Beef Back Ribs Pros and Cons

[bbqLuv]

Thanks to this post: Another Pit Boss Copperhead 7 experiment - Pitmaster Club (amazingribs.com)

Looking for the Pros and Cons of beef back ribs.

I have always past them by. It seems you're paying a lot for bones rather than meat.

[STEbbq]

I agree. Unless you can pick and choose an especially meaty pair, I think they are very overpriced for the meat you get.

[Jfrosty27]

They’re a hard pass for me. I always go for the various short rib varieties.

[Sid P]

Same here. Fooled me once.

[IdahoJim]

OK. I've smoked some beef ribs, and they were great. But frankly, I don't know if they were back ribs or short ribs. What it the difference? The ones I cooked were about 4 inches long, about 60% meat to 40% bone and tasty, brisket like morsels.

[Johnny Booth]

+1 no meat… Unless you or your butcher take them off a prime rib roast, and leave some extra meat on them.

[wrgilb]

bbqLuv In my post I said that I look for the packages that are done in-house by some sloppy meat cutting. I want more of the spinalis left on the bone. In the finished picture of the meat I shaved off of the bone we got 4 good size meals and enough left overs for another 6 to 8 servings of fajitas or stir fry. Total cost was $30 for the package. Another Pit Boss Copperhead 7 experiment - Pitmaster Club (amazingribs.com) Local stores used to sell these for $1.29/lb., but now they're $4.99 an up/lb. This picture is some from a couple of years ago. Has to be the worst boning job I've ever seen. They left a huge amount of meat on the bone. With Costco charging $24.99 for Ribeye cap this was a no brainer. That meat at the bottom of the bone is ribeye cap or spinalis.

[bbqLuv]

Your ribs look good. I like the ribs of a rib roast. So, I was wondering how cost-effective they are.

[wrgilb]

They're not very cost effective unless you get some that have a lot of meat left on the bone. I always check out the back ribs when I go shopping and if I see some that have a lot of meat, I'll buy them and freeze them for a latter cook. Chances of going to the store for some ribs you want to cook tomorrow and finding meaty ones are slim.

[Jerod Broussard]

Never, ever, again. If they were gifted I'd feed the neighborhood animals. Last set I had, I'm guessing somehow came off a "Canner" cow that was pushing 20yrs of age.

[Oak Smoke]

+1

[RichieB]

Same thing with tomahawks. Why would I pay for that bone? Yes, looks cool. If I want cool I'll look in the mirror. 🫠

[Troutman]

Well I like ‘em 🤷♂️

[captainlee]

There just ok, maybe do them once a year, smoke then simmer in broth for a few hours. Usually just to change things up. We save the extra broth for future use.

[Willy]

All I ever see for BBRs is shiners--no thanks.. If the price is low enough, they're great to use in making beef stock.

Mebbe someday, I'll buy a whole rib roast and cut the rib rack off myself.

[fzxdoc]

Like Willy , the only beef ribs around here are 90% bone and 10% meat. And they're $5 a pound, usually. I hitched up my big girl britches once and tried the best I could find (still with a lot of shiners). Not impressed in the least.

For me there is better beef out there to be had, without paying for a bone vehicle for it.

Kathryn

[Troutman]

I think a lot of beef ribs I see in the store I would definitely pass on. They are the culls from breaking down sub primal rib sections into steaks. They simply don't have enough meat left on the bone, like these;






The little bit of meat is super tasty but you're paying for mostly bone for sure. That said, I do occasionally ask the meat cutter if they have a fresh cut full racks of beef backs and surprisingly they are much better and full of meat. These are well worth sourcing. Unlike the bronto ribs from the belly section, these are considerably leaner and full of ribeye like flavor. It all depends on the sourcing and whether you can get the meaty version.

[jfmorris]

Those bottom ones look amazing!

The only beef back ribs I have smoked are ones I cut myself from a full rib roast aka prime rib, and I was able to control leaving some meat on them. The only ones I ever saw for sale around here were shiners, and I've passed on those.

[bbqLuv]

jfmorris primal cut and cut "Baby Backs".
Good idea.

[Henrik]

Not a fan either, like others say I think it’s just all bone and way too little meat.

[bbqLuv]

That is my thinking, but his Pix sure are good-looking.

[Starsky]

I enjoy beef ribs. You can find some with meat on them but you're gonna pay through the nose

[RlsRls]

For the amount of times I cook them in a year,.. The price "value" isn't a huge factor for me.
They're dang tasty!!

[johnec00]

It may be bad form, but I'm posting a link to a post I made some 5+ years ago on the subject of beef back ribs. I've since learned that when Publix is advertising boneless rib-eye steaks, they will have an excess of beef back ribs that they reduce the price on to move them. They are still my absolute favorite smoked beef product.

[Troutman]

Bingo! That's exactly what I'm trying to say as well John. When you get the whole culls from the subprimals they are amazing.