridiculous price for that. Like half the price [I] would expect, even for Aldi," says one Redditor in disbelief. This scepticism is, however, countered with several positive accounts of the prime rib purchase. Another Redditor claims, "I picked up a few roasts from Aldi yesterday and was really happy with the marbling!"

This marbling is a key differentiator in the world of meat grading. So it's worth noting that when trying to buy the best prime rib, Aldi's deal is for Choice grade — the silver medal position between Prime (gold) and Select (bronze). As Melissa Cookston of Memphis BBQ Company told Tasting Table, "Really, you only want to purchase Choice grade or Prime grade," explaining that Select can be too lean.

The problem with Aldi's Specially Selected USDA Choice Bone-In Ribeye Roast is that because it's so sought after, it's easy to miss out on. "Have done several and it's always good. Limited stock, so nice to be early because customers rush to get [it]," a Redditor explains. Another Redditor (who is also an Aldi employee) shares that the roasts often arrive on restocking day but sell out quickly, stating, "We got one batch of them and most of our stores were sold out this morning. Many of them within an hour of opening."

The advice circulating online for scoring Aldi's best meat is to ask the employees when the restock day is, in an effort to load up before other shoppers. If your local Aldi is out of stock by the time you get there, you can also ask an employee to look up if any stores in your area have some on hand. Aldi's website also lists stock for specific sites in the 41 states with stores.

There are rare accounts of the price not being worth it, though. One Redditor says that despite their best cooking efforts, they got a "cafeteria quality" result, which counters common opinion. But since the affordable price point of the prime rib is a major draw, another user commented, "For that price it could be rib roast of racoon and I would still be okay with it." As for what makes it so affordable, Aldi saves money by consolidating packaging and sourcing regionally, busting the myth that its cheap meat isn't as good.