No Ribs 'till 2010!

napalm

Fire Starter

Original poster

Sep 24, 2009

64

11

South Coast - England

• Sep 24, 2009

• #1

Well I've had a pretty shocking afternoon!

Really fancied a good rack of ribs to BBQ later on, so went to the supermarket to pick some up: "Sorry sir, Ribs are classed as a Summer Eating food, we only stock them from April - July"

Totally taken aback I went to the butchers (there's only one in town) and asked him for a nice big rack of ribs. "Sorry mate, not got none" so I asked him when he's expecting delivery "Probably February, might be a bit later though, nobody wants them over winter y'see"

Tried 3 other shops since, one had them sold singly (£3.50/$5.66 USD for six) which looked disgusting, and the other two didn't have any at all.

I'm ringing round now to see where I can get some from, a local farm has some pigs going to slaughter in November I can reserve some from, but its £20 ($32.66 USD) for a bag of "about 15"

Are there any other UK SMF members that might be able to suggest some decent places to get meat before I go and cry until the spring?!

Alex

 

fourthwind

Master of the Pit

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Mar 12, 2009

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Thornton, CO

• Sep 24, 2009

• #2

Ouch!!! sorry to hear that man.. I think a lot of us take for granted that we can get what we want year around. Damn near be cheaper to deep freeze some racks and send them air carrier than for you to buy them locally.

 

coyote-1

Smoking Fanatic

Sep 14, 2008

554

15

• Sep 24, 2009

• #3

Keep it in mind next year. Come August, buy and smoke a bunch of 'em... and then vacuum seal and freeze them.

OR go to a restaurant supply place. THey would of course carry them all year long.

 

athabaskar

Smoking Fanatic

Nov 21, 2007

309

12

Irving, Texas

• Sep 24, 2009

• #4

Move to Texas, my friend. Baby backs are $2.99/# at Kroger stores until next Tuesday.

 

rodc

Smoke Blower

Jun 9, 2009

92

10

Glasgow, Scotland

• Sep 24, 2009

• #5

Had an online search:

http://www.douglaswillis.co.uk/CW_Pr...s.aspx?PID=565 - £5 odd a kilo.

http://www.wilsonsbutchers.co.uk/pro...ID=68&P_ID=308 - again £5 odd a kilo - but looks like they split them.

http://www.realribs.co.uk/cont.html - this lot seem more commercial - big packs - how big's your freezer?

http://www.woburncountryfoods.com/#/pork/4530119647 - £4 a kilo.

Good luck finding some - I'm lucky I'm friends with my local butcher who'll sourse what I ask him for.

 

napalm

Fire Starter

Original poster

Thread starter

Sep 24, 2009

64

11

South Coast - England

• Sep 24, 2009

• #6

Thanks Rod!

Looks like Woburn might be worth looking into, everyone else seems to split them, will give them a ring in a bit and see what happens, would prefer to get it fresh but beggars can't be choosers!

Alex

 

beer-b-q

Gone but not forgotten. RIP

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May 1, 2007

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• Sep 24, 2009

• #7

That is ridicules, SUMMER FOOD, I'd move to US...

 

bigtrain74

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Feb 23, 2009

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Springfield, Ma

• Sep 24, 2009

• #8

You tell me how to get dry ice... And I'll ship some to you bro!

 

gnubee

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Sep 12, 2008

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Penticton BC

• Sep 24, 2009

• #9

Its hard to believe that they only sell in summertime. That's a bummer. How about the other cuts of the piggy. Have they disappeared too? I know here in Canada that Turkey can disappear from the store shelves till thanksgiving, Christmas, Or Easter. Pigs are sold year round. Lamb is seasonal.

I have sort of the same problem as you do with the much higher prices.
People on the SMF Bulletin board will be crabbing about the high cost of ribs at $2.50 a lb. when I have to pay $5.00 for the same cut of meat. Yesterday we took a drive 1 hour north to Kelowna a much larger community where we priced several cuts of meat. They were around 1/2 what I pay for the same thing here at home, plus the selection was so much better. Its the small town thing all over again. Very frustrating. Travel 1 hour south will find me in the United States and even cheaper prices. Its where you live my friend. Have you tried traveling to a larger center to see if the situation is better there? Perhaps take a canoe trip across the pond to Newfoundland where they have plenty of Moose ribs. ( just kidding )

 

beer-b-q

Gone but not forgotten. RIP

OTBS Member

May 1, 2007

10,099

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• Sep 24, 2009

• #10

Around here (Kansas City) you can get dry ice in about any grocery store... If they don't have it check with some Ice or Cold Storage Warehouses...

Note: You would have to send it Overnight and you may have a problem with customs shipping food products. The delay may allow the dry ice to evaporate...

 

gnubee

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Sep 12, 2008

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Penticton BC

• Sep 24, 2009

• #11

I don't know but I bet its true that if you try to ship piggy parts across the pond in dry ice you will run in to all sorts of rules and regulation that make it almost impossible. Quarantine being one of those rules.

 

herkysprings

Smoking Fanatic

Jun 2, 2009

578

11

Eugene, OR

• Sep 24, 2009

• #12

Can you ask the butcher for a bone in tenderloin roast or something? That would get you some ribs, plus a loin to smoke I think.

 

coyote-1

Smoking Fanatic

Sep 14, 2008

554

15

• Sep 24, 2009

• #13

Yep. Livestock and raw livestock product are a whole different ballgame than picking up a can of foie gras at the airport and carrying it on.
Your best bet is to look up restaurant supply companies. Locate one, call ahead, and prep for a REALLY big smoke.

 

richoso1

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Jun 21, 2007

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• Sep 24, 2009

• #14

This week on the West Coast, spare are on sale for 99 cents a lb. In the summer you can find them a little cheaper. Sounds like you'll have to stock the freezer next year.

 

mballi3011

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Mar 12, 2009

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• Sep 24, 2009

• #15

Another reason I love Florida we can get ribs and everything all year but then the weather is good (pretty good) all year round too. We can even smoke in the dead of winter at 75 degrees.

 

zopi

Smoke Blower

Aug 30, 2009

76

11

• Sep 24, 2009

• #16

Probably some EU regulation...and it's probably putting some little guy out of business somewhere....

That situation needs a Gordon Ramsay style hissy fit...

 

alx

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Feb 4, 2009

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Annapolis,Maryland

• Sep 24, 2009

• #17

I am always looking for competition quality ribs myself....I trim em and vac-u-seal and freeze......Judges love em........

Good luck on the Quest!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

carpetride

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Jan 25, 2008

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• Sep 26, 2009

• #18

Yikes! No ribs, I would be devastated. What are the chances of shipping them in from some other European country? Heck winter time is my prime smoking season...just too busy in the summer and fall to get much done.

 

grouper sandwich

Meat Mopper

Feb 4, 2009

179

10

Tallahassee, FL

• Sep 27, 2009

• #19

Man, that's tough! Sounds like it's time for an armed uprising in the UK! LOL

Oh, not to rub it in or anything, but I've got a rack on the smoker right now.

 

travcoman45

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Jan 19, 2008

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A Holler in North Iowa

• Sep 27, 2009

• #20

One a my local suppliers stops carryin my favorite brand a spares durin the winter, I presmoke an stock up on some startin bout now. They won't listen an carry them year round, but they carry there junk brand throughout the winter. He fully knows my opinion a them ribs!