# Question



## kit s (May 18, 2021)

Why is it so hard to find good meaty beef ribs and at a cost that is more reasonable?


----------



## GonnaSmoke (May 18, 2021)

One word - DEMAND....


----------



## Wurstmeister (May 18, 2021)

Try the US Foods Chef Stores for possible product.  According to their website (link below) there are 17 locations in CA.  If they don't have them on hand, ask them to order some for you.  Just be aware, the ribs, as in all their meats/produce will be in resturant quantity/weight. And their primal cuts of meats are not 
frozen.  
John

Wholesale Food & Supply Stores in California - CHEF'STORE (chefstore.com)


----------



## ravenclan (May 18, 2021)

Same problem here in Oklahoma and if you can find them more fat then meat on the bones.


----------



## bregent (May 18, 2021)

I get chuck ribs all the time from Costco Business  - they always have them in stock usually between $4 -$5 /lb.  I see them in their retail store sometimes as well.


----------



## tallbm (May 18, 2021)

kit s said:


> Why is it so hard to find good meaty beef ribs and at a cost that is more reasonable?



Yeah I hear ya.

First thing to generally understand is that Beef Back Ribs are generally just bones hahaha and are not the beef ribs you are looking for.

The best beef ribs to buy are Plate Ribs but you're lucky if a place has them.  A butcher can get them and over the past couple of years the Costco near me started carrying them.

The next best ribs are Short Ribs or Chuck Ribs. These are a little more available but when found at more normal groceries stores they are already cross cut, or flanken cut, or just cut down and separated in some other form or fashion.

I would say to avoid the Beef Back Ribs at all cost and I personally think of them a gimmick more than an actual beef rib option.

I hope this info helps.


----------



## bill1 (May 18, 2021)

And I want a good cheap cigar too.  

Seriously, a lot of good info here.  Thanks to all who posted.


----------



## smokeymose (May 18, 2021)

It's a mystery to me. You can't get a beef rib plate here without special ordering it from a stand alone meat shop and you pay $$$.
The "short ribs" at the grocery for $12 to $14 for four of them is silly. I understand supply and demand like with chicken wings, but beef ribs?


----------



## Wurstmeister (May 18, 2021)

bill1 said:


> And I want a good cheap cigar too.
> 
> Seriously, a lot of good info here.  Thanks to all who posted.


A good beer and a good cigar, life is grand!  Can't help with the inexpensive meat but can help you with your cheap good cigar quest. .  I've been a customer, since the early 80s, visited their store in NC numerous times acting like a smoker/griller in a butcher shop and have never been disappointed. 
John

JR Cigars | The World's Largest Online Cigar Store


----------



## kit s (May 18, 2021)

GonnaSmoke said:


> One word - DEMAND....


Demand..not enough or to much, though the latter I would doubt as no big or to many small places serve them. As far as to little well there would be a lot more if they sold at reasonable prices....I would think


----------



## rc4u (May 18, 2021)

i get from local sams club. just ask when they get em, and its first


----------



## smokeymose (May 18, 2021)

kit s said:


> Demand..not enough or to much, though the latter I would doubt as no big or to many small places serve them. As far as to little well there would be a lot more if they sold at reasonable prices....I would think


I know a fellow who worked at a large grocery chain and he says he felt like crying seeing how much got dumpstered every day because it didn't sell before the end date.
I always thought that if they dropped the price a bit it would sell. I know how marketing works but I'll never understand grocery marketing...


----------



## sandyut (May 18, 2021)

Costco here usually has plate rib stocked all the time...it been a while so I can tell you the cost.  but everything is way more expensive now


----------



## edmonds (May 18, 2021)

Try calling some beef processors in your area. They often sell beef that producers bring in for slaughter, and you can ask for exactly what you want. But you don't have any control over the quality of the beef and can't see it before purchase.

Personally I  like the beef back ribs. Yea, they don't have a lot of meat, and may seem not worth the effort to cook, but it's hard to find something much tastier to gnaw on.

