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Ribs in the garbage

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sharhamm
sharhamm Posts: 258
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
We were given a package Smithfield Spareribs. Spent 5 hours on the BGE, every hour sprayed with apple juice and vinegar.
We both ate one rib and in the garbage they went. They were the saltiess pieces of meat we have ever eaten. There would have been no way to doctor them up to make the salt taste go away.
I pulled the wrapper out of the garbage and they were self basting ribs. Has anyone tried these before?
Back to my Costco ribs. All I can say is that I am glad we didn't have company for dinner. :angry:
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Comments

  • PattyO
    PattyO Posts: 883
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    It's amazing how much of the meat at the markets is injected and preserved with salt solutions. Poultry as well. Everything at Walmart is loaded with chemicals. Look at the expiration dates. It's almost half-lifes. Most chickens at Sams are preserved but not the beef and pork. Some of their chix are minimally processed. The trick is to read the labels. You can do your own brining and basting and stop paying for salt water.
    PattyO
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  • Capt Frank
    Capt Frank Posts: 2,578
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    That is really unfortunate. Smithfield is an old company with a great reputation, famous for their country hams. You might want to e-mail the company with your concerns.
    In hindsight, they probably could have been soaked in cold water, rinsed, soaked again to get rid of the salt, but you have no way of knowing that up front.
    :(

    Capt Frank
    Homosassa, FL
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  • eenie meenie
    eenie meenie Posts: 4,394
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    Sharhamm, I've never had Smithfield ribs, but I've recieved several of their hams as gifts. Their hams are very salty, which has to due with the southern way of salt curing (or so I've been told). I've even soaked them longer than 24 hours! A little bit goes a long way. I wonder if they were brined and needed a soak / rinse?
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  • Jai-Bo
    Jai-Bo Posts: 584
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    Heck, I buy ribs at publix/winn dixie....I got 3 BIG slabs the other day fer 31 bucks (saved 10 bucks fer having a winn dixie card) and they were great!!! Sorry to hear about the ribs....My favorite on the egg!!!
    Hunting-Fishing-Cookin' on my EGG! Nothing else compares!
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  • Vetereggnarian
    Vetereggnarian Posts: 252
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    I don't know how this will go over, but I try to buy most of my meat at Farmer's Markets. I think it tastes better, better for you, better for the environment. Animals get treated better also, if that is a concern. Just my $.02
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  • Cruzr
    Cruzr Posts: 91
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    I know your pain... Had to throw out a Smithfield ham we brought back from Virginia, and did exactly what Capt. Frank suggested. EeoouccHH :pinch:
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  • Hungry in Lilburn
    Hungry in Lilburn Posts: 756
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    Hi folks. As a true Southerner that has been enjoying the Smithfield products for a very long time I have to laugh a little at your reaction to the products. It is very true that Smithfield uses a salt cure method for its meats. It gives it a unique flavor that those of us raised on it crave. It is very salty. Their smoked picnic ham is a favorite of ours and we cook it evey time we can find it. It is a red pork and is very fatty and salty. But extremely tasty. However, my transplanted friends can't stand it! It is to salty and to fatty for their tastebuds. The only way to truly get the salty taste out of it is to par boil it. I have par boiled them for a couple of hours and then rinsed them in cold water. Then cooked them in the oven until 165. This seemed to make my northern friends happier. Frankly, I quit doing it. I told them to just eat a fresh ham and leave the Smithfield alone. It is a great ham and shouldn't be violated with a par boil. Happy eating!
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  • Egg Juju
    Egg Juju Posts: 658
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    I haven't bought Smithfield in some time, but I have in the past. Country ham should be salty as opposed to its sweet city cousin. I am saddened to hear that they are injecting their ribs though. However, as many have said above, it is done more and more. In the name of flavor or self basting, but I suspect it's more about bacteria and selling salt water for $$/pound.

    I have switched to organic and farmers markets for virtually all of my food. I have been using the same rubs and preparations for years and I noticed a huge change in the amount of liquid that is drawn out of organic meat versus meat from the mega-mart. I would say that there would be a 1/4 to half a cup of liquid in the foil/pan after an overnight rest in the fridge from a typical grocery store butt. With the organic or farmers markets butts I get maybe a tablespoon. Factor in the flavors are so much better and it's an easy choice for me.

    Ultimately there is nothing like a good pigsicle and I am sorry to hear how those turned out, but I suspect there isn't much you could have done.

    If you are interested my country ham preparation you can find it here.

    http://quejujubbq.blogspot.com/2010/01/all-i-want-for-christmas-is.html
    Large and Small BGE * www.quelfood.com
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  • Rascal
    Rascal Posts: 3,923
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    Smithfield, Hormel...same s--t!!
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