Place to Buy 3 1/2 and Down Spare Ribs?

Our block party is coming around this weekend and I need a place I can find good spare ribs at a decent price. Usually I just buy 'em at Whole Foods, b/c it is convenient and they usually stock them. But obviously it is nowhere close to a good deal.

I seem to remember some discussion of some meat packing places in town that had good deals on quality ribs in some quantity.

If somebody can fill me in, I'd appreciate it, I need to swing by there tomorrow.

Peoria Packing Ltd
(312) 226-2600
(312) 738-1800
1307 W Lake St
Chicago, IL 60607

Peoria Packing: A Photo Essay

I'd also like to note, for the record, that LTH is the first hit for "peoria packing, chicago, iL" on google.

but not if you take off the chicago, il. Oh well.

BellevueLonghorn wrote:Our block party is coming around this weekend and I need a place I can find good spare ribs at a decent price. Usually I just buy 'em at Whole Foods, b/c it is convenient and they usually stock them. But obviously it is nowhere close to a good deal.

Bellevue,

Peoria Packing is the best place for spare ribs in quantity, and the quality is good, but they typically run over 3-1/2 pounds for full tip-on untrimmed spare ribs. If you are talking about Saint Louis cut, which is, as I'm sure you know, tip-off and trimmed spare ribs, then they will be in your target weight. Rib Terms

I've not bought spare ribs at Whole Foods, in fact, I thought they only carried baby back/loin back, but I'd imagine they be selling Saint Louis style/trimmed spare ribs.

In the back left-hand corner, from the entrance, Peoria Packing has a couple of butchers who will cut meat to order, including trimming the tips from full slabs of spare ribs, but you will have to buy the tips they trim off as well.

Also, be very specific as to how you want them cut or they very well may cut the spare ribs right down the middle, length wise.

Personally, I usually leave the spare ribs whole, but, in the rare instance I want Saint Louis style, I trim them myself.

Enjoy,
Gary

I was at Costco in Mount Prospect this evening. I hadn't read this post before I left, or I'd have paid more attention, but they had tons of ribs. I didn't notice whether they were baby backs, spare ribs or both, nor take note of the prices, but they're certain to be less expensive than Whole Foods, and they have more convenient hours than Peoria Packing.

Porkwise, Costco usually has both baby back and spareribs, that's where I usually pick them up.

Mike G wrote:Porkwise, Costco usually has both baby back and spareribs, that's where I usually pick them up.

Mike,

Right, Costco is a good place for ribs as well, only full racks of spare ribs though. Also, I should have mentioned that, rib wise, I almost never buy baby back/loin back ribs from Peoria Packing, only spare ribs.

Peoria Packing's baby back/loin back are typically small with a large amount of top bone shining through the meat. I prefer Costco's baby back/loin back, and Costco's spare ribs are also good quality.

Enjoy,
Gary

LAZ wrote:I was at Costco
<snip>
and they have more convenient hours than Peoria Packing.

LAZ,

Not if you're an early bird, Peoria Packing opens at 6am M-F, Costco 10am M-F.

Enjoy,
Gary

Pretty excited. I am going to get a bunch of racks of spares and hopefully get them trimmed up there to a St. Louis slab shape. I'll also get some sausage if it looks good.

BellevueLonghorn wrote:. I'll also get some sausage if it looks good.

Get it even if it doesn't! The hot links are nice to have for snacks. Grab some pig ears to smoke for the dogs.

FWIW, I don't buy the conventional wisdom about 3 1/2 and down being the best for smoking. Regardless of size, I look for nice meaty ribs with plenty of marbling. I do try to get all of the racks in the batch to be about the same size so that they are all done at the same time - easier said than done.

Also, try to get ribs from the left side of the pig.

Bill/SFNM

Bill/SFNM wrote:
Also, try to get ribs from the left side of the pig.

Bill/SFNM

I assume you do the same for butts and brisket?

By any chance do you have the rationale for these words of wisdom?

Bruce wrote:

Bill/SFNM wrote:
Also, try to get ribs from the left side of the pig.

Bill/SFNM

I assume you do the same for butts and brisket?

By any chance do you have the rationale for these words of wisdom?

