# Baby Back Ribs at Costco



## lbatt

Costco's baby back ribs already have the back strap membrane removed saving time and effort, and they seem to be extra meaty as well compared to Kroger or Safeway, or Sam's club ribs.


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## kryinggame

Not the Costco's in Charlotte, NC. I stopped buying BB at Costco's because it's so darn hard removing the membrane. I usually go with Costco's spareribs.


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## mdboatbum

kryinggame said:


> Not the Costco's in Charlotte, NC. I stopped buying BB at Costco's because it's so darn hard removing the membrane. I usually go with Costco's spareribs.




Are you sure you weren't trying to remove the inner membrane? That might explain the difficulty. This is an honest question, not a smart a$$ remark. I only ask because I got a rack of ribs that had already been prepped once and screwed around with it for a bit, mostly making a mess of it, before I realized I was trying to remove something that wasn't there.


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## lbatt

How long ago was that?  An article a few months ago in their magazine Costco Connection did state that their ribs did, indeed, have the back strap membrane removed, and even "branded" ribs, ie SWIFT in my store has the membrane removed.

I just finished smoking a 3 rack pak of ribs and the did NOT have the membrane.

And as I said earlier, they are very thick and meaty compared to the "sale" ribs we used to buy at Safeway or Kroger (King Soopers out here).


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## smokinhusker

Mdboatbum said:


> Are you sure you weren't trying to remove the inner membrane? That might explain the difficulty. This is an honest question, not a smart a$$ remark. I only ask because I got a rack of ribs that had already been prepped once and screwed around with it for a bit, mostly making a mess of it, before I realized I was trying to remove something that wasn't there.


I had exactly the same thing happen-two racks and one had the membrane and the other didn't!


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## buckysgt

The back membrane has been removed from the ribs I have bought at Costco.


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## mneeley490

I did not pick up any at Costco today, but I noticed that they're selling what's labled as Back Loin ribs for $3.99 lb. They do seem to be meatier than regular baby backs.


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## rtbbq2

Value added ribs a Costco....nice.......


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## kryinggame

I haven't bought BB ribs in over a year.I always go with spare ribs. I was at Costco last weekend and noticed two different types of spare ribs.

1 - The first has three ribs in a sealed pack. This one has more fat and juices flowing through.

2 - The second pack will have 2 ribs in the pack. It's obvious that the ribs were trimmed and cleaned up by the butcher and it's sold in the wrapping that butchers wrap meat in. I still had to remove the membrane from the rack but it was a clean looking rack.

Unfortunately, I don't recall the price difference in the two. Next weekend, I'll ask the butcher about the differences in the two packs.


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## mneeley490

They also had some trimmed, St. Louis style spare ribs that I don't recall seeing at my Costco before. I know most folks think spare ribs are superior, but I just can't stand biting into all that cartiledge. Yuk!


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## jirodriguez

I primarily buy spare ribs (due to $$), but I have  bought the BB ribs before as well. I buy all my ribs at Costco and have been very happy with the quality of the ribs, and in the case of the BB ribs they have had the membrane removed on the ones I have bought.


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## kryinggame

From what you guys are saying, my next purchase of ribs will be BB. It's been some time since I purchased any.


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## rtbbq2

#1 The first rack were the St. Louis style with the (skirt) or skirt meat trimmed off. Some call it the flap. It is attached to the back side on the middle of the rack. It will burn if left on and the rack will not cook evenly. The other part that is removed is the lower edge of the rib tips. This is the brisket. It is full of cartilage. I usually trim this off (rib tips) and cook it on the grill and have a snack when it done. It will cook quicker than the racks of ribs. 

#2 The second rack were the Spare ribs intack with the above mentioned rib tips and flap removed. The untrimmed ribs are cheaper per pound. Both will still have the membrane attached. Sometimes though one rare occasion, the St. Louis will have the membrane removed.


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## kryinggame

RTBBQ2 said:


> #1 The first rack were the St. Louis style with the (skirt) or skirt meat trimmed off. Some call it the flap. It is attached to the back side on the middle of the rack. It will burn if left on and the rack will not cook evenly. The other part that is removed is the lower edge of the rib tips. This is the brisket. It is full of cartilage. I usually trim this off (rib tips) and cook it on the grill and have a snack when it done. It will cook quicker than the racks of ribs.
> 
> #2 The second rack were the Spare ribs intack with the above mentioned rib tips and flap removed. The untrimmed ribs are cheaper per pound. Both will still have the membrane attached. Sometimes though one rare occasion, the St. Louis will have the membrane removed.


Huh?


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## rtbbq2

#1 The first pack I meant not rack.

#2 the second pack


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## rtbbq2

#1 The first PACK were the St. Louis style with the (skirt) or skirt meat trimmed off. Some call it the flap. It is attached to the back side on the middle of the rack. It will burn if left on and the rack will not cook evenly. The other part that is removed is the lower edge of the rib tips. This is the brisket. It is full of cartilage. I usually trim this off (rib tips) and cook it on the grill and have a snack when it done. It will cook quicker than the racks of ribs.

#2 The second PACK were the Spare ribs with the above mentioned rib tips and flap intact, nothing trimmed off. The untrimmed ribs are cheaper per pound. Both will still have the membrane attached. Sometimes though one rare occasion, the St. Louis will have the membrane removed

ERRORS CORRECTED....Sorry, I was typing rather fast and my brain wasn't keeping up......RTBBQ


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## buck futta

I noticed this too. Yesterday.I stopped into costco to pick up some spare ribs for my uncles girlfriend's birthday party tonight. All they had were st. louis cuts, normally it would have been fine but I wanted the skirts to chop up for the Dutch's Wicked Beans. The meat guy must have noticed how bummed out I was and stuck his head out the window. I asked where the "real" spare ribs were, he said "we only sell st. louis now, they're leaner and have the collar cut off blah blah blah". I told him that sucked because I put those trimmings in my beans. So I called my meat guy (I run a kitchen for a pub and grub), and he saved the day. Half an hour later I had 41 pounds of untrimmed minimally processed spares for $2.59/pound. Granted I had to spend a good hour cutting my own st. louis ribs but I have all the trimmings I need for a while. 

