Enhanced or Injected Ribs - Which Brands?

[frice]

I've read a lot on the internet about COV packs of ribs possibly having "up to 12% solution" injected into them. Tyson has been mentioned a lot of the time.

I've attached pics of some Tyson St. Louis spares that Walmart had a case of a couple weeks ago. They appear natural based on all of the wording. I didn't get them, despite this and the great price, because I was worried that Walmart/Tyson COV ribs would be enhanced.

Apparently Tyson has at least two lines of single pack COV St. Louis ribs?

What are your observations on when/where enhanced products are sold, and what brands tend to offer them?

 

[SirPorkaLot]

In the US, they are required to state on the package if a solution has been added (enhanced).

If the package doesn’t state it, you should be good

 

[SmokeRingsMatter]

In the US, they are required to state on the package if a solution has been added (enhanced).

If the package doesn’t state it, you should be good

I would think they would have to add salt to the ingredient list if they are enhanced.

 

[jham0077]

The enhanced products will have a hammy taste and/or texture to them. I'm not a fan of any of them. Smithfield is a brand I've seen that does enhanced products, but not all of thier stuff

 

[Moose]

The enhanced products will have a hammy taste and/or texture to them. I'm not a fan of any of them. Smithfield is a brand I've seen that does enhanced products, but not all of thier stuff

Some years ago, The Missus brought home a pork tenderloin. I seasoned it up, cooked it indirect with some smoke, then gave it a finishing sear. It sure looked good, but I almost spat out the first bite - it was "hammy" as you say, and just plain awful. Never again!

 

[jham0077]

Some years ago, The Missus brought home a pork tenderloin. I seasoned it up, cooked it indirect with some smoke, then gave it a finishing sear. It sure looked good, but I almost spat out the first bite - it was "hammy" as you say, and just plain awful. Never again!

My experience was ribs. I was so looking forward to 'em. They looked good, meat was pulled back from the tips just right, but they wouldn't hold together for the bend test. They were stringy mush and even too salty too enjoy. I pay good attention now when i pick some up.

 

[Bill-Chicago]

So here is where I get castrated again by posting in QTalk.

I could care less if my ribs are brined. (more on Butterball in a minute)

Doesn't matter if Costco, Meijer, etc, some of the vacu suck packs and "packed in a solution of _%" and some aren't.

Just read the label when you buy them so you know which is which.


Okay, some history. I didn't pay attention to this stuff. I just bought ribs. They were grown in the cryo bag. But I had the same experience as you all, possibly worse. Without looking what I bought, I did my "normal at the time" and rubbed the ribs and wrapped in cling wrap the night before.


Most times, it was kick ass normal Blues Hog rubbed ribs.


At other times, it was hamcicles.


So about 15 years ago I did two things to rid my life of hamsicles.


First, NEVER rub your ribs the night before. That is something that is now done minutes before going on. My routine is: start smoker. Come in and pull membrane from ribs, season/rub, then immediately add to hot smoker.*


I added a * there, if you have enhanced ribs, I first will open, rinse, and soak ribs that have been enhanced in fresh water an hour or three before starting.


The only thing I don't do this with is turkey. Whole or just breasts, they go right on the smoker with injection or rub, minding the salt content. Thats the same as brining, so I have no problem with that.


NEVER rub down ribs the night before without knowing the salt content of the rub. Or you end up with hamcicle.


There will be many that disagree, and that's fine, but this has worked for me for 20+ years but YMMV

 

[cardman]

I buy the majority of my ribs at Kroger's and they have the same brine mixture. I rub them with any dry rub plus seasoning salt 15 mins before they go on and have no complaints. Its understandable that every now and then you may get a weird tasting rack but that's it. Don't over complicate it.

 

[frice]

The enhanced products will have a hammy taste and/or texture to them. I'm not a fan of any of them. Smithfield is a brand I've seen that does enhanced products, but not all of thier stuff

Thank you, I haven't seen Smithfield enhanced products but I'll look out for them.

 

[elcapitan]

FYI

Try to by fresh meat, whether from a butcher/meat market or box store meat department where they cut/package there.

The mass produced stuff is gonna be "enhanced" for longer shelf life.

 

[SmittyJonz]

I eat enhanced ribs - whatever is On Sale...........

 

[1MoreFord]

At Kroger the ribs labeled moist and tender are enhanced. The ribs marked natural are not.

 

[smoke ninja]

Smithfield extra tender (enhanced) seemed to be the gold standard for comp cooks awhile back. that or those guys were trolling me

 

[SirPorkaLot]

Smithfield extra tender (enhanced) seemed to be the gold standard for comp cooks awhile back. that or those guys were trolling me

It was only because Smithfield was offering cash to teams that won using their extra tender product, which made every team that switched to using them corporate shills IMHO.

Cash bonuses stopped and teams stopped being so in love with them.

 

[Aegis]

Those look fine to me. Hormel ribs have this under ingredients -

Ingredients: Pork Ribs, Water, Potassium Lactate, Sodium Phosphates, Salt, Sodium Diacetate.

I don't by anything that has the "up to 12% solution" type of language

 

[SirPorkaLot]

Those look fine to me. Hormel ribs have this under ingredients -

Ingredients: Pork Ribs, Water, Potassium Lactate, Sodium Phosphates, Salt, Sodium Diacetate.

I don't by anything that has the "up to 12% solution" type of language

This is what they enhance ribs with.

“Water, Potassium Lactate, Sodium Phosphates, Salt, Sodium Diacetate”

So yes, they are enhanced.

Plus you pay for that added weight

 

[smoke ninja]

It was only because Smithfield was offering cash to teams that won using their extra tender product, which made every team that switched to using them corporate shills IMHO.

Cash bonuses stopped and teams stopped being so in love with them.

I don't know. Here's a thread about them. Seems they were being discontinued or at least less available. No mention of cash payouts.

https://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=243155

Here's a rack I was inspired to do by that thread, one of the best looking I've done imo

 

[JeffinNE]

Just did a 3 pack of baby backs from Costco this weekend. Swift brand and not enhanced. Definitely better than the enhanced ones I've cooked in the past. Also followed Bill in Chicago's recommendation and rubbed just before putting on the Shirley...greatly helped avoid the "hammy" taste.

 

[OSD]

I smoke mine about the same as Bill in Chicago. His recommendations are spot on.
The only other thing I will add is if the ribs are enhanced, I use a rub that is salt free. JWWFM-YMMV