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Spare Ribs questions

Mark Backer
Mark Backer Posts: 1,018
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
I found that my local butcher carries some (seemingly) nice looking spares, and they were only $2.99 / lb. [p]My questions are:[p]What should I be looking for in choosing spares?
Do I cook them basically the same as babybacks?[p]Any tips or tricks you guys can throw my way would be great. I am planning on trying these this weekend for company and would like them to show well (if possible).[p]thanks.[p]Todd

Comments

  • Mark Backer,
    i'm a fan of the 3-2-1 method... 3 hours at 250 degrees indirect. ..then wrap in aluminum foil with some honey and brown sugar, back on for 2 more hours. .. then unwrap and put back on the grid till done (i go with the tooth pick test, just like a cake, when there is no resistence, they're done. .. sauce them during this last hour (which may not actually be an hour depending on how they feel when you first unwrap them). .. i like dizzy raging river or ken stone's witchy red rub. ...and i usually sauce with either sweet baby rays, bone sucker's, or ken stone's big chief depending on how sweet or hot i want them. . . [p]i'm not expert on picking ribs a the store. .. if they aren't already st. louis racks, then you can either have your butcher cut of the breast bone piece or you can do it yourself. .. .i think there are good pictorials on this on both dizzy pig site and rumrunner's site. . ..

  • Bigfoot
    Bigfoot Posts: 154
    mad max beyond eggdome,[p]I tried the Honey and brown sugar thing last time during foiling - WOW, those were amazing - I was really skeptical, but I was amazed! GREAT TIP!
  • Hasenpheffer
    Hasenpheffer Posts: 156
    Mark Backer,[p]Gotta' love that Wilkes Meat Market!
  • Mark Backer
    Mark Backer Posts: 1,018
    Hasenfeffer,[p]No doubt. Oh, and if you haven't been in lately, they now have Prime Beef. [p]May have to try some of that...
  • thirdeye
    thirdeye Posts: 7,428
    Mark Backer,[p]You will notice a better flavor & texture with spares. Try to get ones in the 3 to 3-1/2 lb. range.

    First, rinse them and blot dry. Cut off the flap of meat
    on the membrane side of the slab and save it. Peel the
    membrane, remove any large globs of fat you expose.
    Feel along the bottom of the slab as sometimes the butchers
    don't remove all of the little bones, if some remain, slice
    off a strip the length of the slab to remove them, save
    this too. With your knife, square off the end of the slab
    for presentation purposes. Also trim any slivers of
    meat or areas of heavy fat. Now you are all trimmed and
    ready to go.[p]Foiling for a period of time is very popular with ribs, but spares don't require it. The BRITU (best ribs in the universe) method does not call for foil & bumps the temp in the last 1/4 or so of cooking time. [p]Cook the trimmings as snacks during the cook[p]~thirdeye~[p]

    Happy Trails
    ~thirdeye~

    Barbecue is not rocket surgery
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,665
    Mark Backer,
    look for ribs with meat, sometimes they are cut to close to the bone.i peel the membrane off and do some cleanup work on the flap and extra fat but dont cut them down to stlouis size until after the cook. for presentation you may want to cut them down first. you do want to cook the scraps for snacks later. because these ribs are not as uniform as the babybacks your used to cooking, times differ with different cooks. i cook them direct raised grid at 225 and they cook for 5 to 7 hours

    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • GrillMeister
    GrillMeister Posts: 1,608
    mad max beyond eggdome,[p]How much honey and brown sugar do you put on each slab?

    Cheers,

    GrillMeister
    Austin, Texas
  • GrillMeister,
    i drizzle honey (probably a tablespoon or so, just a fine drizzle back and forth) and about 2 - 3 tablespoons across the aluminum foil, lay the ribs on it, then do the same on top of the rack, then wrap it up tight. . .

  • chuckls
    chuckls Posts: 399
    sparerib.jpg
    <p />Mark Backer,
    If you haven't seen it, here's a link to my spare ribs movie. Trimmin' peelin' rubbin' and a cookin'[p]:)[p]Chuck

    [ul][li]Trimmin' and Cookin' spares[/ul]
  • Grillicious
    Grillicious Posts: 347
    mad max beyond eggdome,[p]What about the brown sugar? Also, do you have any links for sweet baby rays, bone sucker's, or ken stone's big chief sweet baby rays, bone sucker's, or ken stone's big chief sauces?[p]Thanks
  • Mark Backer
    Mark Backer Posts: 1,018
    Grillicious,[p]Sweet Baby Ray's is available at most walmarts, krogers and publi. [p]I have seen bone suckin' sauce there too...
  • Grillicious
    Grillicious Posts: 347
    chuckls,[p]I tried your video link and Windows media player can't play it. What format is it?

  • Grillicious
    Grillicious Posts: 347
    Grillicious,[p]I got it to work using Quicktime.

  • SSN686
    SSN686 Posts: 3,500
    Morning Grillicious:[p]Ken (BlueSmoke) doesn't have a formal website, this link should give you some info about what he has available and how to contact him.[p]All of it is fantastic (I like the Witchy Red best).[p]Have a GREAT day!
    Jay

    [ul][li]BlueSmoke[/ul]

    Have a GREAT day!

       Jay

    Brandon, FL


     

  • Grillicious,
    whoops, sorry, the reference to "2 - 3" tablespoon was the brown sugar. ..and probably about a tablespoon or so of honey. .. [p]you can find bone sucking sauce at harris teeters and other grocery stores as well as kitchen outlets i've been to....[p]unfortunately, ken stone isn't making sauces any more. . .i have 4 bottles of his big chief sauce left, and i only use for special stuff, cause once its gone... .its gone :-(

  • chuckls
    chuckls Posts: 399
    Grillicious,[p]It's an AVI - Windows Media Player should be OK with it, maybe your Windows Media Player needs an update?
    RealPlayer also works, as does QuickTime (I see from your post that you got QuickTime to work) [p]If you liked that one, There's more movies at my BGE page -[p]Chuck

    [ul][li]chuckls' BGE web page[/ul]
  • Grillicious
    Grillicious Posts: 347
    chuckls,[p]It's a new notebook with XP Professional, so it should be update to date.[p]I didn't get any sound from your movie with Quicktime. Is there any?
  • Rumrunner
    Rumrunner Posts: 563
    Grillicious, you may need to make Windows Media Player your 'default' player.

  • chuckls
    chuckls Posts: 399
    Grillicious,[p]the only movie with sound is the "return of WGC".[p]It's a fun one to watch, if I do say so myself![p]Chuck
    [ul][li]"The Return of WGC - the movie"[/ul]
  • Rumrunner
    Rumrunner Posts: 563
    chuckls, LOL LOL LOL all I can say

  • Bordello
    Bordello Posts: 5,926
    mad max beyond eggdome,
    I am also missing Ken's great "BIG CHIEF" sauce. Be happy that you have some back up.[p]Regards,
    New Bob