It all started with the now famous joint study by Mass. General Hospital Dept. of Neuroanatomy and Harvard Medical School mapping the brain of the pig. Turns out it is very similar to the human brain. In a follow-up, the Karolinska Institute in Sweden calculated that approx. 18% of pigs are right-footed and for reasons not yet explained, prefer to sleep on the right side. Later on, the J. Henson Foundation funded a U. of Ga. Study that proved that sleeping on the right side placed uneven strain on the muscles of that side, resulting in tougher muscles on that right side. Ipso fatso: the ribs of the left side are more tender. See?

I come into the picture with my breakthrough book, "How to Select Ribs" which describes how to tell right-side ribs from left. It was selected by Oprah for inclusion in her book club.

Bill/SFNM

G Wiv wrote:Peoria Packing opens at 6am M-F

Gary,

If you ever see me at 6 a.m., you'll know I've been up all night.

Gary wrote:Personally, I usually leave the spare ribs whole, but, in the rare instance I want Saint Louis style, I trim them myself.

Someday could you do a photo demonstration of how to trim ribs to St. Louis Style and other worthwhile tips.

Regards,

Cathy2 wrote:

Gary wrote:Personally, I usually leave the spare ribs whole, but, in the rare instance I want Saint Louis style, I trim them myself.

Someday could you do a photo demonstration of how to trim ribs to St. Louis Style and other worthwhile tips.

Regards,

The Hard Way
1) Buy ribs
2) Get a sharp knife and/or cleaver
3) Trim the rib tips (or brisket bone) and reserve
4) Cook ribs

The Easy Way
1) Buy Ribs
2) Ask butcher to trim them St. Louis style
3) Cook ribs

Sorry, no pictures, but I have found both methods fairly self explanitory.

Bill,

I like spare ribs on the large size as well, though, to be honest, I don't think I've seen full racks of spare ribs much under 4-/12 to 5-lbs Peoria Packing's spares often run 6, sometimes, 7-lbs. There's something satisfying about a Fred Flintstone size rack of spares after an afternoon on the smoker.

Left-handed ribs, you channeling Billy 'Belly' Maynard.

Enjoy,
Gary

G Wiv wrote:There's something satisfying about a Fred Flintstone size rack of spares after an afternoon on the smoker.

Gary,
Speaking of "Flintstone-sized" ribs: I just got an enormous untrimmed 40lb. dry-aged beef rib from NR which I cut up into 2 and 3 bone roasts. Although I like to smoke rib roasts, the flavor of these dry-aged ones is so perfect, that I just roast them in the conventional oven until medium rare. Here is a picture of a 2-bone piece cut from the small end with a fork to help discern the scale:



It's in the oven now to be served for Sunday lunch with gravy from the drippings and horseradish cream.

Bill/SFNM

Bill/SFNM wrote:It's in the oven now to be served for Sunday lunch with gravy from the drippings and horseradish cream.

Bill,

Wow, talk about gastroporn, that's one good looking hunk o beef!

I'm not big on low and slow smoking prime rib, my typical method is direct, at about 20-inches, over a hot lump charcoal fire with a couple of chunks of wood. The meat takes a slight smoke flavor and the outside, which I rub with a mildly spiced rub, takes on a crisp, lightly charred exterior yielding to a rare juicy interior.

By the way, what time is lunch, I can probably get to Santa Fe in 4-5 hours.

Enjoy,
Gary

Bill/SFNM wrote:Here is a picture of a 2-bone piece cut from the small end with a fork to help discern the scale:

Bill/SFNM

Hey, no fair using an oyster fork!

That's a mighty fine looking piece of meat . . . suddenly I'm hungry for beef.

Kman wrote:That's a mighty fine looking piece of meat . . . suddenly I'm hungry for beef.

Kman,

Had dinner tonight at Pandl's in Bayside, Wisconsin and, after Bill/SFNM's pic, could not resist prime rib. Maybe not quite Bill's Niman Ranch beaut, but it sure hit the spot.

Pandl's in Bayside Prime Rib


Enjoy,
Gary

Pandl's in Bayside
8825 N Lake Dr
Milwaukee, WI 53217
414-352-7300