What to look for when buying baby back ribs

[davidwhite]

what do you look for when you buy ribs

[Andy M.]

Welcome to DC

I usually get them at Costco in a cryovac package containing three racks. They come that way from the distributor. All you have to do is remove the membrane from the back side (optional) and trim off any hanging pieces of fat or meat and go from there.

[pacanis]

Price. Plain and simple.
All the true baby back ribs around me look and taste the same, so #1 concern for me is price. I should really go back to buying them by the case now that I have a foodsaver.

[simplicity]

My family likes these so I pay attention to sales. This is based on my own experience.

All baby back ribs. at least to me, are not alike, just like a pound of bacon is not all alike. It's difficult to describe. In my limited experience less expensive ribs have less meat. They look scrawny.

A couple of years ago I found some on sale fo $2.99/lb. They didn't look quite good. In the same store I found some for $5.99/lb that looked much nicer. I asked someone from the meat department to explain the pricing. His only explanation is that they came from different suppliers.

Perhaps someone will come along that has an explanation. To me, just like bacon, I've learned to have preferences.

[Uncle Bob]

For loin backs...I look for good meat to bone ratio...small bones, and some fat, but not to much...jes' right.

simplicity is correct...There are quality differences, due to packers..
Some imports...say from Denmark are very low in meat to bone ratio...they are mostly bone! Usually you get what you pay for.

[Bilby]

Welcome to DC!!