These Discontinued Canned Ribs Were Doomed From The Start

Canned meat may have its detractors, but it's actually an economical and long-lasting addition to your pantry. Canned meat can be used to create a number of delicious recipes, such as quick and easy Spam in a Blanket. However, not all types of meat were meant to be commercially canned, which Armour Star learned the hard way. According to a vintage ad posted on eBay, the food company introduced ribs in a can back in 1964, which apparently failed to captivate consumers. While the advertisement claimed its 2 ½-pound can included "specially selected, specially cut" spareribs, there was one major issue.

While the spareribs were reportedly "slim in bone," the presence of a bone in canned meat likely deterred a lot of people from enjoying the product. There's no indication of how much these canned ribs retailed for way back in the mid-1960s, but the ad did warn customers: "If you're looking for the cheapest ribs, forget ours." Based on that statement, one could safely assume that consumers were unwilling to pay big bucks for canned meat with bones intact.

Surprisingly, recipes for home-canning ribs include bone-in options. Canning ribs with the bones intact can make for a more challenging dining experience should the bones break down. Commercially, there doesn't appear to be any brands of canned spareribs currently available. It's likely that consumers have set their sights on other types of meat, such as canned chicken, which can make deliciously crispy patties.

It's true that Armour Star canned ribs is one of many vintage canned foods and drinks that no longer exist, but commenters on Reddit expressed a surprising level of interest when becoming aware of it on the social media platform. As stated by a commenter, "Zero sarcasm, I would buy this," while another praised the ease of canned ribs, stating, "Rib preparation is time consuming. This would be can to grill to plate in minutes." One person even claimed to have sampled the ribs in the past and described them as "Much better than I expected the first time." Unfortunately, canned rib connoisseurs won't be able to try this long-gone product for themselves.