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?
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Cryovac or Fresh Baby Backs?
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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
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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
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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
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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???
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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
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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
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Eric
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.
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