Cost of ribs

dont know about up there but down here in florida our wally world meat is injected with a 10% solution.
my last price on 2.5 down st louis ribs was 2.79/lb.
look around for an independent food purveyor. my supplier is a local small company. i explained we were a competition bbq team and i can buy direct from them. plus they like to be posted on how we are doing and they seem to take extra care picking out the meat for me. only drawback is you must buy case quantities
hope this helps
jack

DR:

I always buy mine at Sam's-usually about $1.89/lb.. Three slabs of spares non-injected run about 11-12 lbs. They always turn out good. Sure beats paying $5 + per lb.

Mn Que

That price sounds more acceptable, however, we do not yet have a Sam's Club . Let me therefore rephrase the question. From others' experiences, am I likely to be able to get ribs at a Super Wal-Mart? Is this something that they normally carry? Since they are not yet open there is nobody to talk to locally. Again, thanks for the information

When I need extra I buy St. Louis ribs from a USDA inspected locker plant that butchers locally raised hogs,beef and sheep.

I paid $2.79/# from a batch of purebred Berkshire. Berks are a bit fatter and darker, with more intramuscular fat {and the ones I have worked with are more ornery}. None of that injected stuff needed. They are 3# and very meaty.

In MN try to locate Swift. They have higher specs. Or try to find a USDA locker plant, if you want top quality.

In meat science at Iowa State I learned that top 1/3 get exported; the middle 1/3 go to restraunts; and the bottom 1/3 go to the stores.

By the way live hog prices just topped a 7 year high.

Roger

Mn. Hogfarmer,

Some time in the next few months I am going to try and visit my brother who lives in North Mankato. I'll have to try and look you up. I don't recall seeing Swift up here, rather everything seems to be Hormel. I have gotten ribs from several rural meat markets, but haven't had much success with their ribs. That is why I asked about the Super Wal-Mart. Since no one responded directly to the question, I assume that possibly they don't carry ribs. Maybe I'll have to check out the National Animal Disease Lab in Ames. What do you think?

drbodkin
Our superwalmart does carry ribs. The price varies just like the other supermarkets, but lots of times, like Jack said, they are injected with water. Read the label.
I don't think I'd buy ribs from the Animal Disease Lab. I'd do wally world first.
peggy

2greyhounds and all the rest, thanks for your responses. I guess once our Wal-Mart opens I'll check it out. If it doesn't work out I'll just have to go back to looking at other options. I have gotten some terrific ribs at Kowalski's in the Twin Cities, but that is a three hour drive so I can't do it often. Have a wonderful weekend, all.

Drbodkin-

By all means, stop in. I'll give you a tour of the farm. We have a retail meat business too.

We actually live 2 miles west of St. Clair, which has no rural postal delivery, so our address is Mankato.

I'm usually around, beer in the fridge, except in Feb. when we'll be in warm, sunny Cozumel. You can reach me through our website listed in the bio section.

I should talk to you about this gig we do in Brainard during the summer selling BBQ. It runs in conjunction with the Jaycee's backyard BBQ contest and Blues Festival.

We're cooking ribs and pork at the Air Force Reserve base in St. Paul tomorrow. My brother in law earned another stripe so we're feeding his squadron.

Go Gopher Wrestlers! Beat the Cowboys Sunday! Roger

I just paid $2.59/lb. at the local Meiers store (west 'burbs of Chicago) for baby backs. They also had picnics for $.79/lb that looked pretty nice. I have to find a decent butcher shop around here, however. I'm ordering a Smokette soon, so I want to make sure I have a source for decent meats. The ribs are goinng to be rubbed in a bit and then slow cooked tomortrow on my gas weber grill with some cherry wood added for flavor.

...ron

A pricing update, which you folks won't believe. It is Saturday morning and I just returned from my weekly shopping trip to Cub Foods in Brainerd. For the fun of it I looked at their ribs. They had some Premium Farm pork loin back ribs in cryovac for $6.29 per pound. Further, they had the "evil solution" in them. On my way home I stopped at Shwiky's Meat Market which has wonderful meats of all types. They had St. Louis style ribs in their display cooler that were $5.99 per pound. We moved here to northern Minnesota so we could live in our pine woods, near the lakes and wildlife, and because of the beauty. Food prices, however, are attrocious. I definitely think I will begin to investigate the many options suggested by you folks.

And to you, MNhogfarmer, brace yourself for the heavyweight match between Steve Mocco of Okie State, and Cole Konrad of the Gophers. It should be a classic. Mocco won the last match in overtime 2 - 1.

DrB,

Hope you're doing well. Sounds like prices are ridicilous up there. Those are definitely high!

The key, as you found is not just price, but also whether they do something to them, like tumbling or injecting.

Russ

Smokin,

We are doing fine, actually even better than fine. Last night was the first time this year where Mrs. Bodkin commented that I was not yelling and swearing at the t.v. set. The Sooners were that good.

You are right, prices are rediculous here. I am going to get serious about other options, either our new Wal-Mart when it opens or making a run to the Twin-Cities and buying a case.

Best wishes,

Bill

Yeah it was a good game, now waiting for the polls to come out.

How about THIS for a problem.

I can GUARANTEE my team will win a National Championship again this year.

Because I'm a
OU class of 1977
USC class of 1988

Guess I'll have to sit on the 50 and cheer both ways?

DRB,

Check with some of the finer restaurants in Brainerd ... maybe the big buck golf course restaurants in your area. Ask where they buy their meats, call their wholesaler and see if you can buy ribs at wholesale prices.

You're in a tourist mecca up there in Brainerd with a lot of high-end restaurants. You probably have a high-end meat supplier or two that serve the area.

Also, about an hour away from you, near St. Cloud in Clear Lake, MN, there's a pretty well known old-fashioned butcher shop called MacDonald meats. Not sure if they sell good ribs, but it's probably worth a call to find out. If they don't sell them, they could probably put you in touch with someone locally who does.

Good luck!

Drb,
Last Baby back ribs I bought here in St. Cloud
were around $3.59 a lb case price at Sams club.
These are the IBP brand 3 slabs in a cryovac,
I think there were 6 packs in a case.
These have always been good.
Its a little closer than going down to the Twin Cities.

Mark

down her in alabama we get our ribs at sams they are more considentand the price is about 25.00 for 3 slabs and they have been proven winners have 2 tropheys to prove it