Where to Buy Delicious Pork Rib Tips for Authentic BBQ Flavor

As a barbecue enthusiast pork rib tips have become one of my favorite cuts to cook at home. Their rich, meaty flavor makes rib tips ideal for smoking, grilling or braising into fall-off-the-bone tender perfection. However, rib tips can be harder to find than typical chops or roasts at many grocery stores. Through trial and error shopping around, I’ve learned the best places to buy high-quality pork rib tips for my barbecue recipes.

Pork rib tips come from the lower portion of spare ribs, trimmed of cartilage and bone. They contain a higher ratio of deliciously fatty meat to bone compared to baby back or loin ribs. Here are my top tips for locating fantastic deals on pork rib tips:

Check Your Local Butcher Shop

My first stop whenever I need specialty cuts of meat is my local butcher shop. I’m fortunate to have a great family-owned market near me that offers customized cuts. Their in-house butchers can slice pork rib tips to my preferred thickness. I find better quality and service at my butcher compared to large grocery chains. The prices are reasonable too, usually around $3.50-4.50 per pound. Building relationships with local butchers pays off when searching for unique cuts!

Scour the Meat Section at Ethnic Grocery Stores

Ethnic food stores that specialize in Latino or Asian cuisines often carry more variety of pork cuts than mainstream grocers. I’ve had great success finding thick meaty pork rib tips at my local Mexican market. These neighborhood carnicerías cater to the tastes of their customer base. So explore any Asian Hispanic, or international markets in your area to uncover hidden gems. Expect to pay $3-4 per pound.

Try Warehouse Clubs Like Costco and Sam’s Club

For buying pork rib tips in bulk for big backyard barbecues or meal prepping, I turn to warehouse clubs. Their meat departments offer amazing values on huge packages of rib tips at just $2-3 per pound. These warehouse packs can contain up to 10 pounds of rib tips! One big haul sets me up for months of smoked rib tip recipes. Vacuum sealed for freshness, these warehouse rib tips are high quality despite the low prices.

Order Online for Delivery or Pickup

Another convenient option is ordering pork rib tips for delivery or curbside pickup from grocery e-commerce sites. I like that I can search specifically for “rib tips” and buy them alongside my regular groceries. Walmart, Kroger, and other major chains let you shop online. Prices are similar to in-store, typically $3.50-4.50 per pound. With delivery, I get my BBQ pork without ever leaving the house!

Check Meat Wholesaler Websites

Ordering directly from wholesale meat suppliers is my last resort if I strike out finding rib tips elsewhere. Online sites like WildForkFoods.com have decent prices on 5+ pound cases of pork rib tips, with free shipping over $99. Going direct to the supplier cuts out retail markups. However, I find the quality can be hit or miss ordering blindly online. Still, websites like these expand your rib tip shopping possibilities.

With so many options like butchers, ethnic grocers, warehouse clubs, delivery services, and online wholesalers, you can source amazing pork rib tips for crafting drool-worthy barbecue recipes. Seek out quality over rock-bottom prices, and you’ll end up with tender, meaty rib tips any pitmaster would envy. Happy hunting for your next batch of finger-lickin’ rib tips!

How to Make Delicious St. Louis Rib Tips | Fall Off the Bone BBQ Rib Tip Recipe | Mattie’s Kitchen

FAQ

What is another name for rib tips?

Riblets are produced when butchers cut the rounded end off a slab of rib bones to even it out for better presentation and easier cooking. But the distinction doesn’t really matter; you can use rib tips and riblets interchangeably as well.

What is the difference between pork ribs and pork rib tips?

The rib tip is a short section that comes off the spare ribs when a butcher is making a more squared off cut. Some customers and restaurants like to have just the rib section when they do barbeque and request the spare rib to be trimmed. The bottom portion that gets trimmed off is where the rib tips come from.

What meat to buy for rib tips?

Rib tips are the parts of the rib that are cut away to make St. Louis ribs. Some butchers call this the pork brisket. This cut has a lot of cartilage, but a low, slow cook softens the cartilage and makes it tasty.

Are short ribs and rib tips the same?

Beef ribs generally come in one of three forms: Beef back ribs, beef chuck short ribs, and beef rib short ribs. Alternatively, pork ribs are most commonly enjoyed in one of three main cuts: Spare ribs, baby back ribs, and country-style ribs. On the other hand, rib tips are essentially the leftover part of pork ribs.