Any rio grande valley eggers? Where to buy Dino ribs?

Hard to find around here too unless you buy the cow and have it butchered to your specs. haven't seen dino ribs in years. Ribs in the grocery store (HEB, Randall's) are trimmed so close that they aren't the cost in my opinion. 

What you are seeing at HEB are finger ribs or back ribs. These are the bones from the loin area (like when they cut boneless rib eyes, these are the bones that come off of that). These are worthless for BBQ. The ribs you are in search of are plate ribs and chuck ribs (aka short ribs). These are the ones with all the meat on top of the bones (not just in between like the others) and these are what you want for BBQ. Restaurant depot is a great source for them. Central Market has them too. You should be able to order them from any meat market down in the valley. HEB might bring them in for you if you ask. 

Chuck ribs have 4 bones and plate ribs have 3. Get plate if you can. Both will work for the backyard BBQer but restaurants prefer plate because the yield is much higher. Chuck ribs kind of taper off on one end and the 4th bone is pretty meager and almost all fat. They usually have to just trim that off as waste or use in sausage. The meat on plate ribs is thick and uniform across all 3 bones. RD has plate ribs for sure. They are in a 4 pack that weighs about 20lbs so it's not a cheap purchase. They save well though and since you live down south it wouldn't hurt to have a few racks in the freezer.

If you see beef short ribs that are cut short in the case at your HEB or other store they are cutting these down from whole chuck or plate ribs. Just ask them if they have any uncut in the cryo packaging in the back. They may look at you funny but it's ok. They don't need to understand, they just need to go look.

@The Cen-Tex Smoker.. Wow that was great info.. Answered all the questions I have also had on the subject.. Thanks..

Captainjimpark said:

@The Cen-Tex Smoker thanks for the info,I made a copy of this.on my way to heb in the morning,and if that fails restaraunt depot it is...

At RD they sell a few different grades of beef. Their "Superior Angus" brand choice is the best. Get that if it's available. Pick up one of their briskets too. They are good. 

Find out who runs the meat Dept at your HEB. They will know what you are talking about. many time the guy at the counter is just a guy. They always have real butcher on staff and usually in the store. You will likely get "the nod" and a knowing smile once you get to the right guy. They are meat nerds too so they love it when you come in asking for the good stuff. 

Captainjimpark said:

Great advice,I've went so far as to look across the border in matamoros mx,but the meat over there isn't that great,I've picked up a few steaks over the years and was disappointed,35 plus years ago the restraunt chain "sizzler" had a commercial that played daily showing big meaty Dino ribs,thus my quest to find them again has begun.

They have been hiding in plain sight this whole time. Now that you know what to ask for, you'll find them. 

There is a guy doing some sous vide plate ribs on here right now. Kind of hard to see through the food saver bag but you can see the 3 bones and how uniform the thickness is all the way across. This is what you are looking for.  

http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1195518/sous-vide-beef-ribs#latest