New meats at Sam's Club


 
E

Eric G

TVWBB Fan
Hey all, I was recently in my local Sam's Club and I noticed that they no longer carried the double packed cryovac bone in pork butts. Has anyone else noticed this? Has anyone tried the new Smithfield brand butts? Are these all natural like they were before or are they enhanced? I was wondering if anyone had any insight into this?

The new Brand I saw was Smithfield the old brand I think was Primo.
 
Oh brother. I hope not here. (Where are you at, Eric?) While Smithfield might sell good hams, the absolute worst ribs I've ever smoked were some of their enhanced St. Luey's. There were "enhanced" beyond belief with sodium phosphates and quite nasty. Best brand butts I've found are the IBP natural bone-in, which Restaurant Depot and Sam's sells...or I hope (still) sells.
 
Dave, you were right it was IBP, I dont know why I said PRIMO. I shop the Sam's Club in Hudson NH, right on the state line to Massachusetts. I agree with you about the IBP bone in butts those are my go to brand for butts for pulled pork. I also like their Baby Back ribs as well. I will need to ask the butcher dept if this is a temporary thing or its going to be permanent, and if so I will need to find a new source for my meats. I noticed that the price for the Smithfield butt's were more than $0.50 more a lb than IBP ($1.78 to $2.38). The Baby Backs were the same price at $2.99lb. I hope you have a better result.
 
Costco here in AZ did the same thing - switched to Smithfield boneless pork butts. The boneless country style ribs looked like they're still Costco's....
 
How are the Smithfield products generally? Does anyone have any experience with them? Are they typically enhanced? I feel your pain Derrick, I have bought my meats primarily at Sam's for the past 4-5yrs. I hope the new stuff is just as good as the IBP products, if not I fear I will need to start looking at finding a new supplier preferably not at retail prices. Any input guys would be helpful...
 
I'm with Dave, some of the worst ribs I've ever gotten were Smithfields. I've gotten to the point that if that's all they have in the case, then I just walk right on by.

Russ
 
At my Sam's when I bought a pack back at Xmas, it was a 2 pack of Smithfield but it just may be a case of who had what when Sam's placed the order as I'm sure they buy from both on a regular basis & neither has exclusive rights. They turned out rather well & I've always liked either IBP or Smithfield pork but hate the Tyson stuff that the Super Wally World grocery stores have as they're pure salt lic be it ribs or butts. Though occasionally the SWW do have IPB along w/ the Tyson but most of the time for ribs I look at Piggly Wiggly for mine or my butcher
 
I think Sam's knows that the non-enhanced pork products are a big draw and sell. They'll keep selling them. Maybe they just had a run on non-enhanced or goofed shipment.
 
I don't think I saw where anyone posted whether they were enhanced or not, but Brian S. reported that his Smithfield butts (although from Winn Dixie) were NOT.
 
I plan on making a return trip sometime this week to Sams Club, I will let you know what I find at the meat counter. I prefer the IBP products, I hope this was just a temporary thing.
 
Will do recon in Dallas when I am back this weekend. I had planned on a two shoulder and one brisket SB party. If they don't have a bone-in choice, then off to the Mexican markets I will go.
 
Well reporting back, I was at Sam's Club last night they still had the Smithfield Ribs but had the IBP Ribs and Butts in the newer packaging. I was happy to see that they were bringing back the IBP brand.I read the label on the Smithfield products and as far as I could tell that they were in fact NOT enhanced. I hope this clears things up.
 
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