Short ribs are traditionally from the short plate (hence its name), but ribs from the chuck can also be marketed as short ribs. If you can get some of the plate short ribs not cut (sometimes called dinosaur type ribs), they're the best.

The problem with beef ribs is that they can have a considerable amount of fat, and the better cuts go to higher end bbq restaurants. Costco and Sam's are you best bet for retail cuts.


----------



## bill1 (May 18, 2021)

This is a small thing for sure, but it helps to know what things sell for, and then when you see a good price, buy it.  Everything has seasonal ups and downs and this helps equilibrate the supply/demand thing so that food doesn't end up in a _dumpster _nor is there a _shortage _on the one food your daughter wants at her wedding.  
And this approach works for more than just meat.  And you do get variety this way, just at random times.  
Will this approach save you money?  Yes.  Is this being a cheapskate?  Maybe.   But to just say "I feel like X" and then go out and pay _any _price for X, well maybe that's the way some live but it leads to a lot of waste and that's just not the way I was raised.  

And if you've ever prayed Thy Will Be Done...well maybe this is God's way of guiding you.  

Now back to your regularly scheduled programming...


----------



## 1MoreFord (May 18, 2021)

GonnaSmoke said:


> One word - DEMAND....



Wrong, it's called MONOPOLY.   Something like 80% of the US beef supply is controlled by,  IIRC, four packing companies and Tyson is one of them.


----------



## GaryHibbert (May 18, 2021)

I got so disgusted with beef ribs around here that I just quit buying them.  Don't even look at them anymore.
Gary


----------



## GonnaSmoke (May 19, 2021)

bill1 said:


> And I want a good cheap cigar too....


Lots of good online retailers of "good cheap" cigars, but "cheap" is a relative term. As mentioned above, JR's, Famous Smoke, and Thompson were the 3 that I ordered from when I smoked them, but there's many more.

When I did smoke them, my preferred taste profile was medium to full and La Floridita Limited Edition in 6 1/2x52, https://www.famous-smoke.com/la-floridita-limited-edition-torpedo-cigars-maduro?pid=36255, was my every day smoke. Around $4/stick, but I quit about a year ago.


----------



## ravenclan (May 19, 2021)

GaryHibbert said:


> I got so disgusted with beef ribs around here that I just quit buying them.  Don't even look at them anymore.
> Gary



I am the same way. When i did find some there was no meat left on them after i smoked the but it was great what was there but the cost is what drove me away from the beef ribs.


----------



## WaterRat (May 19, 2021)

kit s said:


> Why is it so hard to find good meaty beef ribs and at a cost that is more reasonable?



I didnt see anyone write this above but if you're talking back ribs, what is cut off the top of the ribs is the rib eye. A bone in ribeye is a steak on rib bone so figure the cost of ribeye and that explains why back ribs are trimmed to the bone. I buy them on discount cuz they are tasty but more as a cook's treat while smokibg than a meal. I think short ribs were well covered above by others - mmmm ribs....
Try to get short ribs at Sams, Costco, bjs, etc.. even if they're cut in the case they have them whole in the back.


----------



## rc4u (May 19, 2021)

ya know at sams and costco they dont put all the bulk cyro packs out at least not here. you have to ask for them. and you have to know they have them.. at sams i have never seen the cyro pack beef ribs or 20# chuck roll's or the fillets ect cause they cost $100 bucks, in the cooler but i ask for them cause i search store online..  the ribs i pict above cost less than 5 bucks a pound and 3inches thick took 10 hours..


----------



## flatbroke (May 20, 2021)

Wurstmeister said:


> Try the US Foods Chef Stores for possible product.  According to their website (link below) there are 17 locations in CA.
> John
> 
> Wholesale Food & Supply Stores in California - CHEF'STORE (chefstore.com)


 thanks for the link. Costco was out of stuff I needed for a party Saturday and a quick call to a buddy who stopped by the store in SJ and I’m Golden. Good prices too.


----------

