This was written by a hog farmer back in the days of the old bbq email list.

Pork Ribs


There are basically three types of pork ribs, which are spare ribs, baby
back ribs and country style ribs. Let's look at each type of ribs.

Spare ribs are the traditional slab of ribs. They come from the belly of
the pig, behind the shoulder. They include 11 to 13 long bones. There is a
covering of meat on top of the bones and between them. They are the most
inexpensive cut of ribs. St Louis style ribs are a variation of the full
slab. They are trimmed and have the brisket bone removed. Kansas City
style ribs are another variation. They are trimmed further yet than the St
Louis style ribs and have the hard bone removed.

Baby back ribs, sometimes called loin ribs, are cut from the loin section.
They are shorter and smaller than spareribs. They have a covering of meat
over the bones and also between them. Because they do come from the loin,
they are leaner and meatier than spare ribs. They are also considerably
more expensive and in shorter supply.

Country style ribs are actually not ribs at all and are cut from the blade
end of the loin, right behind the upper portion of the pork shoulder. They
are more like fatty pork chops than ribs. While they have more fat per
pound than any of the other styles of ribs, the fat is in layers and the
meat between those layers is leaner and less marbled than most other ribs.
They are the meatiest of all the ribs.

Now that you know what the different rib styles are, which are the best to
bbq? A good question, which has no good answer.

First, country style ribs, because they are more like pork chops, are better
for grilling than slow cooking, although they can be slow bbqed quite
successfully if one keeps a close watch on them and gets them out of the
smoker as soon as they are done.

Spare ribs are inexpensive and full of flavor and are probably the best
choice for novice bbqers. You won't feel near as bad if you mess up a rack
of spare ribs as you will if you mess of an expensive rack of baby backs.
Some bbqers, myself included, actually prefer spare ribs such as the St
Louis or Kansas City style over baby backs because they have more flavor,
more meat and cost less.

Because they are the leanest of the ribs, baby backs are less messy to eat
than the other ribs. They are also easier to handle than spare ribs, because
they are smaller. Some bbqers will cook nothing but baby backs and there is
no question that they are excellent eating when prepared to perfection.
They have a naturally sweeter flavor than spare ribs. They are more
expensive than spare ribs and because they are leaner, they can be more
prone to be overcooked and therefore are somewhat less forgiving to the
chef. You will have to make up your own mind if they are worth the extra
cost.

Smoking ribs is not at all difficult. Following are some general guidelines
for cooking ribs.

If you choose spare ribs, get well trimmed ribs, such as the St Louis style.
Spare ribs also have a membrane on the bone side of the ribs. While it is
not necessary to remove this membrane, the rendered fat will get away from
the meat better if you remove it. The ribs will also absorb a rub or sauce
better when it is removed. To remove it, carefully work the point of a
blunt knife or a screwdriver under the membrane to loosen it and start to
lift it from the bones. Once you have it started, you can work your fingers
under it to completely separate it and tear it away.

Season both sides of the ribs generously with your favorite dry rub. If you
wish, you can also marinate your ribs with a variety of liquids before
seasoning. This is purely a matter of taste, as ribs cooked correctly do
not need a marinade to help tenderize them. Marinades can easily overpower
the true taste of the pork.

Put the ribs bone side up on the smoker grates. You can really pile a lot
of of ribs in a smoker if you rotate them once in a while to make sure they
receive an even amount of smoke and heat. Make sure there is no flame or
burning wood or charcoal under the ribs. Indirect heat is the absolute best
way to cook ribs.

Most racks of ribs of 3 lbs and under will be done in approximately 3.5 to 4
hours at 200 to 225 degrees. If the ribs are extra plump and thick it can
help to bump the temperature to 250. Baby backs will take 30 to 45 minutes
less. In any case, the ribs are done when the meat is tender and will
easily pull away from the bone. When they reach that point, take them out
immediately.

If you wish to baste your ribs with bbq sauce don't do so until the last
30-40 minutes of cooking time, so the sauce does not burn on the meat. Turn
the ribs over so the meat side is up and then baste with your favorite
sauce. Again, this is a matter of taste, whether you want your ribs wet or
dry.

As far as wood for smoking, use whatever suits your personal tastes.
Hickory, oak, apple and maple are some of the commonly used woods for
smoking ribs. Some like to use a combination of woods for additional
flavor. I like to keep smoke on my ribs for the entire cooking period and
that again, is a matter of personal taste.

This concludes the FAQ covering pork ribs. Ribs are one of the traditional
bbq meats and probably on just about everybody's short list of favorite
foods. So don't wait any longer. Fire up the smoker and put on some ribs.
And put on a lot of ribs because all of your neighbors downwind of your
smoker will probably be coming by to visit.

--Harry--

On 7/30/2011 6:51 AM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
> This was written by a hog farmer back in the days of the old bbq email
> list.
>
> Pork Ribs
>
>


Great tutorial, Ed. Got it saved in a Rib Tutorial folder in
Thunderbird. I probably should have a Ed's Tutorials, because you have
frequently posted tutorials like this over the years.

Thanks Ed and Harry and others who have written tutorials that Ed has
posted.

BBQ
--
Vegetarian

An old Indian term for poor hunter...