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Cryovac or Fresh Baby Backs?

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    Cryovac or Fresh Baby Backs?

    I was at the grocery store yesterday after work deciding on today's kettle cook. Pork tenderloin will be on the menu. When passing the meat counter, I noticed fresh baby backs on sale. I've never smoked fresh ribs...always the cryovac'd version. Ribs will be on the grill next weekend. What say you? Purchase that which is under the glass display or wrapped in plastic?

    #2
    Unless the grocery store butchers it's pwn pigs what is "under the glass" probably was wrapped in plastic first...

    Comment


      #3
      Hi HD..."under the glass" refers to the unwrapped, inaccessible to-the-public meat on display at the meat counter. I would assume "fresh" refers to non-cyrovac meat. I know, I know....never 'ass'ume

      Comment


      • HorseDoctor
        HorseDoctor commented
        Editing a comment
        I would bet that in most stores they all came in cryovac bags. Someone just removed them & maybe trimmed a bit. Bottom line = you'll likely never be able to tell the difference. Go with what costs less.

      #4
      Fresh is better but cryovac is just fine. Make sure you are getting REAL "baby Backs". I have been finding it more difficult to get them now that the stores are marketing "Loin Back" ribs which ARE NOT Baby's. ​Baby's should weigh it at between 1.5 and 2 lbs. no more. Also they are smaller and the bones are quite curved rather than straight. I'll post more on this subject later but I can't believe that the idiots at the store don't even know the difference. I've had people behind the meat counter tell me they don't have Baby's cuz they didn't have a "baby" pigs...Jeeeeeeeeez...lol

      Comment


      • HorseDoctor
        HorseDoctor commented
        Editing a comment
        About all the folks behind the meat counter in most stores have in common with a real butcher is the white coat...

      #5
      BTW in Southern CA real 'backs' run around $3.75-$4 bucks per lb. Keep with the American stuff and screw the New Zealand, Denmark, etc. backs that sometimes go on sale. Theirs are not nearly as flavorful as ours...you've been earned...lol

      Comment


        #6
        Bbqstud....good call on the ribs. I went back to the local grocery store today. The fresh "baby backs", per the meat counter guy, average 3.25 to 3.5 lbs per rack. I then checked the cyrovac'd stock. None were marked "baby" backs but rather "back" ribs. Weight: 3 to 3.5 lbs. I feel rib violated

        Comment


          #7
          Sorry but I'm missing something here. Here in the midwest where we have a few pigs, pork "back ribs" & "baby back" ribs are in fact different names for the same product. They are from the top of the rib under the loin and unless custom slaughtered/processed, they pretty much all come from 250# +/- hogs raised in huge confinement systems. They are grow very quickly so for all practical purposes, they are in fact all "babies". Please tell me how it's done in Southern California???

          Comment


          • bbqstud
            bbqstud commented
            Editing a comment
            The 'Babys' I'm referring to are from the small end of the loin and the slab should weigh between 1.5 and 2 lbs. They are much smaller and very curved and the bones are about the size of your little finger.

          #8
          The cryovac ribs may be in a saline solution (have to check). And the "fresh" ones may or may not be salted too. Just know, because you don't want to double salt! Made that mistake already!

          Comment


            #9

            The 'Babys' I'm referring to are from the small end of the loin and the slab should weigh between 1.5 and 2 lbs. They are much smaller and very curved and the ones are about the size of your little finger. They are leaner and more tender than large loins or spares. Mentioning spares, when I used to compete frequently I always ordered 3.5 lb and down for a more tender rib but find now, at the stores, you get 5 lb and down which are, obviously, larger but a bit more tough although still good when cooked properly. I think we are dealing with semantics and marketing here and I think the stores are over charging for the larger loin ribs. Here is an example; Take a regular rack of ribs, untrimmed, and they will be, for example $1.99 per pound. Now look right next to them and you may see "St. Louis" style ribs at $2.59 per pound. the only difference between the two (except the price) is the "St. Louis" style are trimmed. The better deal is to buy the cheaper slab, trim them yourself and you come out with cheaper "St. Louis" ribs AND a bunch of extra meat to Q and snack on. Here is a link to watch (also a good site for Q) http://bbqpitboys.com/recipes/baby-b...s#.V3Kyo4-cF1M Also, the 'butchers' were referring to suckling pigs as "baby" pigs...lol

            Comment


              #10
              Ok update from my 'real' butcher buddy. Apparently, in the past, what I am calling baby backs were from the small end of the loin and in the industry were described as " 1 3/4 lbs. and down". They were marketed as 'baby backs' and were more expensive. Nowadays (and in the past few years) marketing has changed and all "back" ribs are from the loin and of different sizes depending on where they are cut from. You can still get the smaller ones but they would have to be special ordered. So I reckon that anything labeled as 'back', 'baby back' , 'loin', 'loin back', etc. are the same thing with exception of size. So that's my story and I'm stickin' to it...wheeeee...lol

              Comment


              #11
              I have a good friend who is a meat buyer for Costco. This, as you may imagine, is a great friendship to have for a guy that loves to grill and smoke in the backyard.

              Anyhow, because of this, I always buy my back ribs at Costco in cryovac. Rob, based on his own love of cooking back ribs, plus my input, had his supplier create that package of 3 slabs of back ribs specifically for the guy that wants to cook "baby backs" at home. They have more meat left on them than is typical, and have to meet his specifications for weight, fat, being trimmed correctly, etc.

              Long and short, if you buy the cryovac package with 3 slabs of back ribs that Costco sells, you will be very happy with it. Or their SLC package. Either way, you can't go wrong in my opinion.

              And knowing a meat buyer is just really handy.

              Comment


                #12
                Getting a pair of SLC cut berkshire spares from a whole animal butcher in the Chicago for the fourth. I have high hopes.

                Comment


                • ecowper
                  ecowper commented
                  Editing a comment
                  Oh, you gotta let us know how that turns out

                • Potkettleblack
                  Potkettleblack commented
                  Editing a comment
                  You know it.

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