Sorry to go off topic, but I thought it was slightly relevant.

*edit - they say a picture is worth 1,000 words right?








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## kryinggame

Okay gents, Im not here to start a BBQ war but I have to post my recent findings.

After discussions here about the types of ribs that are sold at Costco's, about 2 hours ago I went to my local Costco and had a conversation with one of the butchers. I asked if they sell ribs with the membranes cut out and cut int St. Louis style. He told me when packages have opened for example, they'll take it into the back and will clean them up and repackage them. It's so they don't have to throw out ribs.

I've bought quite a few of these packs and will continue as I see them out. Regardless, I don't need a butcher to clean up spare ribs for me, I can do it myself.

On another note, I bought another package of spare ribs for $22.00. They were pretty without a ton of fat. I really wanted BabyBack (back loin or whatever Costco calls them) but the cheapest in the pack was $34.00. I'm not a rich man.  lol


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## eman

99% of the time i can get full slabs of spares for cheap enough to make it worth my time to trim them myself.

If done right you get rid of all the cartlidge and small bones .You end up w/ meat and rib bones.

 Once you get the technique down on removing the membrane, it takes about a min. to do.

 I have not purchased BB ribs in over a year. Higher cost than spares and less meat.

  Take all the trimmings ( skirt and tips ) smoke them and freeze. That way the next time you want to make beans you have the meat already smoked.


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## rtbbq2

Amen!...$2.48 on sale around here for Spares...I like to use the trimmings and at the lower price there're close to free...if not free.....trim and win.


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## onemagicman

I just purchased 9 slabs of Baby Backs at Costco yesterday for Father's day, which I will put into my smoker.  They were $3.69 per pound.  They had spare ribs for $2/69, but it worth the extra few dollars for the BB.  I have never seen the ribs at Costco with the membrane already removed.  I will check and hope they did this chore as it really can be a pain.

Happy Father's Day to all. 

Onemagicman

San Diego, CA.


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## fl girl

Not to say anything bad about Costco, but I buy my bb at Sam's.  They come three to a pack and they cost only $2.99 a pound.  Yes, the membrane is till on them, but it's not hard to remove.  Matter of fact...they are about ready to go in the smoker! 

Happy Smoking,

Linda


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## nc guy

Just came from Costco and paid $2.99 per pound for Swift BB 2 to a package. St. Louis were $2.19. Haven't opened them yet so I can't say if the membrane is removed or not.

The real bargain was the whole bone out pork loin for $2.19 per pound with an additional $2.50 off per loin.


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## kettle man

I second that. the membrane is impossible to get off.


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## jrod62

Kettle Man said:


> I second that. the membrane is impossible to get off.


Run it under warm water for little bit and it will peel right off .


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## tazman

I wish I would have seen this before I tried taking off the inner membrane as I gave up after 30 min after I got two ribs done that's right ribs not racks..   I was if its this damn hard I will deal with it cooked on.   lol.


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## demosthenes9

I'm wishing that I lived close to a lot of you all who don't like the "trimmings" or the "rib tips" as I'd happily come over and dispose of them for you.  In my view, those are the best tasting part of the spare rib.  When cooking for parties here at the house, I'll pull the spares out, cut them into individual bones and send them all in for the masses, then I and those "in the know" will hang out by the smoker and feast on those delicious tips.


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## lowesdadof3

Thank God I read this thread!  The only BB's I've bought are from Costco and everybody always says the membrane will come right off. Well in my experience I've done nothing but give up trying to take it off figuring I was a baby back loser! I guess there is no membrane on the ones I bought!


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## onewondershow

I buy the baby back ribs at costco, the membrane is removed and they are some of the juiciest fattest ribs you could ever want. In my opinion they are of excellent quality and unlike many other places they are just very meaty, I don't feel like I am paying just for bones.













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__ onewondershow
__ Apr 21, 2013


















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__ onewondershow
__ Apr 21, 2013


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## danuary

I wish I had seen this thread about a year ago - it would've saved me several times of frustration, feeling like a dummy trying to take off membrane that wasn't there! 

At any rate, I asked the butcher once about the sealed vs repackaged ribs, he said oftentimes when they're opening the boxes they cut through the packaging of the ribs as well, and they repackage them two slabs rather than three in case some folks only want two. He also said that sometimes the altitude here (Colorado) pops the packages.


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## staceyd

I too wish I had seen this :)  I just bought the Costco 3-pack of "pork loin backribs".  After trying to remove the non-existant membrane for a half hour, I gave up.  THEN I found this while everything was in the back fridge.  Backribs, rubbed and sitting on the top shelf.  A 12 pound sirloin tip round roast with SPOG on the middle shelf and 14 pounds of pork belly in Pop's Brine in the 5 gallon bucket.  I'm really liking the looks of my garage fridge today :)













baby backs fridge.jpg



__ staceyd
__ Jul 13, 2013


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## papacurtis

If there was a twelve pack of Stella Artois in there as well, that may qualify as the perfect garage fridge. [emoji]128515[/emoji] Good luck with your smoke!


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## kodiak1

Baby backs,  this Saturday from Costco .


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