British BBQ Society Forums

PeteW wrote:Anyone have any tips for asking for beef ribs from your butcher? I asked and the lad went and brought something huge (about 2 foot long!) out of the fridge that had what looked like a couple ribs attached to the end. I mentioned that I just wanted the ribby bit itself, and he said 'oh, you mean a jacobs ladder, we can do you that with a bit more notice', but then having googled that, it appears to be a cut from the same area, but cut perpendicular… See image: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Shortribsphoto.jpg

They come under many different names over here, flat rib & jacobs ladder are the two most common names i've found them named as. Don't worry about the picture you've seen on the web as i've never been given ribs that small.

The 'jacob's' ladder in the photo looks like a horizontal slice through many ribs, might be better to ask the owner / butcher for what you want, I can't see any butcher worth his salt not knowing what you were after. Tell him it's like a pork rib, but bigger and from a cow.

You could always print a picture from the web, I've done that before, that way they can't fob you off with what they want you to buy.

That's what a Jacobs Ladder is, they are the top parts of a rib roast when they are trimmed so are short, but full of flavour. A butcher should understand short ribs.

But the rib cage extends down a fair bit below that - what are those bits called - and do they have any meat on them?

If you are talking about what would be the belly on pork, I suppose it would be "flank".

keith157 wrote:If you are talking about what would be the belly on pork, I suppose it would be "flank".

Yes, but flank is boneless. It is also called 'skirt' - they sell it at Costco and is what is used to make Fajitas.

I was referring to the rib-cage itself. From what you have said above - those ribs we had at the SYD 101 were the bit of rib which extends past the rib roast. They were about 6 inches long - but the rib cage must extend much further than that before you get to the belly.

The bones do, the item you are referring to is FLANK STEAK the flank itself is a large section of bones akin to the belly of pork. Usually used for mince/burgers. It's not often seen outside of a proper butcher who gets bodies of beef in. If you picture the Brisket, what British butchers traditionally call the flank extends from there across till it gets to the end of the rib cage where the flank steak is found. If you asked your meat purveyor for bone-in flank you will get it.

Some buthchers will sell it as "lower rib" at a higher price working on the theme that it's as good as proper rib.

Okay this is better, the Flank steak is the blue section, this is from an American site, couldn't find a UK one but the UK Flank is next to the Brisket what is shown as the Plate is what I'm referring to it is like the Spare Rib in pigs but not easy to get and it is quite a large lump if you picture the cow as a whole.