Baby Backs or Spare?


 
D

DavidD

TVWBB Super Fan
Which is everyone's favorite? I have purchased and smoked both several times. Only once did I achieve terrific results, which was with Baby backs. They were juicy, tender and downright awesome. Simple BB's from Publix. The spares have never been as tender and the bones seem to run in various directions making them harder to eat. The flavor is pretty good, but i have never found either to be terrific other than the one time. I realize much has to do w/ my limited cooking expertise, but thought i would solicit your input on which you and the majority find as the preferred.
 
Personally I like the spares,but the family prefers the BB. I have never trimmed the spares and might have to try it next time.
 
Spares for me ! I like the price and the ratio of meat to bone
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. For that, i put up with the prep.

Paul
 
For me it's always been spares. Cheaper, more meat, better end result. I go 6.5-7 hours at 230, dry style, and they turn out great every time. Costco is my preferred source since the rare occasions I have sourced them elsewhere, they weren't nearly as good.

Having said that, I like babybacks, too, just don't cook 'em much.

Rich
 
I find spares to be more forgiving and therefore better to fit in my lackadaisical cooking style and the way I have to be there, or not be there at the drop of an, (emergency), hat.

Baby backs for show, if I have booked time away from work and want to make a great impression, otherwise they get spares and at least a good impression.
 
I think you'll find more "purists" going for spares for several reasons. They are less expensive, more meat, less bone and they still turn out fantastic when done right. The prep and cooking take longer, but if you love to BBQ, that's just part of the fun!

However, I find that if cooking for others who are not BBQ'ers themselves, baby backs are far and away the bigger crowd pleaser. They are easier to eat, almost no prep, and cook a bit quicker. My wife prefers the baby backs, therefore thats what I get 90% of the time.
 
Spares here. Bigger and meatier, longer prep and cook, lower price, more closely related to the original idea of BBQ for me. I leave the baby backs for the yupsters.
 
I like loin ribs the best, only because I can't seem to find spares that don't have too much sternum and cartiladge. I like trimming spares down St. Louis style, but by the time I cut off all the chaf, I end up with slabs 1/2 the size I can get with loin ribs. I live in the middle of pork country too, go figure.
 
I am surprised by the favortism toward spares. I, like Steve Cole, find them to create so much waste by the time i cut them down that they aren't such a great deal anymore. The price per pound goes way up after i trim them down enough to enjoy eating them. Taste is good, effort and waste is not.
 
David, consider that you should be smoking the trimmed parts along with your spares. The trimmings can be used for many other recipes...add them to your beans, make a smoky stock from them, pull off any meat and use for tacos, etc.

Others will undoubtedly add more uses for the trimmings.

Rita
 
I agree about spares and the trimmings although the trimmings don't last long enough to be used in other recipes.
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Jim
 
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