Ribtips or Riblets??????????????

[Neil]

Went and checked out a new BBQ restaurant Friday night and ordered some "Country Style" Ribtips and a 1/2 pound of brisket. The ribtips were nothing more than thin sliced pork butt strips. I had always thought ribtips were the brisket portion from the whole slab of spare ribs after you trim them down to a St. Louis cut then chopped into chunks after being smoked then sauced. I've purchased 10# boxes of frozen "Riblets" which were the same brisket portion from the whole slab of spares that were thinly sliced with a bone saw before cooking. I was extremely disappointed with both the pork and brisket from this new restaurant.

[lantern]

Man! If it said country style ribs I would understand as I always expect pork butt when I see "country style ribs". But, "country style ribtips" should be the tips of the ribs every time.

[Bludawg]

Heres the first clue to what you are about to partake of "Country Style"IE hacked up shoulder. Blu don't eat BBQ out; I refuse to pay for something that is not better than I can make.

[Neil]

Heres the first clue to what you are about to partake of "Country Style"IE hacked up shoulder. Blu don't eat BBQ out; I refuse to pay for something that is not better than I can make.

I normally don't go to bbq restaurants but it was too late to take something out of the freezer and this was a new business that just opened up a couple of weeks ago so we just thought we would give them a try. Unfortunately for them, I will have to be truthful when people ask if we had tried the new Q joint!

[deguerre]

I have never heard "Country Style" and "Rib Tips" used together like that. I would assume they would be from the butt, however you never know how folks will label menu items. We never go to BBQ restaurants unless we're out of town though.

[Bludawg]

I normally don't go to bbq restaurants but it was too late to take something out of the freezer and this was a new business that just opened up a couple of weeks ago so we just thought we would give them a try. Unfortunately for them, I will have to be truthful when people ask if we had tried the new Q joint!I feel ya. Had one open here about 6 months ago I had high hopes that went down in flames after 1 bite of a good sampling of ribs brisket & sausage:twitch: I give it another 6 months before it's up for sale.

[Neil]

The one BBQ restaurant I won't hesitate to go to is the Prized Pig in Niles, MI. Jeremy smokes the best brisket I have ever had. The rest of his stuff is pretty darn good too! Foutunately for me it is only a 35 minute drive to his restaurant. :biggrin:

[arclite]

Southside/westside rib tips are serious eats in Chicago (some of the best BBQ I've ever had) which makes bad/fake rib tips unacceptable in my book.

A couple BBQ masters developed what is called an aquarium smoker (enclosed glass case with only real wood as fuel) about 50 years ago to make BBQ joints health code acceptable. These smokers were supposed to mimic an open pit (and it's debatable on how well it replicates a real pit) BUT the dry smoke of an aquarian smoker makes KILLER tips. Fantastic bark, succulent fat, slightly mild smoke flavor and just enough gnarly cartilage to scare off the timid.


Chicago has extremely strict health code regulations, which unfortunately makes real pit smoking difficult and expensive on a commercial level. So we have a large share of pretty bland to terrible "Nuevo" BBQ that somehow passes off as good. It's actually kind of embarrassing. Combine that with fake rib tips and I'd go ballistic!