Beef ribs are one of the most misunderstood categories at the butcher counter. Most people associate ribs with pork and overlook the beef options entirely. That is a mistake — the two cuts we carry are among the most flavorful and value-efficient pieces of beef we offer.
The Two Cuts
Beef Short Ribs (3 lbs, $39.99) are thick, bone-in slabs from the plate section of the animal. The bones run long, the meat is heavily marbled, and the cut contains a significant amount of connective tissue — collagen — that breaks down into gelatin during long, slow cooking. This is what makes short ribs worth the time they require. The braising liquid at the end of a properly cooked pot of short ribs is one of the richest sauces in cooking, and you produce it with almost no additional work.
Short ribs are a low-and-slow cut. Smoke them at 250°F for six to eight hours, braise them in a Dutch oven at 325°F for three hours, or run them in a pressure cooker for sixty to seventy minutes. All three methods produce excellent results through the same mechanism: sustained heat converting collagen to gelatin while the fat renders through the meat.
Tablitas (Cross Cut Ribs, 1 lb, $16.99) are the opposite in almost every way. Also called flanken-cut ribs, tablitas are sliced across the bone rather than between them — you get thin strips of beef with three or four small bone cross-sections per slice. They cook in under ten minutes on a hot grill and are a staple of Tex-Mex cooking. Marinate them in citrus and garlic for a couple of hours, cook them over high heat until charred and just past medium, and serve alongside tortillas and rice. This is one of the most rewarding quick-cook cuts we carry.
The Value Case
Short ribs at $39.99 for three pounds work out to approximately $13.33 per pound — significantly less than any steak in our lineup while delivering equal or superior flavor in the right preparation. Tablitas at $16.99 per pound are the most affordable beef rib option and one of the most affordable cuts we carry overall, period.
Common Mistakes
The biggest mistake with short ribs is rushing them. They need time. Pulling short ribs from the braise at two hours instead of three produces tough, fatty beef — the collagen has not yet converted and the fat has not rendered. Give them the full time and the result is completely different.
The biggest mistake with tablitas is cooking them like a thick steak — too slow, too low. They need high heat and fast cooking. They are a thin cut with a lot of bone — treat them like a fast grill item, not a slow braise.
What to Buy
Both cuts are available in our Ribs collection. If you want to build a full rib-focused order, look at our Premium Rib Collection box in the Beef Boxes collection.