Smithfield Cryovac Ribs

[Reds Fan 5]

Due to business travel and son’s baseball schedule
this is the first summer weekend I’ve had time
to smoke something. Kept it basic with some ribs (details to come in a separate post). My go to ribs are Smithfield cryovac St Louis/spareribs. Did not have time to go to Costco so went to our local grocer. No dice. Went to three stores that usually have them. Nothing. Finally bought some baby backs from the butcher. Curious is Smithfield no longer has cryovac ribs or if this is yet another supply chain issue.

[Richard Chrz]

My wife just picked up six packs of them.

[Panhead John]

I just had some Smithfield STL ribs for the 4th and loved them! They were the best ribs I’ve ever bought. I don’t think I’d ever had them before, or if I did I don’t remember. I picked em up at my local HEB grocery store, but they’re only in Texas. My guess… it’s just a temporary blip, but not sure. I do know that I’ll not buy anything but Smithfield from here on out.

[Richard Chrz]

They’re the brand that I sell when I offer up ribs, and often for ourselves. Pretty consistent.

[bbqLuv]

Smithfield that good?
That is the brand at Walmart.
A friend told me he got ribs at Walmart. I have not tried them. I figured it was discount meat.

[Sid P]

Maybe the Smithfield Deathstar protest is affecting supply 😱.

[Reds Fan 5]

I am also in Suburban Chicago. Neither Jewel nor Mariano’s had them today. I have purchased them in both places in the past.

[Sid P]

Reds Fan 5 There aren’t any Mariano’s near me, but Jewel is always hit or miss. I think WalMart is most reliable for Smithfield.

[DaveD]

Smithfield supplies our local Harris Teeter grocery store too, which is part of the overall Kroger empire. So they probably have wide distribution. We've had good luck with their stuff too, nothing out of this world great, but consistently good.

[Richard Chrz]

Agreed, not great. But, consistently a good product if you are looking for cryovac ribs,

[Reds Fan 5]

One of the stores I visited today is in the Kroger chain. Have purchased there in the past. They had cryovac Kroger brand St Louis cut that did not look good.

[Reds Fan 5]

I note that all of you have found them recently are south. Wonder if it is a Midwest/Chicagoland supply issue. At any rate, the ribs I bought were just fine.

[scottranda]

They’re in Harris Teeter in NC.

[wrgilb]

Looks like they're closing plant in CA.
https://www.foodsafetynews.com › 2022/06 › smithfiel...

[RiverJeff]

Always available at the Walmart here in Nebraska I keep a eye for the yellow last day sale on them! Have never had a bad batch yet. Usually discounted to 10.00 ~ 18.00 bucks a package and all are Smithville!

[Potkettleblack]

I'm guessing that you got them at a low time, after everyone bought what they put out for the weekend. They had them for last weekend at our Jewel on the "Rib Rack."

[Reds Fan 5]

I did try to buy them on Sunday morning. Berwyn? I’ll wave to you from the train tonight! Some great spots in Berwyn.

[Spinaker]

They are still making them. It is not always a supply chain issue, sometimes the buyers screw up and do not adequately supply their store.

With meat it is a balancing act. If you over order, you have to reduce the price to dump the inventory. Order too little and you run out, leaving your customers hungry. The shelf life of meat can make things difficult. Demand ebs and flows, especially in the summer months.

[DaveD]

This right here.

[Greygoose]

Plenty od Smithfield STL’s at BJs in Plymouth,MA

[WayneT]

I’ve often wondered why Costco has some ribs under their own label while most are Smithfield cryovac. Found this on a website but still not sure why Costco would repackage and rebrand some of them as their own. Oddly enough, I’ve always bought the Costco branded ones even though they may be from Smithfield or Swift. Maybe they source regionally?

https://www.verymeaty.com/fresh-meat/pork/does-costco-pork-come-from-china/

Excerpted: "Costco Pork: Where Does It Come From? JBS Swift USA, the nation’s second-largest name in pig breeding and pork processing, situated in Indiana, is the primary source of pork for Costco’s Kirkland Signature branded pork primal cuts, bacon, and ham."