Where Can I Find Beef Ribs? A Guide to Sourcing Delicious Beef Ribs

Beef ribs are a crowd-pleasing cut of meat perfect for barbecuing or slow cooking until melt-in-your-mouth tender. But finding high-quality beef ribs can be a challenge if you don’t know where to look. This guide will walk you through the best places to source delicious beef ribs for your next cookout or dinner.

Overview of the Best Places to Find Beef Ribs

Here are the top options for finding high-quality beef ribs:

• Local butcher shop – Specialty butcher shops offer the widest selection of premium beef cuts. You can often pre-order exactly what you want.

• Farmers’ market – Look for local ranches selling grass-fed beef. Ask if they offer ribs for sale.

• Costco or Sam’s Club – Bulk stores regularly stock fresh beef ribs at reasonable prices.

• Order directly from a ranch – Many ranches sell beef online and ship nationwide.

• Regular grocery stores – The selection is hit-or-miss but check the meat counter for beef ribs.

Buying directly from a butcher shop, farmer, or ranch will provide the freshest, highest-quality ribs. For convenience and cost savings, bulk stores or online mail order are solid choices too. Avoid low-quality ribs from conventional feedlots.

Where to Find Beef Ribs Locally

Searching for beef ribs in your area? Here are some of the best local sources:

Butcher Shops

A good butcher shop should be your first stop when looking for high-end beef ribs like short ribs or back ribs.

Specialty butchers work directly with meat purveyors to hand select cuts of meat. This means you’ll have access to premium beef ribs not found in regular supermarkets.

You can ask questions about the source and breed of the cattle. Grass-fed or locally raised beef typically produces the best flavor. Angus beef ribs are revered for their generous marbling.

Butcher shops also give you more customization. You can request thicker or meatier ribs and specify the exact size or quantity you need.

Farmer’s Markets

Outdoor farmer’s markets are a great source for finding local farmers and ranchers selling fresh beef ribs.

Look for vendors selling grass-fed or pasture-raised beef. Ask if they have ribs available or take custom orders for future markets.

Buying direct from the producer means the beef is as fresh as it gets. You’ll also be supporting local agriculture in your community.

Farmer’s markets are hit-or-miss for beef ribs depending on the vendors, so call ahead to confirm availability before making the trip.

Ranches and Meat Markets

Some small cattle ranches operate their own butcher shops or meat markets where you can buy their beef.

This gives you the opportunity to purchase ribs directly from the source. Look for ranch stores advertising grass-fed, hormone-free, or locally raised beef.

Ranch butcher shops offer transparency since they control the entire process from pasture to packaging. You may even be able to tour the ranch facilities by appointment.

Driving out to a cattle ranch for ribs may not be realistic for everyone, but it’s worth searching for these gems in your surrounding area.

Restaurants and Caterers

Certain restaurants and catering companies hand select high-end meat for their dishes. Some are willing to sell cuts like beef ribs to the public too.

Barbecue joints and steakhouses where beef ribs are regularly featured on the menu are good bets. Call ahead to ask if they have fresh ribs for sale.

You won’t find the lowest prices at restaurants. But you’ll get premium quality ribs without having to buy in bulk.

Where to Order Beef Ribs Online

Online retailers give you access to high-quality beef from ranches across the country. Here are some reputable places to order beef ribs online:

Crowd Cow

Crowd Cow partners with independent ranchers and tracks each cut of meat back to its origin. Their online butcher shop offers premium beef ribs shipped fresh.

You can filter options by criteria like grass-fed, dry-aged, breed, and location. Prime rib roasts, chuck short ribs, and plate ribs are all available. Vacuum sealing keeps ribs fresh during shipping.

Porter Road

This butcher shop works directly with Kentucky and Tennessee farms practicing sustainable agriculture. Their beef ribs are 100% grass-fed and pasture-raised.

Porter Road’s beef back ribs and short ribs ship UPS nationwide. Use the site’s cut finder quiz to pick the right ribs for your needs.

