regular pork ribs very fat?
- Thread starter Rob
- Start date
David Stanton
TVWBB Member
I've found that greasy ribs are undercooked ribs. They can be done enough to eat, but you have to cook them longer to render the fat.
It can help to remove or score the membrane so that the fat can more easily drip away, but only cooking will liquefy it. Pockets of fat will remain even after proper cooking, but the meat shouldn't be too greasy.
It can help to remove or score the membrane so that the fat can more easily drip away, but only cooking will liquefy it. Pockets of fat will remain even after proper cooking, but the meat shouldn't be too greasy.
i have become a rib snob.
any ribs i have EVER bought from a "grocery" store were horrible.
i now exclusively buy back ribs from my butcher. they cost a lot more, so i eat them less often, but when i do, they are awesome! all meat - no fat (almost)
as a general rule though, yes side ribs are fattier and lower quality than back ribs - also why they are always cheaper unless you find back ribs on sale.
Cheers!
any ribs i have EVER bought from a "grocery" store were horrible.
i now exclusively buy back ribs from my butcher. they cost a lot more, so i eat them less often, but when i do, they are awesome! all meat - no fat (almost)
as a general rule though, yes side ribs are fattier and lower quality than back ribs - also why they are always cheaper unless you find back ribs on sale.
Cheers!
I also had a disappointing experience w/grocery ribs this weekend. I'm following Wiviott's dinner lessons and took my first shot at dinner #4 (spare ribs). The ribs came out as you describe yours. They not only seemed fatty, they were completely fall off the bone tender as if they had been steamed, bad-restaurant style.
My theory is that--in a way--steamed is exactly what they were. In addition to being fatty, these ribs (which I bought on a grocery sale before I knew better) were enhanced--15% of their weight was a solution of water and sodium. I think the meat steam/baked in my smoker for six hours. Maybe I could have rendered more fat if they'd gone longer, but I doubt if they would have gotten better.
Did you happen to notice if your grocer sold you "enhanced" pork? 100% of the pork sold by Kroger is, for example.
My theory is that--in a way--steamed is exactly what they were. In addition to being fatty, these ribs (which I bought on a grocery sale before I knew better) were enhanced--15% of their weight was a solution of water and sodium. I think the meat steam/baked in my smoker for six hours. Maybe I could have rendered more fat if they'd gone longer, but I doubt if they would have gotten better.
Did you happen to notice if your grocer sold you "enhanced" pork? 100% of the pork sold by Kroger is, for example.
Shawn W
TVWBB Emerald Member
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Rob:
I had smoked two slabs of ribs from the supermarket and they both were extremely fat... Is this normal for pork spare ribs? ... </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
not an easy question ... you can remove the membrane (and scrape fat off), trim well prior to cooking, NOT foil and cook longer OR foil with liquids ... parboiling will give you least fatty spares but we don't talk about such things here ... choosing smaller racks of side ribs can help
all will help reduce fat, but to quote Homer "Mmmm pork fat ... is there anything it CAN'T do?" jk
not knowing the circumstance I'd suggest cooking them longer and if you use foil try pineapple juice in there and see if it helps .... or just cook longer unfoiled
were they tough or tender?
I had smoked two slabs of ribs from the supermarket and they both were extremely fat... Is this normal for pork spare ribs? ... </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
not an easy question ... you can remove the membrane (and scrape fat off), trim well prior to cooking, NOT foil and cook longer OR foil with liquids ... parboiling will give you least fatty spares but we don't talk about such things here ... choosing smaller racks of side ribs can help
all will help reduce fat, but to quote Homer "Mmmm pork fat ... is there anything it CAN'T do?" jk
not knowing the circumstance I'd suggest cooking them longer and if you use foil try pineapple juice in there and see if it helps .... or just cook longer unfoiled
were they tough or tender?
David Stanton
TVWBB Member
Keith,
I know nothing about Wiviott. I've never cooked fall-off-the-bone ribs that were also too greasy. Does this method involve foil?
I, too, have been suckered by grocery-store-sale ribs. I have a rule -- if the ribs are the regular stock that I'm familiar with, I'll buy them on sale. If they are a special "sale" item, I'll pass.
I've never cooked the "juiced" ribs. Maybe I'm a snob, but I just don't want them. I'd rather have the skinny "sale" ribs.
D
I know nothing about Wiviott. I've never cooked fall-off-the-bone ribs that were also too greasy. Does this method involve foil?
I, too, have been suckered by grocery-store-sale ribs. I have a rule -- if the ribs are the regular stock that I'm familiar with, I'll buy them on sale. If they are a special "sale" item, I'll pass.
I've never cooked the "juiced" ribs. Maybe I'm a snob, but I just don't want them. I'd rather have the skinny "sale" ribs.
D
Kind of funny, I recently had the opposite problem. I got these baby backs from my butcher, there was too much meat on them and not enough fat. I ended up with less than stellar ribs that were still fairly tough and on the border of too dry. I guess I should have wrapped bacon around them or something...
Jeff Bittel
TVWBB Fan
I get my spare ribs at Costco and trim as described in this forum in the Kansas City manner. When I cook them in this way they are not "full" of fat. In fact I have to be careful not to overcook them in the WSM or they will become dried out.
Eric Koenig
TVWBB Fan
Back ribs from Costco can't be beat. Lots of meat, hardly any fat, and the price is good.
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I know nothing about Wiviott. I've never cooked fall-off-the-bone ribs that were also too greasy. Does this method involve foil? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Heaven's, no!
He'd shoot you for that.
Prof. Wiviott's WSM Course
I know my fire was right (@225-250) and I think I cooked them long enough. (The bones were easily pulling apart at 5 hours but I let them go for 6). I did remove the membrane as well. I'm a complete novice, but I can only think of three possible variables: (1) the ribs really were insanely fatty and nothing can be done about it. (2) Freezing a rack is bad for it. (3) The huge amounts of water and other stuff injected into the spares caused a "steaming effect," which did weird things. I don't know if I was bothered more by the texture (eat-with-a-spoon meat) or the fattiness.
Heaven's, no!
Prof. Wiviott's WSM Course
I know my fire was right (@225-250) and I think I cooked them long enough. (The bones were easily pulling apart at 5 hours but I let them go for 6). I did remove the membrane as well. I'm a complete novice, but I can only think of three possible variables: (1) the ribs really were insanely fatty and nothing can be done about it. (2) Freezing a rack is bad for it. (3) The huge amounts of water and other stuff injected into the spares caused a "steaming effect," which did weird things. I don't know if I was bothered more by the texture (eat-with-a-spoon meat) or the fattiness.
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">(2) Freezing a rack is bad for it. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
I can testify that the mushiest rack I ever smoked was one that I had frozen. The one I cooked fresh from the same cryopack was great.
I can testify that the mushiest rack I ever smoked was one that I had frozen. The one I cooked fresh from the same cryopack was great.
Konrad Haskins
R.I.P. 3/23/2014
Spares that are cooked well have the fat rendered out. Most supermarket ribs are solution added and are a last resort not a first choice. Costco and Sams ribs are quality both Back or Spares. All my awards and championships have been won with Spares and often they have been frozen in the original cryovac at -25f. In class we cook both Back and Spare ribs and the students always like the Back ribs which get cooked first but then give higher marks to the Spares that finish cooking later.