TentHunter
Moderator
This post was inspired by a fellow forum member; Thanks Duke!
Trimming spare ribs to a St. Louis cut can seem difficult, but it's really quite simple if you keep it that way. There's NO need for special skills or bone cutting equipment!
What you need: A good sharp Chef or Boning knife, some paper towels & a clean cutting surface.
Here's a typical whole rack of spareribs.
Start by trimming off the Skirt Flap. Don't throw it away; use it for stir fry or put in on with the ribs as a snack (trim off the silver skin).
Trim along the black or red lines Whichever you prefer. The Black line follows the bone tips and will make it look more like Baby (loin) Back Ribs.
The bone here is cartilage-like and not hard to cut through. Don't worry about cutting through in one pass.
You can separate the breast bone from the rib tips if you like and cook them up as well.
Trim up the end of the rack or leave it alone whichever you prefer (more stir fry meat).
The dreaded membrane. I like to start up at the corner by the meat because its easy to slip your finger under it there. Work it loose and use a paper towel to grab it & slowly work & pull it loose.
All that's left is to flip the rack over and trim any excess fat as you see fit.
Thanks!
Cliff
Trimming spare ribs to a St. Louis cut can seem difficult, but it's really quite simple if you keep it that way. There's NO need for special skills or bone cutting equipment!
What you need: A good sharp Chef or Boning knife, some paper towels & a clean cutting surface.
Here's a typical whole rack of spareribs.
Start by trimming off the Skirt Flap. Don't throw it away; use it for stir fry or put in on with the ribs as a snack (trim off the silver skin).
Trim along the black or red lines Whichever you prefer. The Black line follows the bone tips and will make it look more like Baby (loin) Back Ribs.
The bone here is cartilage-like and not hard to cut through. Don't worry about cutting through in one pass.
You can separate the breast bone from the rib tips if you like and cook them up as well.
Trim up the end of the rack or leave it alone whichever you prefer (more stir fry meat).
The dreaded membrane. I like to start up at the corner by the meat because its easy to slip your finger under it there. Work it loose and use a paper towel to grab it & slowly work & pull it loose.
All that's left is to flip the rack over and trim any excess fat as you see fit.
Thanks!
Cliff
Last edited: