The Cowboy Ribeye....Curious to know more about this cut?

[worktogthr]

Ok, I will start by admitting that I get skeptical about food trends.  It drives me bonkers that meat such as short ribs, brisket, etc. becomes a fad somewhere somehow and they become more pricey than say ribeye, strip steaks, etc.  The amount of work and time alone to get these cuts tender and luscious is what used to make them cheaper.  

I have noticed lately that the cowboy ribeye is becoming one of those fads.  I love and i mean LOVE ribeye steak but I need to have a misunderstanding cleared up.  Are markets, butchers, and restaurants charging three times the price for this cut as they would a normal bone-in rib eye because of the labor it takes to create an awesome looking presentation?  My common sense tells me that it doesn't make sense to pay for  a bone-in rib eye with a giant bone for 19.99 a pound when you can get a choice grade bone in rib eye for 5.99 and not pay for all that bone.

So my questions are...

1.  Is the cost really justified to some because its such an awesome looking piece of meat that requires extra labor on the butchers part?

2.  Is that section of the ribeye that they are cut from just more desirable for marbling, tenderness, etc?

Just curious about it all.  I am in no way bashing it, just trying to make sense of it.

 

[marctrees]

Smart man to buy the Rib steaks at sale price.

Hard to believe what people pay for them otherwise, I guess have never heard of a freezer.

I'm also curious if it comes from a certain section of rib.

But methinks it's just a marketing idea geared to easily influenced folks with pockets on fire from excess cash.

Why not, can't blame em.

And also, I've wondered, when did a Rib steak become a Ribeye, whether boneless or bone in ?

Isn't the "Eye" just the middle of the Rib Steak?

But yet, at the stores I shop at, they are all the same, with either name applied to the whole steak, bone in or out.

And the bone out ones, are called "Boneless Rib Steak"  or "Boneless Ribeye" like interchangibly.

Really a pet peeve of mine when people use words sloppily.

Had a "carpenter" here recently looking at doing some outdoor deck work.

I'm asking his opinion on joist and beam sizing, cantilevering, etc, and to him they were all "dat board and dis board" and he has to point.

Amazing.  

Back to the ChopChop Tomahawk Chop, o, I mean Cowboy Ribeye.       Sorry, crabby today.    Marc

And don't even get me started on chicken wing pricing over the years.

 

[Bearcarver]

I agree with you both.

I just keep buying Choice Prime Rib and-or Rib Steaks.

Doesn't matter what they call them, I get my "Choice" Prime Ribs during Christmas Week for the best prices. 

I get them with the bones, and remove them myself so I can leave extra meat on the bone sides.

Then I save the 2 bone sets in my freezer, so I can thaw & smoke 4 sets at a time, because that's what fits on one rack in my MES 40.

Nothing beats a Smoked Prime Rib!

Bear

 

[SmokinAl]

Yea Richie, it's the same piece of meat as a ribeye steak or prime rib roast.

It's just cleaned up real nice.

Could be a lot of people don't know that & think they are getting something special.

You know sometimes people think if it costs more it has to be better.

Al

 

[browneyesvictim]

Yeah... sore subject with me too! My opinion is- Don't fall for it! There are many Faux Pas I see inside the meat counter. Lots of straight out mislabeling even! It appears that it usually takes advantage of the average consumers ignorance or lack of knowledge I should say...  . There is only the health inspector and FDA to police such things at the retail level. They really have no "steak to claim" in the matter. (pun intended). Ever seen a "meat glue" steak? That will open your eyes to a lot about what is going on. Me personally I prefer to buy beef locally from a farmer or at least the whole sub-primals at a discount and do all of the cutting and trimming myself.The answers to your questions are no, and no.

All that frenching of the bone seems wasteful to me just to look fancy. There's some good eats next to that bone! Bone-in will almost always hold moisture and flavor and yes, should cost less than boneless. Even my dogs get upset when we have boneless steaks. :-)

There is a huge problem with seafood marketing labeling and flat out substitutions as well. Tuna, Cod, Shrimp, rockfish species... the list goes on...This has all been proven with DNA testing. In fact The Globe and other did an expose' on this a couple of year back.  Even the FDA and Oceana (as well as others) admits its a widespread problem, but nationwide enforcement and random screening and testing at the consumer level does not exist.

 

[worktogthr]

I am glad that you all confirmed my suspicions.  I always feel bad when I hear people shelling out insane amounts of money for a pretty ribeye. Even meat fanatics on this and other sites seem to be falling in that trap

 

[joe black]

To me, I like the flavor that a bone gives, but with some of the prices that restaurants charge, I sometimes go boneless.

Also, if we want to go back a few years and get really snitty, let's throw in a "Delmonico".

 

[weev]

They use to almost give chicken wings away now they are more per pound then the breast meat

 

[stovebolt]

They use to almost give chicken wings away now they are more per pound then the breast meat

 The poultry packer in Neosho, Mo. used to through the wings away. One lady started taking some home and cooking them then bringing them back the next day and selling to the workers for lunch.

 The popularity of Buffalo wings changed all of that.

Chuck

 

[marctrees]

Now that the question has been answered, I do not feel so bad hijacking.

I am 59.

When I was 10+, we had a pair of Dobermans.

My Dad would buy chicken neck sand " backs" @ I think 19 cents/ lb and pressure cook them for the dogs.

Wings were probably @ 39 cents.

Bones would be soft, totally safe for eating.

