Switched to a new way to break down beef ribs and it cut my time in half

For the longest time, I was doing beef ribs the old school way my boss taught me, taking about 25 minutes per full plate. Last month, I watched a guy at a shop in Austin use a different method with his saw and knife. He made a single cut along the back first, then popped the chine bone free before separating the ribs. I tried it on my next order of six plates. The first one was slow, but by the third, I was down to 12 minutes flat. The clean up is easier too, with less bone dust on the meat. It's crazy how one small change in the order of cuts can make such a big difference. Has anyone else picked up a trick like that for a common job that really sped things up?

4 comments

4 Comments

ross.kim1mo ago

That's a huge time save! Do you think the order of cuts matters more than the tools you're using?

diana_wright1mo ago

That trick about cutting along the back first is exactly what my butcher friend swears by.

ivan4621mo ago

So what's the actual benefit of starting there instead of the breast?

ben_fisher8d ago

Wait, your friend is a butcher and they still do it that way? That's... honestly kind of wild. Everyone I know in the trade switched to breaking down the front end first years ago. Starting at the back just seems to fight the natural joints. Guess some old habits really do die hard.