What is a reasonable price for beef ribs?

[HJS]

I've never done beef short plate ribs. I want to try it, but I also recognize that they're pretty hard to get. I have a butcher that I like close by, but naturally, his prices are higher than everywhere else. I called them and they said that they have short plate ribs but they sell them for 10.99 a pound. That's more than what my Costco sells for whole prime rib roast at prime grade. There's also plenty of bone that I would be paying 10.99/lb for. I have no idea what the grade of meat the butcher was selling.

What's a reasonable price for beef short plate ribs? I'll have to brainstorm for other sources for them because my Costco and grocery store don't have them.

[Jon Solberg]

I think your butcher is asking a fair price. Number one he has them. Prices are literally all over the map. Depending on where you're at on that said map.


Compare that to SRF ribs were 250.00 gets you 15lbs of black grade ribs.

[HorseDoctor]

Ouch!!! At $10.99, I'll do without. I get beef chuck ribs (usually more $$$ than plate ribs) by the case for just under $4. I would just suffer with having to eat more rib roasts & steaks... Pretty much same meat, just different shape and less bone.

[hoovarmin]

There's a paucity of knowledgeable meat shoppers in our area, so offerings from the grocery stores are disappointing. I am willing to pay higher prices at my butcher because he offers things that wouldn't be available if his business ceased to be.

[CaptainMike]

That would be "goblessness" then.

[hoovarmin]

precisely, goblessnes is what I meant to say CaptainMike

[HouseHomey]

I'm nice again i know exactly where I am. I am lost!

[Danjohnston949]

HJS, I just Gave Prime Cut Meats a Call (701-476-1444) here in Fargo and Today's Price for "Thick" Bone In Beef Short Rib Plate is $5.99 per Lb. The Plates Avg 4 - 5 #'s! Prime Cuts is a Locally Owned Small Shop, the Owner, the Mgr, and 2 Meat Cutters are the Total Work Force‼️ We have all the Big Box Offerings Here COSCO, 4-Walmarts, and Several Large Grocery Chain Stores as a General Practice I Drive by Them to Get My Meat at Prime Cuts! They Know Me by Name, and in General I can Phone in an Order and Get What I expected when I Pick it Up! I'll Pay a Little Extra for the Service👍👍👍👍👍‼️ Eat Well and Prosper!
From a Backyard Cremator in Fargo ND, Dan

[Mudkat]

I'm with you on that Danjohnston949! I drive by my big boxes to go to local when ever I can. Hope I'm not snob! 😁

[Danjohnston949]

Mudkat, If it's Snobbery to Like "Clean", "Well Cut" Meat, Put Me Proudly in "The SNOB and HIGHLY OPINIONATED CAMP" 👍👍👍👍👍 NO REMORSE HERE‼️ 🤗😇🤗

From a Backyard Cremator in Fargo ND, Dan

[MWOE2007]

I just paid $5.99 a pound for two plates at HyVee in central Illinois. Was about 10 pounds total. I called my local butcher and they were $5.99 also but they were frozen. The ones at HyVee were cryovac and packed on September 16. I'll be cooking up one plate of them on Sunday on the Weber with the SnS. My first attempt at beef ribs.

[MWOE2007]

I'm about 120 miles now from U of I but I went to school there about 25 years ago. I was an animal science major and had a meat cutting class and would purchase meat back then. I am definitely looking forward to the cook. I've heard nothing but great things.

[Dadof3Illinois]

That's awesome, my son is in the same major in his 3rd year. His campus job is working in the meat labs a couple times a week. We're about the same distance as you from there, pretty much straight South.

[HouseHomey]

Well I'm about 2600 miles away and would like to acknowledge a great thread and post. My school use some to offer the same but we are not north of th stockyards or anywhere near cornfed beef.

[HorseDoctor]

I never meant to demean local butchers with my post and would expect them to be a bit higher price. I support them when I have a locally sourced critter slaughtered, unless it's a deer or elk. (Them I do myself.) I source most of my "store bought meat" from a small local grocery (part of a local chain) that is well respected for their meat quality. They don't slaughter but they do cut meat that they get in primals. Their sale prices are quite competitive. Whole choice bone in short loins for $4.99/ lb this week. I know the top 2 guys in the meat department and get both a great product and great service from them. They also order meat by the case for me at a fair price when I want something they don't normally have. To get back to the original question, IMO: $5.99 is a reasonable price for beef ribs here in "fly-over country". I could find places that charge a lot more but I don't need to to get a great product and I won't.

[Troutman]

$5.99 for prime plates at my local Costco in Houston, Texas. Got a plate thawing for this weekend as we speak.

I really like these ribs but one thing to always keep in mind is the actual yield. Generally each rib weighs in at right around 16 ozs. with probably 10-11 oz. of it bone. So doing the math you are really paying about $16/ lb for the actual meat (of course my dog benefits from the rest !!). That's why I only buy for rare occasions, too little bang for the buck imho.

[TheCountofQ]

Whole Foods is typically $6-7 lb for shorties, cut and trimmed, and they are known to be high priced. Can get cryovac packs and trim myself sometimes for 4ish a pound. Those are choice. At what your butcher is asking, I would pass.

[RonB]

I'd check Whole Foods again. Prices were supposed to go down when Amazon bought the chain.

[TheCountofQ]

I'll check when I am back in town this weekend

[HouseHomey]

Our stores are double that.

[MWOE2007]

The ones I got were packed on September 16th. How long can I leave them in the frig since they are cryovaced?

[TheCountofQ]

They never last long at my place. I assume they could be wet aged like other cuts, but will leave to more experienced to answer. I would unpack and salt for a few days myself.

[HouseHomey]

I'd give it 30 days at least.

[smokinfatties]

If you buy them individually or just 1 slab, then 10.99/lb would be in the ballpark. My local butcher sells prime grade slabs at $8.99/lb,

If you buy in bulk- I believe a case is 3 slabs, then you're looking at a lot lower about $4-5/lb for choice

[HouseHomey]

They ain't buying Newport Meat quality.

[JCBBQ]

Recently I paid $5.99 a lb at Seabra in NJ. I thought that was high but from the above comments that seems to be a pretty standard price.

[johnec00]

I paid $4.89/lb at Seabra in Orlando. 4 rib rack was just under 5 pounds. They are joining a rack of St.Louis pork ribs in the smoker as we speak.

[EdF]

My wife got lucky the other day at Whole Paycheck. $5.99 / lb for choice. That's $5 a pound off of retail. Ribs this weekend. I've actually never done them BBQ, so this should be fun!

[hoovarmin]

Wow, got lucky AND a great deal on choice. Not bad! Wish we had a Whole Paycheck here! ;-)

[EdF]

Lol!

[HJS]

Thanks guys. I love my local butcher. Try to use them whenever possible. Just thought 10.99 was steep. It seems like it's the upper end of the acceptable range based on everyone's comments.

Thanks all

[HouseHomey]

If it works in your area and wallet and looks great. SMOKE IT!!!