My Mother (that had major psychological issues, I did not even cry at her funeral that NO NO  one attended but absolutely immediate family)) would twice a week fry a T bone steak.

I would get the bone after her knife cutting, and clean it cleanly.

Like the Worms at a Museum.

Was sooooooooooo good.

So now, at 59, I GREATLY prefer the carcass of anything, totally opposite of the "fillet".

Like, I want the bones from a Rib roast, more than the Roast TOTALLY, NO question.

When we make a big T or Porterhouse or Rib Steak here, the Missus gets the "eye", and I get all the perimeter stuff.

Heres the thing - I ABSOLUTELY do NOT WANT the "eye".

NO way.

I want the stuff fancy people don't.

All the fat, gristle, next to the bone, etc.

We have been buying Ducks lately, I have been smoking.

The Bride gets the majority of breasts, legs, thighs.

2 meals for two people.

I get the carcasss, all the fat and skin, and I am in HEAVEN.

Clean the bones Cleannnn.

TOTALLY the BEST.

Now you all know about me.

It's like this Ruth's Chris Hockey Puck Fillets.

I do not one for free, let alone $60 or whatever dollars.  Seriously., NO way. I will not eat it. Like Chicken Breast. Feh!!!

 Wings, or deep thighs,  are my favorite cut of chicken.

Give me like a Peter Luger WHOLE bone in Rib Steak, o, and you can have ALLLL the middle you want.

Did I get trained from my mom? I think so.  

Am I nuts ???????           Marc

 

[marctrees]

And now, we have "Boneless Wings".

Obviously trying to sell the cheaper breast meat, and appealing to the "boneless" crowd.

I was going to say "Morons" instead of "Crowd", but then I may be too outspoken here.

Unbelievable crazy.  

It all started when they started to cut the wing apart, and call each part a "Wing"

Now we got 4 wings/ chicken instead of two.

When I go to a restaurant, and ask them if it's a whole wing, or sections, the waitress looks at me like a deer into headlights, and figures I'm nuts.

Breast meat chunks marketed as "Boneless Wings"

The World is going to Hell.       Marc

 

[pops6927]

The long bone on the Cowboy Rib is from NOT splitting the rib from the plate:

Whole Forequarter:

forequarter2.jpg

• pops6927
• Jan 18, 2017

Beef rib/plate section:

beef rib plate.jpg

• pops6927
• Jan 18, 2017

Where they are split:

Beef rib plate section separated.jpg

• pops6927
• Jan 18, 2017

The plate is still attached to the rib, allowing the 'long' rib bone to be garnered.

But, a shorter version can be made after the rib is split from the plate by not taking off the short ribs on the rib section:

Beef Rib and Plate with short ribs and chine clipped:

Beef rib plate section separated w short ribs.jpg

• pops6927
• Jan 18, 2017

All these variations are exceptions from 'the norm'.  Usually, the short cut beef rib with chine clipped is packaged in COV and are 2 to a box.  Then, short ribs are removed, and the skirts taken off, then the plate is separated fat from lean and bones removed and trimmed for beef ribs.  In other words, maximize yield.  Any variations cause more processing and extra costs, raising the price of each cut; therefore, until there is an established market for different processees', higher prices must be charged to overcome excess waste and processing.

 

[joe black]

I may be wrong, but I think the "cowboy" term comes from frenching a part of the rib bone so that the rib steak meat can be eaten with the "handle" and no utensil is needed.

 

[worktogthr]

The long bone on the Cowboy Rib is from NOT splitting the rib from the plate:

Whole Forequarter:

forequarter2.jpg

• pops6927
• Jan 18, 2017

Beef rib/plate section:

beef rib plate.jpg

• pops6927
• Jan 18, 2017

Where they are split:

Beef rib plate section separated.jpg

• pops6927
• Jan 18, 2017

The plate is still attached to the rib, allowing the 'long' rib bone to be garnered.

But, a shorter version can be made after the rib is split from the plate by not taking off the short ribs on the rib section:

Beef Rib and Plate with short ribs and chine clipped:

Beef rib plate section separated w short ribs.jpg

• pops6927
• Jan 18, 2017

All these variations are exceptions from 'the norm'.  Usually, the short cut beef rib with chine clipped is packaged in COV and are 2 to a box.  Then, short ribs are removed, and the skirts taken off, then the plate is separated fat from lean and bones removed and trimmed for beef ribs.  In other words, maximize yield.  Any variations cause more processing and extra costs, raising the price of each cut; therefore, until there is an established market for different processees', higher prices must be charged to overcome excess waste and processing.

Thanks so much for this Pop's. Really awesome information as usual! You are the man when it comes to the meat! If I remember correctly is the boneless plate used to make beef bacon in some cases? I thought you might have mentioned that in one of your posts.

 

[foamheart]

I am sure it was local lore but I has always told a "cowboy cut" was any steak with the bone in.  

 

[marctrees]

So, after the above info, I am curious to hear how others feel the "Back Rib" tastes different from the "Plate" or mid rib cuts, ribs, or is it just me??

I bought $100 of plate ribs months ago for freezer cause on  big sale price, was not happy w results, but Missus was.

I LOVE the back ribs, even though commercially cleaned of meat, compared to the very meaty "Plate" ribs.

To me, the taste is very different, like a Rib steak being different from a Brisket taste. .         Marc

 

[marctrees]

Foamheart - Well maybe it could be, depending on geographical nomenclature, but I always thought it was a frenched LONGGG bone in Rib Steak.     Marc