Where do you buy your babybacks?


 
D

Dan Leighton

TVWBB Pro
Hi:

Just wondering where everyone buys their babybacks? I've been getting mine from the supermarket (Albertsons,Vons) and even though the low & slow cooks w/smoke (8 hrs @ 225) have been successful, the quality is less than you get in most good BBQ joints. There seems to be too much fat interwoven throughout the meat. I haven't tried Costco or Sams Club yet to see if I get any better results. Even though I have a "gasser" I thought this would be the right place to pose the question.
 
Costco or Sam's Club is pretty common for those of us cooking in the backyard. Some competition teams are getting ribs at Restaurant Depot.

You didn't ask, but...

1) You're cooking baby back ribs at 225°F for 8 hours. That's seems like an excessive amount of time.

2) You commented about "too much fat interwoven throughout the meat". Are you concerned about too much fat in the meat BEFORE cooking or AFTER cooking? Proper cooking should render much of the fat, leaving moist, tender meat.
 
Chris Allingham said:
Costco or Sam's Club is pretty common for those of us cooking in the backyard. Some competition teams are getting ribs at Restaurant Depot.

You didn't ask, but...

1) You're cooking baby back ribs at 225°F for 8 hours. That's seems like an excessive amount of time.

2) You commented about "too much fat interwoven throughout the meat". Are you concerned about too much fat in the meat BEFORE cooking or AFTER cooking? Proper cooking should render much of the fat, leaving moist, tender meat.
Click to expand...

Hi Chris:
#1 Could shorten up the cook time, but that seems to be when the bones begin to show as the meat shrinks.

#2 After cooking. The meat is tender, but there is way too much fat embedded. I trim off as much as possible before the cook and then apply the rub. Every few hours they get spritzed with a combo of apple vinegar/apple juice. I think it is just the quality of the meat.

Always looking to improve the learning curve.
 
Curious. How are you measuring 225°F? With what device and in what location? Baby back ribs should be done in 4-5 hours at 225-250°F.
 
Buy mine at are local store... Cook them at about 350-400 degrees and there done in 2 hours or less and come out perfect...I haven't done l&S for ribs in ages.
 
I have found the "local" Costco to definitely have better (meatier loin back ribs) that finish nicely. I do them on one of my WSM's and tend to run 275+ degrees until done. I do wrap with aluminum foil (Harry Soo's method).

FWIW
Keep on smokin',
Dale53:wsm:
 
I've been migrating more and more to spares, but enjoy babybacks too. I always get them at Costco. I like the Swift brand and as a bonus they have removed the membranes prior to packaging. Agree with Chris on 8 hours. 5 to 5 1/2 hours always works for me on BB's.
 
Costco, the local national chain stores (Fred Meyers - Safeway), the local butcher shop.

I look for both price and quality so I move around.
 
I tried to pickup some at the local grocery store. All of the baby backs were full of purge in the bag and the spares were frozen. I cooked a sirloin steak instead.
 
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