Smithfield ribs

[Clark]

For the last year or so I have had consistent success with Swift Premium ribs. Unfortunately, Reasors, the local chain with a monopoly, has switched to some cheaper, lower quality brand. Even my butcher shop has some off-brand.

[radiodome21]

I bought a three single packs of Kroger store brand ribs once for a party when they were on sale. Keyword is once. Only ribs I’ve ever struggled with removing the membrane because they were in the slimmer side. Swift and Smithfield are the only ones I use simply because there really my only options. But since I like those two brands I don’t really look for anything else.

[Spinaker]

Yep! They have good stuff. I am a huge fan of Smithfield and Swift. (Of course they are both my customers in my real job, but Hey, I am allowed to be biased when it come to meat.)

[bbqLuv]

Those look fantastic.
You done PBR good.

[ecowper]

Now I’m hoping that there is also a McCoy brand.

[Steve R.]

I found some of those at Kroger last year and they were definitely better than the store brand they normally have in stock.

[Mosca]

I do pretty good with the Hatfield brand we get locally.

[texastweeter]

commodity pork seems to be about the same in my opinion. Like what Steve R. said above. I like to buy the single packs and be sure to get my hands on them personally.

[Bob's BBQ]

I've also had very good results with Smithfield.

[Troutman]

I agree, the commodity ribs like Smithfield are hit and miss. When you buy the 3 packs the middle one is always shiners and fat. Much prefer to spend a little more and get quality Berkshire or Duroc. But I'm cooking for a small audience generally so the few extra dollars don't matter.

[Steve R.]

I'm at the point where brand name means less that it did before. I really need to have my eyes and hands on the stuff in grocery stores these days.

[Steve R.]

Yep, ecowper the masses get mass produced stuff and they still love it. Win/win. 🙂

[Richard Chrz]

ecowper absolutely, I think. That much of bbq is in the pre cook work. JMO though.

[ecowper]

Richard Chrz I think one of the keys to it is buying full spare rib racks and trimming to SLC yourself. That trimming is actually really important to getting the right amounts of meat, removing excess fat, etc.

[ecowper]

I’ve got two racks of Crowd Cow Berkshires in the freezer calling my name, but I’m not sharing those with the masses that won’t appreciate them :-)