Stater Bros.’ default grade was Choice for years after all the other major chains went Select. Sadly, Stater’s has now joined the rest of the herd (pun intended) and gone Select. This is fine for short ribs, but it’s a travesty for steaks, etc. Their Choice selections are now limited to a few rows of smaller steaks in their butcher’s case. Oddly, I still know people (my dear parents included) that rave about their meat. I don’t have the heart to shatter their illusion.
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The important thing is that you’re still playing. Thanks for the report!
What fell short in your opinoin? Flavor? Tenderness?
You may want to try a lower temp (225-250) and a longer cook time. Just my $0.02.
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what they’re really doing is raving about the price.
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Probably, but I also think that they’ve been going to Stater’s so long (since the 60’s), that they don’t really have a frame of reference, and they’re definitely not as picky as I am about their meat. They’ll get a bunch rib eyes on sale and freeze them, which only makes a marginal piece of meat worse. I get the frugality. It’s part of the reason that they live so comfortably now in their golden years, but as seldom as I eat steak anymore, I want it to be as tasty and tender as possible.
Flavor = obviously my fault. It was just OK.
Meat was a bit stringy, and the fat content was obvious on my palate and later in my system. I’m sure you’re right about the cook time, but they did come up to 208 internal temp. It’s interesting, though, that the meat-deprived bone-on ribs, I DO make the same way sometimes, taste just fine to me… at least the small amount of meat does. I’m assuming that the additional layers of meat and fat here change everything.
I know I’m the one who is on the ‘find great beef ribs’ train here, but it did strike me that the same $$$ could have bought me a REALLY nice ribeye or filet mignon. I think the long bones are part of the overall experience and attraction for me, so not having them is an issue by itself.
Bought some more beef ribs at Costco. Vacuum sealed each set of ribs and put them in the freezer. The wife is annoyed cuz it’s taking up too much space. I also bought a slab of pork belly and already have a brisket packer in the freezer. Haha.
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Can’t tell from the pic if these are ribs with substantial meat on top of the bones (as are those in Ns1’s pic from Gelson’s) not just in between them. Short ribs should, so I’ll ask if this was at a Biz Center or a regular Costco.
My local WF meat guy told me they’re going to have long bone-in short ribs today, so I’ll be swinging by. The price is $5.99 though.
These are the same short ribs that I bought last time. You can see from the pics I posted before that they had a significant amount of meat. This was at the Costco business center in City of Commerce
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Thanks. Makes me sorry that I gave away my vacuum sealer when we down-sized last year. I still haven’t made it to the Westminster Biz Center.
They’re just so beautiful. tearing up
Commerce is definitely biz center.
damn those ribs look amazing!
Picked up some incredibly meaty looking ribs at Whole Foods just now. Price was $8.99/lb not the $5.99 I’d been told, and the case was almost empty at 6PM on the first they they hit them in. Pics when I cook them, probably in 2 days… when my wife won’t be home for dinner.
Note to self: at Costco’s price I could toss half their package and still be ahead. MUST get to Costco Biz!!!
5 hour’s at 235° then under the broiler briefly with some added BBQ sauce. Best I’ve made yet, but I have to say that, even after all this trouble finding them, their taste is fattier than I’m comfortable with. I need to go back to Claim Jumoer for a re-try and see if they’re different. Oh, well.
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That’s a fine smoke ring.
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The big short ribs from Gelson’s posted above are on sale right now for $8.99/lb.
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I wonder if they have those unsliced in the back