Short plate ribs or “Dino” beef ribs come from the short plate primal.
The short plate is found in the forequarter of the cow – behind the brisket and below the rib primal.
Specifically, short plate ribs are ribs number 6, 7, and 8.
Bones in this section of the animal are long (8-12 inches) and are wide and oval shaped.
What Muscle are Butchers Targeting with Dino Beef Plate Ribs?
They’re trying to isolate a singular muscle – the serratus ventralis.
Based on shear force values, this muscle is considered “very tender.”
The reason ribs – like 9, 10, 11, or 12 – aren’t used for dino ribs is because this muscle begins to fade out in rib 9.
Beyond rib 8 there is very little lean meat and mostly fat, and people don’t like buying fat.
The beef chuck is also separated from the beef rib primal at rib bones 5 and 6.
Are “Dino” Beef Ribs the same as Chuck Short Ribs?
No.
As we’ve learned above, this rack of ribs is targeting a very specific part of the serratus ventralis muscle.
Chuck short ribs are sold as 4 bone slabs.
The bones in this section are more rounded/oval and the lean meat is usually less tender.
To cite shear force values from Reuter, B & Wulf, D & Shanks, B & Maddock, Robert. (2002):
- Ribs 4-6 had higher weighted shear force values (less tender).
- Ribs 6, 7, 8 had lower average shear force values (more tender) than ribs 1-5.
This is because there is less collagen development and more intramuscular fat – essentially where they come from on the cow.
Chuck ribs are traditionally either cut flanken (below) for grilling or are cut English-style (between the bone) for braising.
So, Why are these Ribs so Expensive at Barbecue Joints?
If Butchers can only use ribs 6, 7, and 8 to fabricate dino beef ribs, that means there are only 2 slabs on the whole cow.
So the meat is desirable but scarce.
At a BBQ Restaurant you can expect the following scenario:
Most dino ribs weigh 1 – 1.5 lbs, per bone.
All orders will come with the bone and are weighed with the bone.
If the menu says $15-25 per lb for beef ribs, and you order 1 beef rib, say it weighs 1.4 lbs for the meat and the bone.
You’re then paying $21 – $35 for 1 dino beef rib (meat + bone).
This is Simple Economics:
- Assume dino beef ribs are $11.98/lb wholesale.
- Beef ribs shrink considerably after smoking due to protein shrinkage, rendering of fat/collagen, and moisture loss.
- They have to use dry rub/spices to smoke; They use charcoal/wood to smoke with and for fuel.
- They have to pay several employees to season the meat, smoke the meat, and slice the meat.
- etc.
The price per pound needs to be more than $11.98 to cover the costs and to turn a profit.
Know and understand this fact before you buy this cut of meat.
Other Names for Dino Beef Ribs?
- Short plate ribs
- 3-bone beef ribs
- “Brontosaurus” Ribs
- Brisket on a Stick
- Plate Ribs
