Why so hard to find whole, untrimmed spareribs?

[Big Grouch]

Why do so many meat markets only have St. Louis spares? Costco cryopacks are the best price, they come trimmed. My local butcher needs a few days notice to get whole spares. I like rib tips, I'm cooking for a block party and I want to have tips and hot links along with spares. What do butchers and suppliers do with all the tips they trim off? Sausage? They can't all be going to barbecue joints in Chicago, where tips are king.

 

[thirdeye]

My Kroger affiliate 'Smith's' has full slabs. Most other markets have St Louis racks. These used to be fine, but for the last 2 years, the butchering leaves something to be desired.

 

[pc farmer]

Walmart has them here all the time.

 

[jcam222]

Kroger, Meijers and Savealot all carry them untrimmed in my area of Ohio.

 

[Flatrate]

I am in Southern Michigan and Meijer always has them.

 

[sawhorseray]

Sam's Club always seems to have spares, and at a decent price. RAY

 

[smokerjim]

Just got 5 slabs at Walmart last week, 2.22 a pound. Cheapest I've seen in these parts.

 

[DougE]

Meijer, Kroger, Walmart, and Savealot in my area all sell vac packed untrimmed slabs, as well as St. Louis style. I'm pretty sure Aldi also has untrimmed spares.

 

[negolien]

My safeway usually only has babies :<( sucks too because spares are usually cheaper lol

 

[1MoreFord]

Kroger and WallyWorld always seem to have spares near me.
I won't buy pre-trimmed St. Louis style anymore. The packers turn idiots with bandsaws loose on spares and they trim them wrong and then freeze the ribs so you can't tell they are trimmed wrong.

 

[fxsales1959]

Why do so many meat markets only have St. Louis spares? Costco cryopacks are the best price, they come trimmed. My local butcher needs a few days notice to get whole spares. I like rib tips, I'm cooking for a block party and I want to have tips and hot links along with spares. What do butchers and suppliers do with all the tips they trim off? Sausage? They can't all be going to barbecue joints in Chicago, where tips are king.

down here. Winn Dickme usually has both, typically at same regular price. The regular spare ribs go on sale more often. They are typically cryo packed. I guess their thoughts are less time trimming to St Loius. The same applies for my "latrin" grocery/meat market.

 

[noboundaries]

Smithfield brand has untrimmed spares. I get mine from Winco, which is a bag-your-own, low-cost, semi-wholesale grocery chain in the West. Check similar type chains in your area.

 

[Big Grouch]

Thank you everyone, there's a few places I hadn't thought of. I typically avoid Walmart like I avoid both ex wives, but they are the only place near me that has Moo and Oink pork hot links, so I'll look for ribs at the same time. We have Meijer stores near me as well, not sure I've ever been to one. Thank again, I knew you cats would know where to look.
But...I still wonder what they do with all the tips they trim.

 

[TNJAKE]

Thank you everyone, there's a few places I hadn't thought of. I typically avoid Walmart like I avoid both ex wives, but they are the only place near me that has Moo and Oink pork hot links, so I'll look for ribs at the same time. We have Meijer stores near me as well, not sure I've ever been to one. Thank again, I knew you cats would know where to look.
But...I still wonder what they do with all the tips they trim.

When the butcher's remove the rib tips after trimming into St Louis cut they usually end up in the sausage grind

 

[smokerjim]

To answer your one question why markets dont carry slabs, basically because most customers dont want to be bothered with a little trimming when they get home so markets carry what the customers want.