St Louis Style rib question

LeggoMyEgg0 · June 2012

Greetz! I have done baby backs on my egg for years now and decided to give St Louis Style ribs a try. Picked up a 10# pack Swift's St Louis Style ribs that contained three slabs. Applid my dry rub last night and planning to slow and low them today.

First question: do I need to trim them? I am confused, I thought one trims Spare ribs to get St Louis ribs. Although my package was labeled St Louis style, the shape of the ribs looks very similar to the starting point described here by thirdeye: http://playingwithfireandsmoke.blogspot.com/2002/01/pork-spare-ribs-preparing.html

in other words, there appears to be a flap of meat beyond the bone, while thirdeye's finished trim is right to bone. I suspect that these are not a St Louis style cut.

Second, i imagine that these ribs will take longer than the baby backs I am used to cooking. Any major differences in timing or temp?
Thanks!

gdenby · June 2012

Given that there are 3 slabs in a 10 pound package, I doubt that you could have untrimmed slabs. The lightest untrimmed slab I've ever had was just over 4 pounds. Most I've found were closer to 6.

An untrimmed slab has a portion about 8 inches long that is almost all bone. The bone section runs along the length of the slab, not across, like the ribs. I happen to have that portion in the fridge right now. It weighs 19 ounces by itself.

So, I suppose what you have might be trimmed a little differently, and/or changed shape some from packing and storage. If there is a flap of meat, you can slice of bits of that during the cook to test for doneness, and as a treat.

The St. Louis trim makes the cooking easier. The trimmed section is about the same thickness and composition, so it all cooks at the same rate. The main difference between them and BBs is that they usually take a little longer when cooked at the same temperature. With a dome temp of 250, BBs will finish in about 5 hours, St. Louis trim spares in about 6. Those are estimates. There are several things that will show when the ribs are done. I rely on the "bend test." The slab will fold almost in half under its own weight when lifted.

Happy cooking.

LeggoMyEgg0 · June 2012

Thanks! You were right, these are St Louis cut, just one of them had an extra flap of meat. I was a leeetle tipsy when I rubbed 'em and extrapolated this observation to all of 'em. Ribs on!

Ragtop99 · June 2012

I'd cut the flap off. 5 hrs on the flap is too long; an hour or two is the max I cook the flap.

njl · June 2012

If they say St. Louis style, they should already be cut. I'd expect about 6 hours total time on the egg (sauce for the last hour if you like that) at about 250F indirect.

Flamethrower · June 2012

I do as njl with a 5-0-1. I like the St Louis better than the rest.

Duganboy · June 2012

Thanks! You were right, these are St Louis cut, just one of them had an extra flap of meat. I was a leeetle tipsy when I rubbed 'em and extrapolated this observation to all of 'em. Ribs on!

I have been able to find these a few times. They are already cut into St. Louis ribs, which is really sorta of a "filet" of the big ol spare rib.

St Louis Style rib question

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