Absolutely Never Again

Melissaredhead · 05-03-2015, 02:54 PM

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!

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

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.

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.

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!

Live is too short to eat bad BBQ.

ssv3 · 05-03-2015, 03:04 PM

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 · 05-03-2015, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ssv3

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.

jdtTX · 05-03-2015, 03:27 PM

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

castlepines · 05-03-2015, 03:30 PM

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 · 05-03-2015, 03:39 PM

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 · 05-03-2015, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by castlepines

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.

mchar69 · 05-03-2015, 05:28 PM

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/...-deal/2859551/

LYU370 · 05-03-2015, 06:04 PM

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

LarryO1947 · 05-03-2015, 06:11 PM

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 · 05-03-2015, 06:15 PM

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

JonP · 05-03-2015, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mchar69

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/...-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/pre...meat-to-china/

rookiedad · 05-03-2015, 07:15 PM

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 · 05-03-2015, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Melissaredhead

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.

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

Decoy205 · 05-03-2015, 07:33 PM

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.

05-03-2015, 02:54 PM	#1
Melissaredhead is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 04-17-15 Location: Keyport, NJ...via Soulard,MO via Missouri farmland	Absolutely Never Again 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! 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 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. 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. 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! Live is too short to eat bad BBQ.

05-03-2015, 03:04 PM	#2
ssv3 somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 07-25-12 Location: Los Angeles Name/Nickname : Sako	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. __________________ LSG 24x30 V/O Yoder YS640 DCS 36 Gasser Blackstone Griddle Retrofit Blackstone Pizza Oven WSJ(K) WGA(P) WJJ(CU) W22(BI) W26(CL) Pit Barrer Junior Kingsford Oval (resto mod)

05-03-2015, 03:39 PM	#6
southside66 On the road to being a farker Join Date: 06-06-14 Location: South Boston,VA	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!! __________________ 270 smokers Large Shirley Fabrication 30 x 80 Chargriller Deluxe Brinkman ECB KCBS MABA CBJ

05-03-2015, 05:28 PM	#8
mchar69 Quintessential Chatty Farker Join Date: 02-22-14 Location: Kensington, MD	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/...-deal/2859551/
	1 members found this post helpful.

05-03-2015, 06:04 PM	#9
LYU370 somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 05-28-14 Location: Streamwood, IL	I only get the Sam's IBP ribs. Consistent quality, not enhanced. __________________ Andy FEC100 - Big Joe - Weber Spirit II Gasser Are you ready for a THROWDOWN?!?!? Join us, It's a BLAST!! Join us for the Inaugural 2024 South East Bash - May 2024 Tennessee - Sign Up Link

05-03-2015, 03:27 PM	#4
jdtTX Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 01-01-14 Location: Rockwall, TX	I'm done with Smithfield in texas too. Had awful luck with them recently.

05-03-2015, 03:30 PM	#5
castlepines is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 08-23-13 Location: Colorado	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.

05-03-2015, 06:11 PM	#10
LarryO1947 is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 04-22-15 Location: Unadilla,NY	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. __________________ [FONT="Comic Sans MS"][COLOR="Navy"][B] Kamado Akorn Modified Brinkmann Trailmaster Maverick ET-733 Redi Chek ThermoPop[/B][/COLOR][/FONT]

05-03-2015, 06:15 PM	#11
LarryO1947 is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 04-22-15 Location: Unadilla,NY	P.S.; Go on my profile and you can see pics of the ones I did yesterday. __________________ [FONT="Comic Sans MS"][COLOR="Navy"][B] Kamado Akorn Modified Brinkmann Trailmaster Maverick ET-733 Redi Chek ThermoPop[/B][/COLOR][/FONT]

05-03-2015, 07:15 PM	#13
rookiedad is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 07-21-05 Location: patchogue, n.y.	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. __________________ Phil Better Days Barbeque Backwoods Party 3 WSMs 22" Weber Kettle Smokey Joe

05-03-2015, 07:33 PM	#15
Decoy205 Babbling Farker Join Date: 07-16-14 Location: Central, NJ Name/Nickname : John	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.