Howdy, well yes I am shopping my TINY Rockport HEB. Coon Fingering all the meat and I run across something I cannot explain and need the depth of knowledge and expertise that you guys of F & S have. So, here is what I saw: Dino Ribs at $12.99 per lbs, and Tri Tip at $7.99 per lbs. So splain to me, why would a lot of bone, fat and connective tissue be $12.99 per lbs, and total 100% all meat be $7.99 per lbs. The cost of the packages of Dino's run from $80 to near $100 per package. A nearly all meat Tri Tip is about $25. I cannot for the life of me understand this pricing!!!!

Which one would you rather eat?

They are $6.23lb up in Houston, sorry yall are getting raked so hard down the coast. They were on sale for $5ish last couple weeks i think.

B-1 83: Howdy, THANKS, will make the switch for sure!!!

Same thing happened with flank steak a bunch of years ago, it was dirt cheap. The suddenly fajitas became all the rage and boom- the price went sky high comparatively speaking.

Why would fajita popularity affect flank steak?

Mark Fairchild said:

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Howdy, well yes I am shopping my TINY Rockport HEB. Coon Fingering all the meat and I run across something I cannot explain and need the depth of knowledge and expertise that you guys of F & S have. So, here is what I saw: Dino Ribs at $12.99 per lbs, and Tri Tip at $7.99 per lbs. So splain to me, why would a lot of bone, fat and connective tissue be $12.99 per lbs, and total 100% all meat be $7.99 per lbs. The cost of the packages of Dino's run from $80 to near $100 per package. A nearly all meat Tri Tip is about $25. I cannot for the life of me understand this pricing!!!!

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Because they are DINO ribs......call them just plain beef ribs and the price would be $3.99/b . Idiots are willing to pay $9 more a lb just because they are called DINO ribs..........same for picanha. Don't get me started on wagyu........paying $65/lb for what is mostly fat and not much red meat makes no sense to me.




As to HEB pricing, I hear folks in Houston are paying 99 cents/lb for pork buttst......in the SA area they are $2.89/lb ......wish the hell we had Krogers, Handy Andys and Albertsons back to give them competition.

smstork1007 said:

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They are $6.23lb up in Houston, sorry yall are getting raked so hard down the coast. They were on sale for $5ish last couple weeks i think.

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cheaper than that in some small town butcher shops

HTownAg98 said:

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It's because that intramuscular fat is some of the tastiest stuff on the planet. And it takes a lot of feed to get beef to that point. That's why it is $65/lb.

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That's alright Po Campo.....you can cook it and you can eat it ........beef is called red meat for a reason

Bruce Almighty said:

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Teslag said:

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Why would fajita popularity affect flank steak?

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Don't be obtuse.

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schmellba99 said:

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Rattler12 said:

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Mark Fairchild said:

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Howdy, well yes I am shopping my TINY Rockport HEB. Coon Fingering all the meat and I run across something I cannot explain and need the depth of knowledge and expertise that you guys of F & S have. So, here is what I saw: Dino Ribs at $12.99 per lbs, and Tri Tip at $7.99 per lbs. So splain to me, why would a lot of bone, fat and connective tissue be $12.99 per lbs, and total 100% all meat be $7.99 per lbs. The cost of the packages of Dino's run from $80 to near $100 per package. A nearly all meat Tri Tip is about $25. I cannot for the life of me understand this pricing!!!!

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Because they are DINO ribs......call them just plain beef ribs and the price would be $3.99/b . Idiots are willing to pay $9 more a lb just because they are called DINO ribs..........same for picanha. Don't get me started on wagyu........paying $65/lb for what is mostly fat and not much red meat makes no sense to me.




As to HEB pricing, I hear folks in Houston are paying 99 cents/lb for pork buttst......in the SA area they are $2.89/lb ......wish the hell we had Krogers, Handy Andys and Albertsons back to give them competition.

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I see you've never had a good wagyu steak before. So sad.

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Invite us over for one .....you might change my mind.

MAROON said:

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Because they know their typical customer is an idiot. Dino ribs are the big deal for BBQ right now - hence the ridiculous price . Lots of customers don't know what tri tip is, much less how to cook it.

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Tri tip is a really good roast!

schmellba99 said:

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Rattler12 said:

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Mark Fairchild said:

---

Howdy, well yes I am shopping my TINY Rockport HEB. Coon Fingering all the meat and I run across something I cannot explain and need the depth of knowledge and expertise that you guys of F & S have. So, here is what I saw: Dino Ribs at $12.99 per lbs, and Tri Tip at $7.99 per lbs. So splain to me, why would a lot of bone, fat and connective tissue be $12.99 per lbs, and total 100% all meat be $7.99 per lbs. The cost of the packages of Dino's run from $80 to near $100 per package. A nearly all meat Tri Tip is about $25. I cannot for the life of me understand this pricing!!!!

---

Because they are DINO ribs......call them just plain beef ribs and the price would be $3.99/b . Idiots are willing to pay $9 more a lb just because they are called DINO ribs..........same for picanha. Don't get me started on wagyu........paying $65/lb for what is mostly fat and not much red meat makes no sense to me.




