The Cuts

                So I was sitting here just having a discussion with some friends of mine about ribs, beef ribs in particular. In NE Oklahoma when it comes to ribs EVERYONE thinks pork ribs typically spare ribs. I however prefer and love a good plate of beef ribs. So that got us in the discussion of the different cuts and butcher terms. If you buy beef from a butcher or have a cow processed there are two man things you want to make very clear, you want your brisket untrimmed (fat cap still on, also known as a packer style), and you want to make sure it has both the flat and point attached (you don’t want them separated). When it comes to your ribs you will most likely have to request the ribs (especially in NE Oklahoma) you will want to specifically request “Back Ribs”, these are the big ribs (Fred Flintstone style). I have included a chart of the different cuts, and where they are on the cow. When it comes to slow smoked BBQ you are looking at Brisket, Ribs and roasts. I will cover roasts at another time in more detail.