Sam's Club baby backs


 
W

William Schmitz

TVWBB Fan
What are people's opinions on baby back ribs from Sam's Club? I just did my first racks and thought they weren't as meaty as what I was used to from one of the local butchers or the local grocery store (Von Hanson's Meats and Kowalski's). On the other hand they were alot cheaper: $3.76/lb vs. $6-7/lb.

Anyone else with more experience have a comment? I'm hoping that it was just the rack I did today and the others will be better, but I was kind of disappointed. Like everything else in life, it's probably a case of, you get what you pay for.

Anyway, curious about other people's opinions.

Bill
 
I think you (we) get what you pay for. I wasn't too happy with the last ribs I got from Sam's, but as you indicate, they are much cheaper than the ones I get from the local butcher. I think it's still a good deal. For about $20-$25 for a three pack, they still alow for a pretty good meal. If I wanted to impress someone, I'd go elsewhere.
 
Nice to see another person from MN on the board.

I have gone to both Sams and Cost Co here in MN. I believe they both use Swift brand ribs.
I find them to lack the quality im looking for.

There is also a chain of stores called Elite Meats. They sell only frozen meat from Minnesota farms. I did my first racks of baby backs last weekend and found them to be decent.

I don't care for Cub or Rainbow, I won't shop at Cub for meat after I was looking over their steaks and found one that was all gray and looked like it weeks beyond shelf life.

Von Hansons is good, but I have found for the best ribs, Lunds is the best. You pay more, but it's better quality meat. The label is called Premium Farms. They also have a premium brand called Newman Ranch. The racks are 8.99 a pound. I've cooked them once and found them to be great.

Anyways, where do you get your smoke wood?
 
Another one from Minny!
I have had good luck with the ribs from Hormel. Super Target or Cub put's them on sale for 2.49 a lb a couple of times a year. I load up and freeze them.

Bob
 
I forgot to mention, I have a preety good source of free oak and cherry wood. I get it from a friend that has a custom cabinet shop.
 
I have been using sams ribs for the past 2 years. The past couple of times I got them they did seem a little less quality than I am used to. There has been a couple of times I went there and they were out of ribs so I went to the butcher shop down the street. I paid several dollars more and they looked the same as the ones I get at sams.

As for buying at a grocery around here I haven't found a store that doesn't sell ANY meat that isn't injected with salt solution. YUCK!! Wally world has whole brisket that isn't injected but that is all that I can find elsewhere. Sams is where I buy all my meat except for the whole packer brisket. We don't have a costco so I can't comment on that.
 
Good to see I'm not the only one from Minnesota on the board.

As for smoke wood, I was able to buy it at Gerten's and also at Lyndale Garden Center. I guess I'll give Sam's another try when i'm having a big crowd, but when it's just for the family, I'll probably go back to Von Hanson's. They have pretty good meat, and were usually around $6.00/lb.

Bill
 
Just wanted to join in on the Minnesota party here. I can also agree with Bob Q that the Hormel ribs at SuperTarget are pretty good. Not amazing, but definitely tasty. If I want to go high end, I usually go to Clancey's in Linden Hills.

As for smoke wood, Cabela's is also a good option.
 
Another Minnesotan here ... who knew there were so many?

I too have been disappointed with the ribs I've bought at the Apple Valley Sam's Club. Not very meaty.

William, in Woodbury there's a place called the Great American Rib Company, or Great American Meat Company, which is about a block south of the Woodbury McDonald's in a little strip mall.

They supply pre-cooked ribs to many restaurants throughout Minnesota, but they have a little retail counter there in Woodbury. Although they say the ribs are smoked, they aren't ... they just add a little smoke seasoning, I believe.

Anyway I bring this place up because they sell fully cooked loin back ribs for less per pound than Sam's Club, or at least they did the last time I checked. And they are really meaty ribs! And if you don't mind the fact that they are not smoked, they are worth trying because they are very tender and moist.

I don't know if there's any way to find out who their meat supplier is, but if you could, they would likely be excellent ribs at a very good price (since the place cooks and packages them and still sells them for less than Sam's Club) and very meaty. You'd probably have to buy them by the case from the wholesaler, but I'd think it would be worth it.

I've tried to find out from the older lady at the counter (who I think is the owner's mom), but she doesn't seem to know much about the back room operation.

The ribs used to be prepared and cooked right there in Woodbury, but I've heard that they've since moved their operation across the border to Wisconsin, although they still maintain that tiny retail counter.

Anyway, thought I'd mention it since you're in Woodbury. There must be some rib wholesaler in the Twin Cities that sells pretty good ribs, because that place in Woodbury seems to have excellent cuts of ribs that they use ... and they must buy them from someone locally.
 
One more from MN...

I've tried the brisket, butt and spares from the Sam's in Eagan and have been happy with all of them. I haven't tried the baby backs.

I get smoking wood from Home Depot in Eagan and Von Hansen's in Highland.

-Pete
 
Another one from Minnesota.

I have really liked the ribs I have got from Sam's. Mainly becasue of the price and that there isn't a huge loin section left on the top of the rib to dry out. If I can have 2 to 1 ratio on the amount of ribs thats all the better.

Good place to buy wood online is http://www.blueshog.com/main.html it is very cheap high quality and they don't rip you on shipping.
They have great sauce and rubs too.

Another good local butcher besides Von Hansen's is Black Angus off of Hwy 61 north of Hwy 36. They have large packers avg 2.19 to 3.29 per pound. Plus very cool to talk to get information.
 
For all of you Minnesota BBQ'ers, Wicked Good Lump is now available in Shakopee. Go to the WGC wesite and it will lead you to the site. I just picked up a couple of bags of the Weekend Warrior to try out.

BobQ
 
You will love the Wicked lump. i am on my 3rd bag and have had great results. I can't wait until the Competition Blend returns as it is supposed to be that much better!
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