As to HEB pricing, I hear folks in Houston are paying 99 cents/lb for pork buttst......in the SA area they are $2.89/lb ......wish the hell we had Krogers, Handy Andys and Albertsons back to give them competition.

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I see you've never had a good wagyu steak before. So sad.

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I can get Wagyu brisket from SRFs. Too fatty. Prime from HEB is plenty good enough. I can't imagine enjoying an A5 steak either. A prime ribeye is all the fat I can handle.

Just me personally. I'll let you enjoy, sir!

ToddyHill said:

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Mark,

It's a rather easy explanation that will require some detail.

First, the wholesale price of beef (or any other protein product for that matter), is set by the packers. The USDA publishes the negotiated sales of all cuts of beef twice a day. These are sales from the packers to the wholesale trade. Friday afternoon, the average wholesale price of IMPS 123A (3 bone short plate rib) was $6.51/lb. The average wholesale price of IMPS 185C (tri-tip) was $3.53/lb.

The USDA publishes the number of sales for that date, but does not reveal the buyer. Regardless, it is generally a steak processor, distributor, or even a grocery chain that is the purchaser.

The cuts of beef are very specific and have their own IMPS (Institutional Meat Purchase Specification) number. This removes any confusion as to what the cut is and where it is located on the carcass.

Prices are determined by Supply and Demand. In the case of the Dino Ribs, they are a specific cut, the 7th, 8th, and 9th rib from the Short Plate, which is next to the brisket. Since there is only 1 Dino Rib per side of beef one can easily see the packers don't produce many.

The Dino Rib garners a high price because it is so darn good. There is a specific muscle that lies only on those ribs that has great eating quality. Smoked correctly, a Prime Dino Rib eats better than brisket...but certainly at a price. Also, other beef ribs (chuck ribs, back ribs, etc.) just don't eat as well.

Regarding the Tri tip...it's part of the bottom sirloin and from the opposite end of the side of beef. It's a very flavorful meat but it has it's drawbacks. For years, it was Applebee's sirloin...but it's difficult to get uniform portion sized steaks due to it's shape.

My initial thought from reading your post was more from the standpoint of availability. You're fortunate that you live in an area where a retailer sells such a selection. Next time you see 4, 6, 8 or more Dino Ribs in the case you'll realize each came from one side of beef...that's a lot of cattle.

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I am impressed at your knowledge here. Thanks for the post.

austinag1997 said:

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schmellba99 said:

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Rattler12 said:

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Mark Fairchild said:

---

Howdy, well yes I am shopping my TINY Rockport HEB. Coon Fingering all the meat and I run across something I cannot explain and need the depth of knowledge and expertise that you guys of F & S have. So, here is what I saw: Dino Ribs at $12.99 per lbs, and Tri Tip at $7.99 per lbs. So splain to me, why would a lot of bone, fat and connective tissue be $12.99 per lbs, and total 100% all meat be $7.99 per lbs. The cost of the packages of Dino's run from $80 to near $100 per package. A nearly all meat Tri Tip is about $25. I cannot for the life of me understand this pricing!!!!

---

Because they are DINO ribs......call them just plain beef ribs and the price would be $3.99/b . Idiots are willing to pay $9 more a lb just because they are called DINO ribs..........same for picanha. Don't get me started on wagyu........paying $65/lb for what is mostly fat and not much red meat makes no sense to me.




As to HEB pricing, I hear folks in Houston are paying 99 cents/lb for pork buttst......in the SA area they are $2.89/lb ......wish the hell we had Krogers, Handy Andys and Albertsons back to give them competition.

---

I see you've never had a good wagyu steak before. So sad.

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I can get Wagyu brisket from SRFs. Too fatty. Prime from HEB is plenty good enough. I can't imagine enjoying an A5 steak either. A prime ribeye is all the fat I can handle.

Just me personally. I'll let you enjoy, sir!

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It's not as fatty as you would think. Plus, you only eat a small portion. Four ounces of wagyu is plenty because it is so rich. Two is probably better.

austinag1997 said:

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schmellba99 said:

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Rattler12 said:

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Mark Fairchild said:

---

Howdy, well yes I am shopping my TINY Rockport HEB. Coon Fingering all the meat and I run across something I cannot explain and need the depth of knowledge and expertise that you guys of F & S have. So, here is what I saw: Dino Ribs at $12.99 per lbs, and Tri Tip at $7.99 per lbs. So splain to me, why would a lot of bone, fat and connective tissue be $12.99 per lbs, and total 100% all meat be $7.99 per lbs. The cost of the packages of Dino's run from $80 to near $100 per package. A nearly all meat Tri Tip is about $25. I cannot for the life of me understand this pricing!!!!

---

Because they are DINO ribs......call them just plain beef ribs and the price would be $3.99/b . Idiots are willing to pay $9 more a lb just because they are called DINO ribs..........same for picanha. Don't get me started on wagyu........paying $65/lb for what is mostly fat and not much red meat makes no sense to me.




