Help! I want full ribs and no butcher understands what the heck Im talking about!

[va bbq]

I am obsessed with the flavor and texture of well cooked full length ribs (ribs that havent had the ends trimmed)  but for some reason Im always being given the wrong thing.  Is there a name or a way to explain the full length of the bone on ribs (both beef and pork)?  I dont understand why they (the butchers) trim the last few inches of meat/bone off and why they dont understand what Im asking for when I ask for it - last time I pointed to my rib cage to show them what I wanted, they still got the wrong thing!

Thanks!

 

[forluvofsmoke]

I'm not quite sure what you are referring to...beef or pork? Spares, back ribs?

Maybe this will help you understand how the ribs are cut, and if you want custom cuts, how to request them so the butcher will understand you:

From Pops6927 (gives primal cuts and sub-primal cuts...go to the link he posted and the check out the ribs section for each):

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/122288/beef-101

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/122289/pork-101

Give those a look-over...hope this helps.

Eric

 

[daveomak]

VA, evening......  I think what you are looking for is the rib section that goes with beef short ribs.... I think there are 5 ribs and they are in front of the front leg and usually cut into beef short ribs about 2" long or so.... You want the section left intact so you end up with "Dino" bones.... If you can, get them in a whole chunk, not separated, not cut....  They smoke up great and have even better flavor....   Find a meat store out in the bush where the butchers are not corporate yes men..... Hard to do....  and good luck..

 

[venture]

More information needed?

If you are referring to pork?  A full cut spare rib might be what you are referring to?  This will include the brisket as opposed to a St. Louis cut where the brisket meat and other is trimmed off.

In beef, you might be referring to the ribs from the chuck in front of the rib sub primal.  Sometimes cut into short ribs, either English cut or flanken cut as I recall?

If you are referring to the ribs from the rib section?  The upper portion of those ribs are typically sold for higher prices in other cuts?  Think lamb rack of ribs, rib cut pork chops, or the so called "prime rib" on the beef.  If you are lucky enough to get these ribs when a boneless roast has been cut out?  Enjoy!

Maybe Pops will come by and give us the real scoop?

Good luck and good smoking.

 

[daveomak]

Ok, I found what my butcher was telling me "I think", when I phoned him a month or so ago about "dino" bones......  Area "B", in front of the front leg is what he said.....   Great flavor but need a slow cook, braise because they can be tough....    Dave

Cow Ribs.jpg

• daveomak
• Dec 16, 2012

51505_cuts_beef_lg.gif

etc.usf.edu

1024 × 642 - A, neck; B-C, chuck ribs  and shoulder-blade; C-D, seven prime ribs; D-E, ...

 

[venture]

Some of the best flavored beef on the animal.  Nice beefy flavor in the chuck, brisket, and oxtails.

Good luck and good smoking.

 

[va bbq]

Id like to do this with all types of ribs - beef, pork, and lamb  (I think Ive covered all the important food groups

)

"Dino bones" is exactly it, but Im not sure too many butchers are familiar with the term.

Ive had the same luck trying to get tomahawk cut ribeye steaks...  I think I might have to just bring the butcher pictures of what I want.

ribs.jpg

• va bbq
• Dec 17, 2012

Thanks for the replies!

 

[chef jimmyj]

Id like to do this with all types of ribs - beef, pork, and lamb  (I think Ive covered all the important food groups

)

"Dino bones" is exactly it, but Im not sure too many butchers are familiar with the term.

Ive had the same luck trying to get tomahawk cut ribeye steaks...  I think I might have to just bring the butcher pictures of what I want.

ribs.jpg

• va bbq
• Dec 17, 2012

Thanks for the replies!

You are probably going to have to go to a Butcher that Slaughters or purchases Sides of animals and take this picture with you to have the Ribs special cut. There is no standard cut that will give you what you want. Pork, Beef and Lamb are cross cut so they have Ribs that can be sold as Spare Ribs or Short Ribs and the upper portion is left attached to the spine to be sold as Bone-on Rib Roasts or removed to sold as Baby Back Ribs or Back ribs. Good Luck...JJ

 

[venture]

There is so much "value added" cutting going on out there? Read that as charging more $ from the same carcass.  It is really hard to get a custom cut you might want.

Having said that, I do appreciate the strides that have been made in standardization and proper identification of cuts by IMPS/NAMPS.

Guess we can't have it both ways without a good butcher or a carcass and a knife?

Good luck and good smoking.

 

[pops6927]

chuck cross rib.jpg

• pops6927
• Dec 17, 2012

You are looking for the long ribs off the shoulder clod/cross rib roast.  

chuck long ribs.JPG

• pops6927
• Dec 17, 2012

fore rib side w desc.jpg

• pops6927
• Dec 17, 2012

Ribs 2,3,4,5 on the arm shoulder, rib 1 is left on the short round bone shoulder roast when cut from the boston or english cut.  In other words, cut the arm shoulder 90° to the two vertical cuts, separating between the 1st and 2nd rib.  Then, with the natural seam, separate the ribs from the shoulder clod and cut into individual ribs.

 

beefchuck1.jpg

• pops6927
• Dec 17, 2012

The square cut chuck is divided off the forequarter removing the shank and brisket, and rib section from the right.

Then, the chuck is split into two pieces, the arm shoulder and the blade.  

Chuck sectioned.jpg

• pops6927
• Dec 17, 2012

Then, the arm shoulder section is split into the Short Arm Shoulder section and the Shoulder Arm section, which has the 2-5 ribs on the bottom.  Flip it over and remove the ribs along it's natural seam and you have long ribs, or 'Dino Bones', like the 1st Qview of the cross rib roast with ribs tied to the shoulder clod!  In Boxed beef, it would be 2 pc bone-in chuck, the arm section, not the blade section.

Hope this helps!

 

[venture]

Thanks so much Pops!  Another of your posts for which I will save the link. 

Good luck and good smoking.

 

[james bierman]

vabbq since ur in the area call central meat packing in chesapeake

 

[betty]

Hi everyone,

I need some information myself.Does anyone have a photo or diagram of the rib cage of a pig from the front view. Can you cut the ribs at the back and with the tissue flatten them out so you can take a photo of the whole thing. Is this physically possibly. I'm not up on my knowledge of pig anatomy but I can't really find a photo or diagram of this. I need to ask the butcher to cut the ribs at the back but keep the lot intact. I need the area where the costal cartilage ends but need a good run of rib before its cut off at the back. I want a photo to bring with me and I need this photo for another reason but all the photo's online are of the skeletal elements in anatomical position or separate ribs. I need to be able to see individual ribs but the cage as a whole. Hope this making sense. I would appreciate the help.

Thanks

 

[daveomak]

yep.....  click on "Pig Parts" in my signature line.......  Dave