Snake River Farms

Known for American Wagyu beef, Snake River Farms produces beautifully marbled beef ribs with intense flavor. Their website has short ribs, chuck ribs, and beef back ribs for order.

The cattle are raised in Idaho without antibiotics or hormones. Free 2-day shipping available.

Omaha Steaks

Omaha Steaks has been selling premium beef by mail since 1917. Their rib and brisket options include bone-in and boneless beef short ribs to suit any recipe.

Steaks and ribs ship vacuum-packed with gel ice packs. Omaha Steaks offers weekly deals and package combo discounts.

Rastelli’s

This online butcher and meat delivery service sells USDA prime beef ribs at very reasonable prices. Their bone-in beef short ribs are hand selected from Midwest cattle.

Rastelli’s ships beef ribs nationwide in insulated boxes with ice packs to ensure freshness. Bulk discounts available.

Chicago Steak Company

Known for dry-aged steaks, Chicago Steak Company also has an impressive selection of boneless and bone-in short ribs available.

Their heritage breed Angus beef ribs are nicely marbled. Order individual ribs a la carte or in combo packs.

Where to Buy Beef Ribs in Grocery Stores

You can find beef ribs in the meat department of most major grocery stores. However, the selection is often limited compared to a specialty butcher. Here are some tips for finding good beef ribs at the grocery store:

• Check the label – Look for terms like “USDA Prime,” “Certified Angus,” or “all-natural” for better quality beef. Avoid enhanced or injected ribs.

• Talk to the butcher – Ask when they get rib deliveries in and request they hold or special order thicker, meatier ribs for you.

• Inspect carefully – Look for good marbling between the lean and fat. Avoid ribs with lots of surface fat to trim.

• Shop early – Beef ribs sell out quickly on weekends. Shop early in the morning for the best selection.

Grocery stores charge premium prices for beef ribs, so know your price per pound benchmarks. And always review expiration dates carefully.

Where to Buy Beef Ribs in Bulk

Buying beef ribs in bulk quantities can save you money if you’re feeding a crowd. Here are some of the best places to buy beef ribs in bulk:

Restaurant Depot

Restaurant Depot sells bulk cases of back ribs, short ribs, and rib fingers to food service industry pros. You can shop there with a free day pass.

They carry USDA Prime Angus ribs along with commercial packer’s grade options. Cases contain 10-15 slabs of ribs.

Costco

Costco often stocks fresh beef rib slabs in 2-4 pack boxes. They offer choice grade back ribs and boneless short ribs at prices lower than grocers.

Availability varies but you can sometimes find St. Louis style spare ribs as well. Each club carries different beef rib selection.

Sam’s Club

Like Costco, Sam’s Club sells boxed beef rib slabs at warehouse prices. Inventory fluctuates but they get short ribs, back ribs, and whole ribeye rolls in stock.

Search the meat case or ask about availability. You need a paid membership to shop at Sam’s Club.

Restaurant Food Distributors

Restaurant food service distributors like Sysco and US Foods have minimum order requirements but sell cases of beef ribs at wholesale prices.

This option works best for large barbecues, caterers, or community events. Ensure you have proper refrigeration space before ordering.

Know What to Look for When Buying Beef Ribs

To make sure you get the best ribs for your money, look for these signs of quality when sourcing beef ribs:

• Marbling – Good fat marbling between the lean is essential for flavor and moisture.

• Meatiness – The ribs shouldn’t look boney. Seek ribs with lots of meat still clinging to the bones.

• Size – Thicker, meatier ribs tend to eat better than thin, spindly ones.

• Cut – Choose ribs with at least 3-5 bones connected. Individual ribs dry out quicker.

• Expiration date – Fresh ribs will have at least 4-7 days before reaching the sell-by date.

• Color – Raw beef ribs should be bright red to purple-red. Avoid brown or gray colored spots.

• Smell – Raw beef ribs should have little to no odor. Pass on ribs with an off-putting smell.

Following these guidelines will lead you to the juiciest, beefiest ribs for your barbecue or braise. Happy rib hunting!