As to HEB pricing, I hear folks in Houston are paying 99 cents/lb for pork buttst......in the SA area they are $2.89/lb ......wish the hell we had Krogers, Handy Andys and Albertsons back to give them competition.

---

I see you've never had a good wagyu steak before. So sad.

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I can get Wagyu brisket from SRFs. Too fatty. Prime from HEB is plenty good enough. I can't imagine enjoying an A5 steak either. A prime ribeye is all the fat I can handle.

Just me personally. I'll let you enjoy, sir!

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You are really missing out on the A5. I was in the same boat for a long time - thought it was overhyped and just looked too fatty to really enjoy.

Finally tried some when we had a wagyu flight at Killens one night. 4 different types, one was I believe Snake River Farms, one was Austrailian, another from La Forteza ranch which is a Texas outfit from Hondo (it was actuall akayushi) and then Japanese A5 from wherever prefecture in Japan.

All of them were absolutely fantastic, each with a very distinctly different flavor and texture. If I were to rank them, it would be

1. Japanese A5. Tender as can be, barely needed a knife to cut it. While it had the hightest marbling, it wasn't like chewing on a chunk of fat in any shape or form. The flavor was awesome because of the high fat content, very buttery, but still plenty of meat to keep the texture of a steak.
T2. Australian Wagyu. Much beefier flavor than the A5 and almost as tender. Not quite as marbled throughout. A 4oz piece would be plenty for me, not sure I'd want to go for a full 12oz or 16oz ribeye simply because of how strong the flavor is.
T2. Akaushi Wagyu. Not quite the concentrated beefy flavor as the Australian, but unbelievably tender and had a hint of the buttery flavor that the A5 carried. Would absolutely devastate a full on steak of this.
3. SNF. Very good. Think prime, but better. Awesome flavor, but not as tender as the others and just not as robust all around. Typical domestic cut and quality and far closer to what I'd say is an at home type of steak versus higher end steakhouse.

I've done wagyu briskets and enjoyed them. Won't go out of my way to find one and depending on price I may go for prime over wagyu. I don't really think any I've done have been that much more marbled than prime. Cooked faster than prime did though, which is to be expected.

A5 fat isn't the same as what you get even with a very high quality domestic wagyu. Really what we call wagyu over here isn't a true wagyu anyway, and most are a crossbreed of some wagyu genetics with angus. Very high quality meat, but not in the same league as the real deal Japanese wagyu and the feeding and care prior to slaughter isn't the same either. Absolutely a special occasion fare for me. Don't knock it until you give it a go IMO.

Also, smoked wagyu brisket tallow is the bomb.

Four ounces of A5 is more than enough for two people.
I can't imagine eating more than a few bites. It's so tender and buttery you barely have to chew. It almost melts in your mouth. The flavor and texture is like nothing else and is something everyone should experience at least once.

Wagyu brisket is a waste IMO.

You mean nobody feeds beer and massages the cow like the Japanese?

Incidentally, I frequently purchase from SRFs. But there are certain cuts that I see value there. Most are too costly. Picanha roasts, flank steaks, Denver steaks, and a couple others. The rest I see better value at HEB.

ToddyHill said:

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Mark,

It's a rather easy explanation that will require some detail.

First, the wholesale price of beef (or any other protein product for that matter), is set by the packers. The USDA publishes the negotiated sales of all cuts of beef twice a day. These are sales from the packers to the wholesale trade. Friday afternoon, the average wholesale price of IMPS 123A (3 bone short plate rib) was $6.51/lb. The average wholesale price of IMPS 185C (tri-tip) was $3.53/lb.

The USDA publishes the number of sales for that date, but does not reveal the buyer. Regardless, it is generally a steak processor, distributor, or even a grocery chain that is the purchaser.

The cuts of beef are very specific and have their own IMPS (Institutional Meat Purchase Specification) number. This removes any confusion as to what the cut is and where it is located on the carcass.

Prices are determined by Supply and Demand. In the case of the Dino Ribs, they are a specific cut, the 7th, 8th, and 9th rib from the Short Plate, which is next to the brisket. Since there is only 1 Dino Rib per side of beef one can easily see the packers don't produce many.

The Dino Rib garners a high price because it is so darn good. There is a specific muscle that lies only on those ribs that has great eating quality. Smoked correctly, a Prime Dino Rib eats better than brisket...but certainly at a price. Also, other beef ribs (chuck ribs, back ribs, etc.) just don't eat as well.

Regarding the Tri tip...it's part of the bottom sirloin and from the opposite end of the side of beef. It's a very flavorful meat but it has it's drawbacks. For years, it was Applebee's sirloin...but it's difficult to get uniform portion sized steaks due to it's shape.

My initial thought from reading your post was more from the standpoint of availability. You're fortunate that you live in an area where a retailer sells such a selection. Next time you see 4, 6, 8 or more Dino Ribs in the case you'll realize each came from one side of beef...that's a lot of cattle.

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This is the type of knowledgeable post that keeps me coming back to Texags. Blue diamond for you!