Absolutely Never Again

Melissaredhead · May 3, 2015

Long story short, I'm never buying babybacks from Costco again. I've used them in the past and they have either been tough, salty or mealy. I thought, hey maybe it's me...I'm not perfect and chalked it up to a bad cook---it happens!:drama:

After yesterday's debacle, I'm ready to say "it's not me, it's you."

I threw a Derby Day / Mayweather Fight Night party :boxing: and smoked a brisket. If the brisket didn't turn out I had ribs as back up and thought I'd save a buck with the Smithfield 3-pack sale. :doh:

Not to toot my own horn, but ribs are my thing. I don't mess up (any more) in making them. The ribs I served / tossed in the farking garbage were disgusting. :mad2:

So this is my PSA: do not 'save a buck' on Smithfield ribs.
You'll cry.
Your guests will cry.
Your butcher will cry...from laughing at you!:crazy:

Live is too short to eat bad BBQ.

ssv3 · May 3, 2015

Never had an issue with Costco ribs. As a matter of fact I really like them but on this coast they don't sell Smithfield. Ours is Swift Premium FWIW.

Melissaredhead · May 3, 2015

ssv3 said:
Never had an issue with Costco ribs. As a matter of fact I really like them but on this coast they don't sell Smithfield. Ours is Swift Premium FWIW.

I'm in Jersey. Here it's Smithfield. I'm thinking they are enhanced with sodium but it is not labeled anywhere. Beware of Smithfield specifically. :grin:

jdtTX · May 3, 2015

I'm done with Smithfield in texas too. Had awful luck with them recently.

castlepines · May 3, 2015

Interesting. I've used Smithfield and haven't had a problem. Knowing ahead of time if they're enhanced or not allows you to make adjustments in how you cook them. Using salt-based rubs on enhanced ribs can be nasty, hammy, so I wouldn't be surprised if that's what happened. And if they are enhanced and they aren't making it obvious then that's on them. I don't blamed you for staying away if that's the case.

southside66 · May 3, 2015

Bought some Smithfield Butts on sale at Food Lion, brought them home and straight in the freezer they went. Couple of weeks later, thawed them out to smoke and as soon as I opened the packages I could smell the stench. all 4 Butts were bad!! Never Again!!

Melissaredhead · May 3, 2015

castlepines said:
Using salt-based rubs on enhanced ribs can be nasty, hammy, so I wouldn't be surprised if that's what happened. And if they are enhanced and they aren't making it obvious then that's on them. I don't blamed you for staying away if that's the case.

I agree with making the adjustment. I've accidentally bought enhanced meat in the past and made my rub minus salt and no one could tell a difference. These were not labeled and I called their customer service number and left a message inquiring about any additives in their ribs. We will see what they say. I was about 5 julips deep when I called so we will also see if they understood me.:icon_blush:

mchar69 · May 3, 2015

Smithfield was bought out by a Chinese company.
Really.
The old, Venerable Virginia Hams sold out for coins.
Sounds oddly familiar.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2013/09/24/smithfield-vote-china-deal/2859551/

LYU370 · May 3, 2015

I only get the Sam's IBP ribs. Consistent quality, not enhanced.

LarryO1947 · May 3, 2015

I buy Smithfield St Louis Style Pork Spareribs all the time. Never had a problem with them and they are some of the nicest cuts of spareribs I find. The ones I get in upstate NY are not enhanced and all natural. Buy them at my local Price Chopper.

LarryO1947 · May 3, 2015

P.S.; Go on my profile and you can see pics of the ones I did yesterday. :grin:

JonP · May 3, 2015

mchar69 said:
Smithfield was bought out by a Chinese company.
Really.
The old, Venerable Virginia Hams sold out for coins.
Sounds oddly familiar.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2013/09/24/smithfield-vote-china-deal/2859551/

This was actually in the news lately. US companies are outsourcing meat to China for final butcher phase. Somehow they save $$ by slow boating meat to China, trust them with no health requirements or food safety, they do whatever the F they do, then slow boat it back. *sigh

USA agreeing for the peasants to get sick. Buy local!!

http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/pressreleases/outsourcing-our-meat-to-china/

rookiedad · May 3, 2015

don't know if it was smithfielfd or not but i have also had mixed luck at costco. on the bright side, you can return anything in any shape there.

castlepines · May 3, 2015

Melissaredhead said:
I agree with making the adjustment. I've accidentally bought enhanced meat in the past and made my rub minus salt and no one could tell a difference. These were not labeled and I called their customer service number and left a message inquiring about any additives in their ribs. We will see what they say. I was about 5 julips deep when I called so we will also see if they understood me.:icon_blush:

Hmm. I think we may have solved the mystery on how you could have missed the "enhanced with a solution of..." label. :wink:

Decoy205 · May 3, 2015

Smithfield were the worst ribs I've bought so far. Whatever they cryovac the meat with stinks like sulfur when you open the pack. They do make enhanced and natural. I won't buy either. I stick to IBP or excel.

IamMadMan · May 3, 2015

Sorry to hear the cook went south.....

I stopped buying ribs from Costco when the prices went up. I get what I can from my butcher and the rest I get at BJ's...

Decoy205 · May 3, 2015

Ive had good luck with BJs as well.

Big George's BBQ · May 3, 2015

I have bought from Costco before and they were pretty good and meaty

BBQchef33 · May 3, 2015

Had a 3pack of costco/smithfields last week.. cooked for 5 hours, never foiled them.

tasted like Ham on a bone. Meat was really firm.. almost cured. Obviously been brined or salted... had to foil them with some apple juice and cook for another 45 minutes. turned them to mush, but they didnt taste like ham anymore.

Melissaredhead · May 3, 2015

BBQchef33 said:
tasted like Ham on a bone. Meat was really firm.. almost cured. Obviously been brined or salted....

Yes. A lot of firm meat. Shouldn't the FDA require sodium content? There is nothing on the package, label or sticker.
Oh well. People said they liked them but I knew they were terrible. Thank goodness my brisket turned out. Everyone filled up on that.

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