Spare Ribs Selection Help

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TBoneMac

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I've been asked to cook spare ribs for a football party next weekend. I've cooked a lot of ribs, but I usually buy the Kroger "Minimally Processed" ribs. I love them. However, they're individually wrapped and thus sold at a higher price than the 3-pack ribs at Sam's and Costco.

I went by Sam's and Costco today and looked at their spare ribs. Sam's has a brand called "Member's Mark" that I've never heard of. Costco has "Swift Premium Natural". Pics follow (Sam's first, Costco second).

Experienced rib cooks, which would you choose? I'm not concerned about the price difference. Just want the best quality ribs.

20191021_150548.jpg

20191021_152154.jpg
 
TBoneMac said:
I've been asked to cook spare ribs for a football party next weekend. I've cooked a lot of ribs, but I usually buy the Kroger "Minimally Processed" ribs. I love them. However, they're individually wrapped and thus sold at a higher price than the 3-pack ribs at Sam's and Costco.

I went by Sam's and Costco today and looked at their spare ribs. Sam's has a brand called "Member's Mark" that I've never heard of. Costco has "Swift Premium Natural". Pics follow (Sam's first, Costco second).

Experienced rib cooks, which would you choose? I'm not concerned about the price difference. Just want the best quality ribs.

View attachment 175769

View attachment 175770
Click to expand...
I've had good luck with the Costco ribs

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The first thing that I noticed is that the Sam's ribs are full spares and the Costco are St. Louis trimmed. Which do you prefer?

99% of the ribs I cook are for competition, and I am lazy, so I buy St. Louis trimmed and look for meaty ribs with nice marbling first, and straight bones second.
 
Last edited:
Ron_L said:
The first hing that I noticed is that the Sam's ribs are full spares and the Costco are St. Louis trimmed. Which do you prefer?

99% of the ribs I cook are for competition, and I am lazy, so I buy St. Louis trimmed and look for meaty ribs with nice marbling first, and straight bones second.
Click to expand...


I prefer St. Louis cut spares. But I don't mind trimming whole spares down to a St. Louis cut.
 
I’ve cooked a ton of both Costco and Sam’s ribs. Sam’s is usually cheaper, even when you take into consideration you’re comparing full spares to St Louis trim. If I were doing comp ribs I would buy from Sam’s and do the trim job myself. Both examples pictured look pretty good to me.
 
I would go with the costco ones. They look better.
I have cooked Member's Mark. They are my go to for ribs.
That being said the Costco ones look a heck of alot better.
 
I looked at the sams spares for a cook that I needed about 10 racks for. I wouldn’t really use the rib tips, so I didn’t want to pay for them when I could already buy pre trimmed St. Louis cuts.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
Another vote for Costco... I personally love Smithfield both baby and spare.....

Thanks,
Greg
 
Taste before you buy :icon_smile_tongue:

Those 3pk ribs are tricky. Sometimes the rack in the middle looks to have been hit by a truck, that’s why they hide it in the middle. I’ve gotten better at investigating before buying, but I think people look at me weird.
 
TBoneMac said:
I've been asked to cook spare ribs for a football party next weekend. I've cooked a lot of ribs, but I usually buy the Kroger "Minimally Processed" ribs. I love them. However, they're individually wrapped and thus sold at a higher price than the 3-pack ribs at Sam's and Costco.

I went by Sam's and Costco today and looked at their spare ribs. Sam's has a brand called "Member's Mark" that I've never heard of. Costco has "Swift Premium Natural". Pics follow (Sam's first, Costco second).

Experienced rib cooks, which would you choose? I'm not concerned about the price difference. Just want the best quality ribs.

View attachment 175769

View attachment 175770
Click to expand...

How many are you cooking. I bet if you asked the meat guy at kroger would sell you a case. I have cooked a lot of the two packs from sams, they are good. I believe almost all of the "members mark" are currently repackaged IBP ribs FWIW.
 
chrischandler71 said:
I looked at the sams spares for a cook that I needed about 10 racks for. I wouldn’t really use the rib tips, so I didn’t want to pay for them when I could already buy pre trimmed St. Louis cuts.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Click to expand...

In my neck of the woods Costco has their trimmed spares priced about 50% higher than Sams has full untrimmed spares at. The tips are pretty easy to debone...good to grind up for something.
 
I can't speak for Costco, as I don't have a membership, but I go to Sam's all the time. I cook a lot of the Sam's whole spare ribs and they always come out good. I'm in Texas, though, so the ribs my Sam's gets may not be from the same source as yours.
 
When I cook whole spares, I trim them to Stl cut. I throw the trimmings on the smoker and hand then out to the guests as I'm finishing the racks. Would work great at a football party. Dude's just love hanging around the smoker with a cold one.
 
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