Getting ribs prepared.


 
R

Randy Orvis

New member
Hi there,

I'm a long time listener, first time caller!!! Been lurking here for the last few months and have been testing out some of the recipe's I have found here!!

I have a question..

Yesterday, I went to my local meat market and bought a rack of spare ribs for me and the girlfriend. Plan was to smoke them for 5 hours on the 22.5 kettle.

The butcher gave me the spare ribs and I thought man... these look THICK.. But I just wanted to get home and get them prepped. I got home unwrapped these newly purchased baby back beauties and I figured I better figure out what I'm doing.. The thing that was odd about this rack of ribs and the others I saw.. On the top side of the ribs, it was EXCESSIVE amounts of meat. Far from the standard louisiana cut I'm used to seeing. I tried looking all over the interwebs to see how to cut these to trim them up to make them what I'd consider "usable"? I'm bummed because I didn't take a picture, so I figured I'd just hope that my description will help someone go OH YEA, You cut off %%%%%..

So, the ribs I'd say were a solid 3-4" thick when laid down on the counter. on the top edge of this hunk of meat on top of the ribs seemed to be 2 other "cuts" of meat. (a tube shaped cut, a steak shaped cut, and then the ribs themselves)
One was almost tube shaped that ran the entire length of the ribs, this was the top most meat. In between this and the steak cut was some really thick connective tissue/thick veins. I was able to cut the majority of that off fine and was left with some fat and a very lean piece of meat still on top of the ribs.

Does anyone know what I cut off?

I smoked the ribs for 5 hours on the kettle and they turned out AMAZING!!! I have a few pics through the process I'll post when I get home.

Thanks for your help guys and sorry for the long winded post!!!
-randy
 
Sounds to me like (a) you got a rib roast with the full side ribs attached and (b) you need to find a new butcher if that is their idea of ribs. There are only three of four major types of ribs; it ain't exactly rocket science.
 
Based on your description, KEEP that butcher (depending of course on how much he charged you).

You got a whole loin cut in half width-wise (was it at least 18-20" long or more)?

The long tube was the tenderloin. You can practically pull the tenderloin away from the bone, no knife required.
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The other big/thick piece of meat is the loin. Follow the curve of the ribs and cut it away in one large piece (now a boneless loin roast) that can then be cut into butterflied chops or plain chops.

Whats left are the (baby) back ribs which are still attached to the back bone (called the 'chine'). You need a meat band saw to cut the chine away from the ribs--which a butcher can do BEFORE selling that piece of meat to you. By cutting the ribs away from the chine, makes the above separation much easier and leaves the ribs in the form one usually buys them.

Don't lose that butcher. I always bought my pork that way till my guy retired. What a gem you have there. Treat him nice, especially if you got that meat for a reasonable price.


ap_loin25c.jpg


I think what you got was the left half of this pic ("sirloin end--has a big flat piece ofbone/gristle in the centre of the roast; right half of this pic is known as the rib end-no bone/gristle, just ribs). At the extreme left on the bottom--that is your tube/tenderloin. Then the back ribs then the loin (going front to back, not left to right. You can't see the loin but it's on the other side of the ribs. That big flat bone on top is the backbone (chine).

This look about right?
 
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Like I said in the original picture, I'm bummed that I didn't get a picture. I didn't honestly think about it until after the 5 hour smoke session haha!!

Len, I believe what you have described is exactly what I got. I plan on going back and picking up another rack hopefully this weekend for smoking this coming weekend.

Thanks for your guys help!!!! I'll keep you posted when I pick a new slab up!
-randy
 
My reason for questioning the butcher is that if I ask for say, a St. Louis cut rib, I expect that. If the OP asked for side ribs but got a whole side then the butcher is confused - or hard of hearing. :) But if you get that meat a great price....
 
I should also clarrify.. I stated "Far from the standard Louisiana cut I'm used to seeing."
I did not ask for them to cut the ribs to Louisiana ;)

I got a great price on these badboys. Overall weight was 4lbs, I paid $15 with tax out the door!
I'll take it!!
 
Randy Orvis said:
I should also clarrify.. I stated "Far from the standard Louisiana cut I'm used to seeing."
I did not ask for them to cut the ribs to Louisiana ;)

I got a great price on these badboys. Overall weight was 4lbs, I paid $15 with tax out the door!
I'll take it!!
Click to expand...

Price is relative to where you live.

Up here, back ribs are $3/lb, side ribs are $2/lb, tenderloin $4/lb and boneless loin roast ~$3.50/lb. No tax of any kind on 'raw' (ie unprocessed) food. YMMV.

Beef OTOH is $4-5+ on just about any cut now. Brisket is $6-7, tenderloin is $9-10/lb. We don't eat much beef these days.
 
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