Sick and tired of "skinny" spare ribs!

[MattG]

Prairie Fresh have been great at Sams. (When they get them) Smithfield have been getting really bad in my area. Bad cuts on them, no meat, and lots of shiners, and hardly any straight ribs.

[WhiskeyPigBbq]

Originally Posted by jsimonson0

Try to find "rib belly" at your local butcher store. Basically spareribs and pork belly (wanna-be bacon) are right next to each other on the pig, and at least one place here in Chicago sells them as a single cut called a rib belly. I trim most of the fat that you'd find on the pork belly, and you end up with ~1" of meat on top of the bone, as well as what's between the bones. I've used rib belly to make real rib sammiches in the past (especially when the Arches sells their faux rib abomination). I'll find some pr0n I kept the last time I made the rib sammich and post it here.

What butcher do you go to in Chicago?

[jsimonson0]

Originally Posted by WhiskeyPigBbq

What butcher do you go to in Chicago?

Peoria Packing on Lake St. Montrose Deli also carried rib belly at one time, but I don't work out that way anymore, so I haven't been there in a while.

[WhiskeyPigBbq]

Originally Posted by jsimonson0

Peoria Packing on Lake St. Montrose Deli also carried rib belly at one time, but I don't work out that way anymore, so I haven't been there in a while.

Ah...good old Peoria Packing. I am in there all of the time I live in the West Loop. I have noticed that the past few times I was fairly disappointed with the thickness of the Ribs. Although, I imagine most of the guys on here would be in heaven going in there and picking their own cuts of meat.

[Ole Man Dan]

Originally Posted by snyper77

I've tried Smithfield, IBP, and Prairie Fresh spare ribs from Winn Dixie and Food World (Grocers). Every one of them are "thin" and "skinny" racks.
I've seen competition ribs there were very thick and meaty. Do ribs come in "quality" categories like brisket (select, choice, prime)? I simply can't find thick, quality spare ribs. Thanks for your help here.

Since Your close...
Sometimes 'Paul's Mountain Meats' has meaty ribs.
AND...
'Don's Butcher shop' near Oakleigh Estates while officially closed can get you some. This time of year they do a lot of Deer and Hogs too.
LASTLY...
There's always 'SAMS'...
(I'm not too hot on SAMS. (Don't know what additives makes them 'slick',
but it's my last choice. I have to do extra work on those.)

[jsimonson0]

Originally Posted by WhiskeyPigBbq

Ah...good old Peoria Packing. I am in there all of the time I live in the West Loop. I have noticed that the past few times I was fairly disappointed with the thickness of the Ribs. Although, I imagine most of the guys on here would be in heaven going in there and picking their own cuts of meat.

I go right past the pre-cut spares to the rib belly. $.20 less/lb. And because it's a whole spare, the brisket cut is still there for fist-sized tips.