What to ask the butcher?

EggPlant

I enjoy eating the beef ribs at Texas de Brazil. Every time I go to the local grocery store I only see beef ribs in packages without any meat on it. If I go to a real butcher, what would I say to have beef ribs similar to the beef ribs at Texas de Brazil? Thanks

nolaegghead

You want plate ribs or short ribs.  

RRP

What @nolaegghead says, but asking for them in most grocery stores will just get you a deer in the headlight look. Most of those guys behind the meat counter merely take the prepackaged meat out of the box they were shipped in. You might have to go to a butchershop.

lousubcap

I have luck at the local Kroger asking the more experienced guy behind the meat counter for their short ribs that they get before they cut them up.  Come four ribs to a hunk of beef.  FWIW-

gdenby

Looking at pictures from the restaurant, they appear to be plate short ribs, sometimes bone in, sometimes boneless. More specifically, they are the North American Meat Processors Association (NAMP) number 123. See if the butcher has those.

Other ribs are chuck short ribs, NAMP 130, and back ribs, NAMP 124.

I've found UPC numbers for the items. Unfortunately, there have been variations between different sources. Here is a FWIW list of UPC for plate short ribs of various trims.

UPC # 1599,1605,1598, 1597, 1603  Those will be the 3,4,5,6 numbers from the left under the barcode.

Chuck short ribs have UPC 1124 & 1127

Back ribs # 1182. The skinny ones you've seen.

In general, the plate short ribs can have a heavy layer of fat between 2 layers of muscle, while the chuck usually have very little fat.

The plate ribs tend to be significantly more tender than chuck, and easier to BBQ. Chuck ribs usually need some braising.

Jeepster47

@gdenby ... thanks for the UPC numbers.  Will have to see if they show up in our neck of the woods ... or corn as it is.

So far, asking for the specific NAMP numbers from my local butcher has resulted in nothing more than a deer in the headlights look.  Seems they simply check a box on the order sheet and a box of cryo-sealed sub-primal cuts show up ... they then cut those up into smaller portions, add a non-discript name, and sell.

gdenby

Jeepster47 said:

So far, asking for the specific NAMP numbers from my local butcher has resulted in nothing more than a deer in the headlights look.  Seems they simply check a box on the order sheet and a box of cryo-sealed sub-primal cuts show up ... they then cut those up into smaller portions, add a non-discript name, and sell.

Its hard to find good meat shops that really know their business. I happened to pick up a couple of short ribs today from a place that's been in business 98 years under 1 family. Customer next to me asked for 2 ribeye's in the case, and commented that they looked more like strip steaks. The butcher explained that they were cut from the end of the ribeye where the cap is very small, and the cap was cut away. Nice to shop where someone is practicing a craft, and not just putting something out for sale.

Shiff

If you have a restaurant Depot near you, they carry Chuck Short Ribs and Plate Ribs in cryovac packages. They also usually carry the boneless Chuck Short Ribs.  Prices are great and they aren't cut so they cook much better than what you usually get at a meat market.

Little Steven

Or just go to an Oriental market if you can.

Ozzie_Isaac

If you can get plate short ribs.  I prefer them to the chuck.  More "beefy" and better marbling.

U_tarded

I do as Lou does.  Ask if they cut their own short ribs (usually the case).  Then ask for some that they have in back.  Typically a cryo will have 2 racks in them.