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Weight of Spareribs


 
D

Dudley Rose

TVWBB Fan
Paul Kirk says in his Championship Barbecue book (p. 167) to avoid slabs of spare ribs larger than 4 pounds. From the way he describes preparing the ribs in the next pages, he seems to mean with the breastbone and tips still attached. He says larger ribs may take 8 hours or more and still never become tender. I buy ribs at BJs, and they regularly weigh 15 pounds for a cryovac two-pack or 7 to 8 pounds per slab.
<UL TYPE=SQUARE> <LI>Am I understanding Kirk's advice correctly? <LI>Do others have similar experience with 7 to 8 pound slabs being what's available? <LI>If so, how long do you find they cook at say, 235 degrees? [/list]
Thanks,
 
Are you sure you're not talking a 3-pack? I've never seen spares much over 5 lbs. Most seem to run 4.25-4.75 that I buy but I occasionally get 5.25-lb racks. The only time I've seen larger is on the rare occasions when entire ribs were packaged--spares and still-attached back ribs.

With all due respect to Kirk, if he claims that 'larger ribs may take 8 hours or more and never become tender he doesn't know what he's talking about. Tenderness is a result of cooking and has nothing whatsoever to do with size.

I cook spares at high heat. But when I cooked lower a barely trimmed rack might go as long as 8 unfoiled; trimmed and foiled to finish, about 5 or so.
 
Dudley, it sounds like you could be talking about beef ribs. I don't think even Hogzilla would have an 8 lb rack of ribs. I don't have a lot of experience with beef ribs, because I've never developed a liking to them. I ask every time I want ribs at a restaurant if the ribs are pork or beef. If they can't tell me, I order the nachos and another beer.
 
I shop at BJ's where spares have been $1.99/lb for a long while. I know I never paid $30 for a pack of 2 slabs. Recently, the packs started coming in with 3 slabs, so there must be a misunderstanding here.
 
While I agree with all the above posts I also have to say that the wonderful thing about Q is that with proper technique you can make just about anything tender and delicious. With due respect (and yes I know who Paul Kirk is), some take themselves way too seriously.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by K Kruger:
Are you sure you're not talking a 3-pack? I've never seen spares much over 5 lbs. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
You know, you might be right about a 3-pack. I haven't bought them for awhile, and I was just glancing at the package label yesterday.
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I cook spares at high heat. But when I cooked lower a barely trimmed rack might go as long as 8 unfoiled; trimmed and foiled to finish, about 5 or so. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Kevin, can you remind me of your technique?

Thanks,
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Dudley Rose:

Kevin, can you remind me of your technique?

Thanks, </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Sure. I Minion the start then do this. This post describes it a little more fully. I usually cook spares in the upper 200s, backs about 50 degrees higher. Here is an example of a spare cook that I ended up doing higher (short on time)--at the same temps I use for backs. And this is an example of a back cook.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Dudley Rose:
Thanks everyone. I think I was having a brain cramp. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Dudley,
It's that Cambridge influence
icon_smile.gif
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by K Kruger:
Sure. I Minion the start then do this. This post describes it a little more fully. I usually cook spares in the upper 200s, backs about 50 degrees higher. Here is an example of a spare cook that I ended up doing higher (short on time)--at the same temps I use for backs. And this is an example of a back cook. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Thanks, Kevin.

Dudley
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Dave/G:
Dudley,
It's that Cambridge influence
icon_smile.gif
</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

That's correct!
 
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