Spares vs. Loin Backs


 
D

David Willis

TVWBB Member
Today was the first time I ever did loin back ribs. I've always heard it was less meat and dry out faster (Think Chili's)

Anyway, I did two racks that were both around 5lbs each, fairly large. I must say I may have to rethink my spares only ideology. Not only is there a lot more meat on each bone, but it was like 1 minute to trim and remove the membrane. Yeah, it was about $1 more per lb, but man, this was way easier.

Not the same flavor I'm used to, though. My spares are usually thinner. These were like biting into a pork chop. Very juicy, good tear off from the bone...
 
Loin backs = BBs???

I prefer baby backs when I am smoking them. If I am in Memphis and have professionals cooking for me, I prefer spares.

Baby backs are just so much easier to cook, IMO.
 
I'm pretty mch spares only, but it might be worth revisiting as David did. I imagine my main motivating factor had to do with cost per pound and that "better deal". It would be interesting to weight the trimmings from the spares and calculate the cost per pound of what you're actually cooking - anyone done that ?

Maybe next time I'm in Sams I'll try their loin backs... and, yes, Jason, loin backs = BBs

Paul
 
There is no doubt that BB's are far easier to prep - I'm down to a few seconds to prep a rack of BB's. As far as cost goes - after trimming spares and discarding all of the waste - I believe the cost factor is about the same.

That being said I only cook spares. I find the taste and texture of spares to be far more pleasing than BB's. I did a BB cook this past summer just to see if I was missing anything - I wasn't. They just don't do it for me.

Now, if I am out somewhere where they are serving ribs and they aren't smoked (I know it's a cardinal sin) I'll usually opt for the BB's over spares.
 
Good point, Russ. I may have to break out the scale one day to measure what you end up with in the end. With the loin backs, it was pretty much the membrane and a quarter size piece of fat at one end to discard.

I assume baby backs are just smaller loin backs? I've seen them labeled baby backs in small 2 - 3 lb portions, but these were over 5lb and no "baby" indication anywhere.

My spares are usually thinner, but not at all dry. These were juicier than I'm used to, though. Not bad, just unexpected for ribs.

A follow up question. I heard there was some other cut of ribs from pigs raised exclusively in Denmark. Anyone ever heard of that?
 
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