Pork Ribs.. trim or not to trim


 
Khanh Hoang

Khanh Hoang

TVWBB Fan
On a budget so every cent counts... throwing a New Years Eve Party, wife wants pork ribs...
Big question? Buy spare ribs and trim or Baby backs? If I trim or get the St. Louis, I will have to prepare and apply rub...
Spare Ribs $1.99 lb
St. Louis $2.69 lb
Baby Backs $3.29 lb (Costo trimmed with Cajun Rub ready to go)

Planning on getting at least 3 to 5 racks... going on the WSM

your thoughts???
 
I would buy the St. Louis cut.
I just to get the spare ribs and cut them St. Louis style unless you can you the other meat for another dish. I just to make chile verde with all the trimmings.
 
If every cent counts, don't pay somebody $0.70/lb to make two slices into your meat. Buy the full spares, trim them to St. Louis yourself (just cut along the edges of the bones, and cut the big flap of meat off the bone side). Use the cuttings for something else--cook them and chop them up for tacos, put the meat in beans and/or chili, whatever. You'll get a whole other meal out of each rack.

Rub is really cheap. Skip the paprika, it doesn't do you any good flavor-wise, it's expensive and mostly just for color. Salt, pepper, sugar, garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, cayenne--these are all good things for rubs that you probably have already, or can borrow in small amounts from a neighbor or something. Get the cheap stuff from the Mexican section in your grocery store (or from the Mexican grocery store), or if you know you'll make a lot, get it at Costco.

Remember, even though competition BBQ has gotten popular and made people think that BBQ is supposed to be complicated and made with top-shelf ingredients, its roots are from poor folks in the South who dug holes in the ground, tossed in hunks of whatever dead hardwood tree was nearby, and cooked the cheap, tough, unwanted cuts of meat over with whatever basic seasonings they could get, if they could get it.
 
Well , khanh , I think Dave's got you covered. Hope your ribs turn out good. Happy new year.
 
Get both--spares (trim them yourself) and the backs. Then wait for the accolades and see which get the most praise. Then you'll know for future smokes (that both are good ;) ).

As far as rubs, I've seen with five ingredients and ones with 25. Personally, I 'd go simple (and not a lot). After all, the meat is the star of the show here. The spices are just the supporting cast.
 
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I say get the spares. Pull the membrane rub and cook until you get the color you want. Then wrap
With butter honey and brownsugar and go until tender. Works for me people like the extra
Meat they get with the ribs
 
Agree on buying the full spares and trimming. I used to trim them competition style, thinking I was Johnny Trigg or something, but now I just cut off the breastbone and leave a good amount of cartilage on -- it may be the tastiest meat on the rib. Consider smoking some of the flap or breastbone part along with the ribs and cutting it up for baked beans (it'll do wonders for plain ol' canned beans). I cut the remaining trimmings into 1" or so cubes and freeze it, so I can grind it up when I make burgers (about 25% rib meat makes a tasty burger). Good luck with the cook and let us know how it turns out.

Jersey Jeff
 
Spares. I trim them and then make the sacrifice of eating the trimmings while other people eat the ribs :).
 
But spares trim them yourself to St Louis style. Cook the rib tips with the spares and use for beans. Can freeze the leftovers for future use for beans or ABTs. St Louis are more flavorful than Babybacks IMO
 
I'm in the get the spares and trim em yourself camp. Use the trimmings as you see fit. They are an awesome ingredient in other dishes.
 
We just bought pork spare ribs. I trimmed it myself, not knowing exactly what I was doing. But, the rack is pretty evenly trimmed, and we're using the trimmings to flavor the gravy the next time my wife makes pasta.
 
I like baby's cuz I hate animal fat, but... Lol. There just seems to be some karnal knowledge of how to trim ribs! Make them square! ;) I need to do more spares! And every other cut I'm not comfy with!
 
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