British BBQ Society Forums

Hey guys...

Am going to be cooking for 40-50 odd people at a party, have seen that frozen ribs seem quite a bit cheaper than fresh, I'd like to know if:

1) Is there any noticeable difference in the end result?
2) Should I adjust the cooking technique to compensate for differences? i.e. they lose moisture during thawing so.... etc.
3) Any recommended suppliers of frozen ribs or fresh ribs in Surrey (reasonable driving distance from Woking)

Extra info:

Fresh ribs are coming in at £6.50/kg from butcher
Frozen ribs appear to be approx. £3-4/kg online
Looking for around 15kg
Will be cooking on smokers; have two 22" WSM's, a ProQ excel and a whole day available to me.

Thanks,
Steve

Hi
Bookers do frozen ribs
Si

Fresh is always superior - but bookers ribs are fine. About £22 for a 10kg frozen box. They do baby backs too - £34 a box if I recall correctly. Individually frozen.

Nothing wrong with frozen ribs, talk to Berkshire Meat Packers (google them) they're who I use.

I've some of Berkshire ribs in the freezer at the moment, quite meaty and IMHO good value.

Google Berkshire Meat Traders.

Ed, I'm sure you'll get their name right one day

They do the Fribin and Frecarn Spanish ribs frozen. Both are excellent although I prefer the Fribins. I would actually say these are often better than the fresh ribs you can buy in the uk because despite them being frozen they are better ribs to start with.

Fribin baby backs are the ones I would recommend if you're catering for a lot of people, minimal trim and manageable size for squeezing onto the cooker.

Steve wrote:Google Berkshire Meat Traders.

Ed, I'm sure you'll get their name right one day

They do the Fribin and Frecarn Spanish ribs frozen. Both are excellent although I prefer the Fribins. I would actually say these are often better than the fresh ribs you can buy in the uk because despite them being frozen they are better ribs to start with.

Fribin baby backs are the ones I would recommend if you're catering for a lot of people, minimal trim and manageable size for squeezing onto the cooker.

What kind of a place is it - trade only, or can anyone go? Their website appears to have been suspended

They do a mail order service as I've used them quite often this is their online butchers store website I'm sure someone could put you in touch with the trade side. When I contacted the Fribin importer (sorry working on a tablet so can't cut n paste the topic link search Fribin baby backs in the search box above and it's on page 2) they put me in touch with BMTs online sales site as below. The racks are quite meaty there is a review I did a few months ago. They can be bought plain or flavoured. Not to be confused with their belly pork ribs which are just meaty(ish) individual bones not racks.

http://www.meatpacks.co.uk/

Call 0118 941 3454.

They are a trade and public cash and carry. Price levels are different depending on whether you're trade or public but actually that is down to the quantity you're buying. They're not like a retail butcher in that they don't do cutting on site, I buy neck ends from there but they're not cut like a boston butt I'd get from my retail butcher, I have to cut them down myself if I use one for competition. Mind you that was probably just an excuse to buy a bone saw

Ask for one of the following:

Fribin baby backs
Fribin meaty spares
Frecarn meaty spares.

All come in 10KG boxes. They will sell individual racks but the cost is higher per KG than if you buy a case.

Do you recall how much a 10kg box was cash-and-carry? I have a friend I visit in Reading quite regularly - so might be worth my while swinging by and grabbing a box or two.