Baby Backs or Spares?

[Bear]

Which do you prefer?

I am currently leaning towards St. Louis cut spares. I've cooked a lot of baby backs, but since I have learned to trim to St. Louis cut, it seems I buy more spares. I find that I can buy full slabs of spares, and even if I trim them and throw the scraps away, they cost me no more than a slab of baby backs, and the St. Louis cut spares have more meat on them.

 

[TentHunter]

I definitely prefer spareribs and trim them to a St. Louis cut as well.

I just find them more economical especially considering I get several different uses from a single rack. Besides the rib section, I get the rib tips, the breast bone (which is like a big rib itself), one end usually yields a thin cutlet, and there's the skirt meat.

Sometimes I cook it all up like in this pic:

Sometimes I'll save the other cuts (rib tips, etc.) for later meals. The skirt meat works great cut up for stir fry.

 

[ht01us]

I've mostly done baby backs; I wasn't thrilled with my few forays into St. Louis cut. I think mostly because I've worked so hard at getting reproducible results with the baby backs that switching to St Louis cut messes me up. You are right there is more meat on them and they are probably pound-for-pound cheaper.

But this summer might be a good opportunity to dedicate some time to St. Louis cut.

 

[txpgapro]

No contest with me. I prefer St. Louis style spares. More meat and are less expensive.


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[FLBentRider]

The ribs I can get around here, the baby backs are meatier than the spares, whenever I do spares the family asks why I didn't do the baby backs.

I need to try the St Louis cut, I usually just throw them on whole.

 

[sparky]

baby backs here. the spares don't taste as good to me. last weekend i cook 1 rack of baby backs and 1 rack of spares. same rub on both of the. i cooked them the same. the baby backs tasted much better.

 

[Hobbit]

Being the newbie here, how do you trim to a St. Louis cut after buying "what kind of ribs?" I admit to going to Costco and seeing many kinds of ribs all neatly packed and not knowing what I am seeing. I guess it is easier "to not know what I don't know" so now it is time to go to meat school. Are there some references or sites I should know about?
Thanks!
Hobbit

 

[scooter]

Spares are the best IMO and most consitant in terms of outcome of flavor, moisture and tenderness.

Hobbit, for ribs, www.amazingribs.com will give you the 411 on all types of ribs!

Youtube is a great place to find videos of how to do anything in the BBQ world!

 

[Hobbit]

scooter, thanks...going there now.

 

[Deb]

I usually do baby backs but know I think I'm going to have to try spares again. I haven't done them on the pellet grill.

 

[TentHunter]

The ribs I can get around here, the baby backs are meatier than the spares,

I'll tell ya what, those baby backs you just entered in the contest sure caught my attention!

 

[TentHunter]

Being the newbie here, how do you trim to a St. Louis cut after buying "what kind of ribs?"

Hobbit, the video Scooter posted is a really great one! The hardest part is getting a feel for where to trim the rib tips from the rest of the rack & how to pull the membrane off. Once you trim a few you'll be a pro at it in no time!

 

[Bear]

The most important tip that I got when I started trimming spares that I will pass along, is that you need a knife that is "scary sharp". I have a knife that I keep hidden from the rest of my clan just for this purpose, and I sharpen it before each use.

and TentHunter a pair of catfish skinners is the absolute best way to get those membranes off!

 

[TentHunter]

TentHunter a pair of catfish skinners is the absolute best way to get those membranes off!

Hey that is a good tip (not to mention catfish everywhere just voted for that tip!)

 

[scooter]

I read somewhere that an oyster shucker also works very well to get the membrane up.

 

[SisInLaw]

Man, years back I used to love getting spare ribs at Chinese restaurants and they were sooo good. But as for cooking them, they were always too fatty for me. I didn't know about trimming them up like in your video. This may be happening soon.

So ... would you use a "sweeter" sort of bbq sauce ...?

 

[TentHunter]

So ... would you use a "sweeter" sort of bbq sauce ...?

Sis, use whatever kind of sauce or flavor you like. Sometimes mine are sweeter, sometimes spicier, sometimes no sauce at all. It's your canvas and you're a master. We just wanna see you cook!

 

[Patrick_CT]

How much do you change the cooking method for spares vs baby backs? 275 all the way? 225... 3 -2 -1 method..?

 

[Bear]

I normally cook baby backs 3-1-1, and spares 3-2-1. Times are approximate, and I adjust as needed.

 

[SmokeAndSpice]

I prefer spares, St. Louis cut. I stumbled on the St. Louis cut because the regional grocery (Schnuck's, based in... St. Louis!) usually sells 'em that way, so that's what I got used to. When I tried standard-cut (non-cut?) spares for some reason they didn't cook as well for me. Last time I did standard ribs I figured out I could cut them down myself so I did... they cooked up great. I've never had a problem with baby backs but the ones I get around here don't seem as meaty.