Is this both short & chuck ribs?

[dgaddis1]

So...we've got a local place that sells locally grown produce and stuff, and they carry some beef from a local grass-fed beef producer. A few weeks ago I facebook messaged them and asked if they could get me "a rack of beef chuck/short ribs. I'd like them as a whole rack, not cut up into individual bones."

Now for context, I said "chuck/short" because around here anytime you see beef short ribs, they're really chuck ribs. I've never actually seen real short ribs.

I asked for them together as a whole rack because, again, around here they're usually cut into individual bones and then those are cut in half. Great for braising, not so much smoking. BBQing beef ribs isn't popular around here apparently.

Anyhow - the store sent me the picture below a little while ago. The folks at the local store must have simply forwarded my message along to the farm, and I believe, I'm about to go pick up a rack of both chuck and short ribs all together - 10.56lbs worth. Is that what it looks like to y'all?

I messaged the store and asked if that's what it was, but the guy at the store doesn't really know what he's looking at.

FYI that's not the actual price, tho I'm not sure what the real price will be yet. I'm pretty pumped, gonna go get them tonight hopefully. Though if I end up paying $8/lbs I likely won't order them again LOL.

 

[Stlsportster]

See here...this should help;

https://amazingribs.com/tested-recipes/beef-and-bison-recipes/science-beef-ribs

 

[THoey1963]

It would be nice to see a top view and a end of rib cut view. The Beef Short Rib Plate (NAMP 123) that I buy are about 10" long, three or four bone plates.

 

[dgaddis1]

See here...this should help;

https://amazingribs.com/tested-recipes/beef-and-bison-recipes/science-beef-ribs

That doesn't help at all.

I'll report back after I get my hands on 'em. Hopefully there's plenty of meat left on the top side of the rack.

 

[THoey1963]

The link STL provided does have a lot of information. Nice dismissal... :shock:

 

[dgaddis1]

The link STL provided does have a lot of information. Nice dismissal... :shock:

Well I know it does, but it wasn't anything new to me, and doesn't tell me what I'm looking at here, which is not a typical cut (unless it's back ribs labeled as short ribs).

Are the "chuck" and "short" ribs adjacent to one another? I know they're both from the lower part of the rib cage (closer to the breastbone), and I think they're adjacent to one another, but I'm not positive.

 

[THoey1963]

ok...

 

[Stlsportster]

Im sure its nothing new to you...but;

the term "short ribs" comes from the fact that the cut of meat contains only a portion of each long beef rib.[1]

Using American butcher's nomenclature, short ribs may be taken from the brisket, chuck, plate, or rib areas of beef cattle.[2][3]

The serratus ventralis muscle defines the area in the beef carcass from where short ribs come, and is the preferred muscle tissue for short ribs.[4] This muscle originates near the second rib, and covers most of the rib cage.[4][5] In the chuck area (second through fifth ribs), the muscle is much thicker. Moving toward the rump, the serratus ventralis becomes less dense, and may not cover the entire rib. Outside of the chuck, the serratus ventralis covers the entire rib with a degree of thickness only in the plate area. Over ribs nine through 12, the serratus ventralis is too thin to properly create a true short rib, and meat here is usually turned into a "Royal short rib" or else stripped from the bone and used for ground beef.[4]

The latissimus dorsi muscle lies atop the serratus ventralis muscle, and is separated from it by a layer of fat. This muscle is generally found in the chuck area and the upper portion (toward the spine) of the plate. It adds thickness to chuck and rib short ribs, but is less prized by chefs than the serratus ventralis muscle.[4]

Chuck short ribs tend to be meatier than the other two types of ribs, but they are also tougher[2] due to the more extensive connective tissues (collagen and reticulin) in them.[6] Plate short ribs tend to be fattier than the other two types.[7]

Short ribs cut from the rib area near the spine (the dorsal area) are better known as "back ribs"[4] or "dinosaur ribs".[5] They consist of what remains of the rib in this area after the rib chop is removed.[8] Due to the thinness of the serratus ventralis here, the meat on these ribs is generally intercostal muscle (e.g., the muscle between each rib).[4]

 

[THoey1963]

Better man...

 

[dgaddis1]

Im sure its nothing new to you...but;

the term "short ribs" comes from the fact that the cut of meat contains only a portion of each long beef rib.[1]

Using American butcher's nomenclature, short ribs may be taken from the brisket, chuck, plate, or rib areas of beef cattle.[2][3]

The serratus ventralis muscle defines the area in the beef carcass from where short ribs come, and is the preferred muscle tissue for short ribs.[4] This muscle originates near the second rib, and covers most of the rib cage.[4][5] In the chuck area (second through fifth ribs), the muscle is much thicker. Moving toward the rump, the serratus ventralis becomes less dense, and may not cover the entire rib. Outside of the chuck, the serratus ventralis covers the entire rib with a degree of thickness only in the plate area. Over ribs nine through 12, the serratus ventralis is too thin to properly create a true short rib, and meat here is usually turned into a "Royal short rib" or else stripped from the bone and used for ground beef.[4]

The latissimus dorsi muscle lies atop the serratus ventralis muscle, and is separated from it by a layer of fat. This muscle is generally found in the chuck area and the upper portion (toward the spine) of the plate. It adds thickness to chuck and rib short ribs, but is less prized by chefs than the serratus ventralis muscle.[4]

Chuck short ribs tend to be meatier than the other two types of ribs, but they are also tougher[2] due to the more extensive connective tissues (collagen and reticulin) in them.[6] Plate short ribs tend to be fattier than the other two types.[7]

Short ribs cut from the rib area near the spine (the dorsal area) are better known as "back ribs"[4] or "dinosaur ribs".[5] They consist of what remains of the rib in this area after the rib chop is removed.[8] Due to the thinness of the serratus ventralis here, the meat on these ribs is generally intercostal muscle (e.g., the muscle between each rib).[4]

Seems to me like there's a lot of debate over what to call beef ribs.

From the link you posted earlier, seems to contradict what you just posted:

The best cut of beef ribs comes from the lower, ventral, section, from the 6th through 10th rib, roughly the same cut as the St. Louis cut of pork ribs. It is called the short plate, and the ribs are called short ribs not because they are short in length, but because they come from what is called the short plate..

 

[Joshw]

No one is going to be able to tell you what kind of ribs those are, from that pic. I don't know why someone would send you that pic, to show you short ribs. All you know is they are beef ribs. I would not commit to anything, until I could see them from all angles. They look like back ribs, based on the curve of the bone. Short ribs, generally have a fairly straight bone.

 

[bergenguy]

Thoey and Stlsportster really covered it. But here are some additional links which may (or may not) be helpful

http://www.chefs-resources.com/types-of-meat/beef/cuts-of-beef/beef-short-ribs/

https://aggiemeat.tamu.edu/barbecue-cut-identification/

https://www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com/cuts/cut/2488/back-ribs
https://www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com/cuts/cut/2814/chuck-short-ribs
https://www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com/cuts/cut/2878/rib-short-ribs
https://www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com/cuts/cut/44466/plate-short-ribs


Like Joshw said it's tough to tell from the pic, but judging from the rib size relative to the hand and in particular the number of ribs... my guess would be you have rib section short ribs (not chuck) ... But I couldn't say for sure without seeing it in person.

At $8.25 a pound I hope they're good, Looking at the ranch's website I see that's what their advertised price is. So hopefully the butcher doesn't mark it up further.

Let us know what you find out once you get them.

BTW... for me, its NAMP 123 (3 bone Plate 'short' Ribs). Probably my absolute favorite thing to put on the stickburner.

 

[WareZdaBeef]

The link STL provided does have a lot of information. Nice dismissal... :shock:

Nice dismissal indeed. That link had nothing to do with OP's original Question.

 

[dgaddis1]

Okay, so ribs are in hand. I ended up paying $71.something out the door for them, less than what it would cost (per pound) for 'short' ribs from Publix. And these are from grass fed cattle just up the road essentially.

These BABR (Big Ass Beef Ribs) measure about a foot long each, the rack is about 20" corner-to-corner, and thickness varies from a little over 2.5" to right at 1.5". They should smoke up nicely!

Gonna be a while before I cook them, we've got a baby due in 3 weeks but she could come any day now really. After she gets here when the family comes down for a visit I'll smoke them then. I'll have to split them up, they won't fit on my 18" WSM whole unless I drape them over a rib rack or something.

Pics aren't great, cause they're frozen and double bagged. I'll be sure and report back when I thaw and smoke 'em.

My neighbor has a spare freezer, I'm storing them there....they won't fit in our freezer LOL.