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white tube-like things in spare ribs

jerryp
jerryp Posts: 232
in EggHead Forum
Anybody know what those white tube-like things are in spareribs or perhaps how to get rid of them?  Thanks.
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Comments

  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,314
    I'm guessing you mean the flap meat-google "trimming spares St. Louis style" and you will get a quick lesson on how to get rid of them...if I'm guessing right-if not, then I pass.
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
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  • Eggcelsior
    Eggcelsior Posts: 14,414
    It's cartilage. Some people chew on it, others gag. Even more so, people trim their spareribs. "St. Louis-style and cut this part off, making the ribs more like loin-back ribs in terms of size. Like our underwater friend said, google "trimming spareribs" and you will get a cornucopia of websites, blogs, and youtube videos that show you how to trim them.

    Or, if your like me, you buy loin backs. Otherwise, SWMBO won't eat them.
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  • jerryp
    jerryp Posts: 232
    I did trim them, apparently not high enough on the rib.  I thought following the line of fat would be ok.  Follow-up question, any advice on how to use all the trimmings?

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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,314
    +1 with Eggcelsior-Also you can use them in ABT's. 
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
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  • Skiddymarker
    Skiddymarker Posts: 8,522
    Best part of ribs is the cook's reward, the trimmed bits done with the ribs, like 'Celsior says, great snacks. 
    Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
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  • JayHawkEye
    JayHawkEye Posts: 196
    +2. Cook them, save them, and put in anything (soups, eggs, tacos, salads, etc.)
    "Take yourself lightly, but what you do seriously." - M. Martin XL BGE - Johnston, IA
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  • SamFerrise
    SamFerrise Posts: 556
    Its cartilage, give it to your dog.

    Simple ingredients, amazing results!
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  • Dyal_SC
    Dyal_SC Posts: 6,050
    I like to smoke the trimmings alongside the rack of ribs. I season them just like the ribs, and usually place them on a small sheet of foil on the egg with the ribs, to keep them from falling through the cracks. After they get nice and smoky, I take them off, bag'em up and throw them in the freezer. They are delicious in a crockpot full of pinto beans, a pot full of butter beans, or baked beans.
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  • 500
    500 Posts: 3,177
    So consensus is to trim them St. Louis style. Does anyone prefer them whole?
    I like my butt rubbed and my pork pulled.
    Member since 2009
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  • SmokeyPitt
    SmokeyPitt Posts: 10,490
    I tried them whole once.  They are find, but the problem is the "flap" meat usually tapers at the end so it is going to be fairly dry by the time the rest of the spares get done.  I ended up trimming most of them after the fact.  

    Personally I like to buy them already trimmed St. Louis style from Costco if I am making spares.  

    Which came first the chicken or the egg?  I egged the chicken and then I ate his leg. 

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  • NibbleMeThis
    NibbleMeThis Posts: 2,295
    edited January 2013
    I agree with the trimming them for St Louis style spare ribs.

    This might be heresy, but, I like to put my rib tips in a Dutch oven and braise them so they are tender, "fall off the cartilage".  I like my ribs more firm but for my rib tips, I like them shred-able since it is easier to get it all off the odd shaped cartilage.

    Sometimes I use a Tex-Mex flavor profile in the Dutch oven (onions, chilies, chili powder, garlic, beer, etc) and use it for tacos, burritos, or chimichangas.  Other times I might go Asian (ginger, garlic, chiles, sriracha, rice wine vinegar, etc) and use the meat for eggrolls, spring rolls, or dumplings.

    @500 I started out doing whole spares on an offset but just found that I like the trimmed ribs because they cook quicker and are easier for guests to eat.  Just a preference, it's all tasty pork.
    Knoxville, TN
    Nibble Me This
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  • NDG
    NDG Posts: 2,431
    I cut that whole portion off 3 slabs, froze the whole extra portion, then chopped meat off to make meatballs later. Tossed tubes.
    Columbus, OH

    “There are only two ways to live your life.  One is as though nothing is a miracle.  The other is as if everything is” 
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  • Botch
    Botch Posts: 15,463
    Mmmmm, "fall-off-the-cartilage"!!   :))
    _____________

    Remember when teachers used to say 'You won't have a calculator everywhere you go'?  Well, we showed them.


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  • khristyjeff
    khristyjeff Posts: 163
    Jim from FL posted a recipe he made up where he used trimmings for "Scotchman's red Chili". Should be able to search for it if interested. Very tasty.
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  • Griffin
    Griffin Posts: 8,200

    Don't forget to trim off the skirt or skirt meat when trimming your ribs. Cooks much faster then the meat on the bones. Just throw it on the Egg alongside the rack of ribs.image

    Rowlett, Texas

    Griffin's Grub or you can find me on Facebook

    The Supreme Potentate, Sovereign Commander and Sultan of Wings

     

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  • 500
    500 Posts: 3,177
    Spares it is next time I do ribs over baby backs.  Need to Google how to trim them properly.  No experience with those knife skills.  Thanks for the advice.
    I like my butt rubbed and my pork pulled.
    Member since 2009
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  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 18,731
    So consensus is to trim them St. Louis style. Does anyone prefer them whole?
    I'm lazy. Rub the whole rack of spares, throw em on at 280- 300, indirect,  then forget about them for 3.5- 4 hrs. They come out moist and delicious. No trimming, spritzing, mopping or peeking.

     Have done this the last few times and there have been no complaints. When I used to trim spares, I would save the flap meat for things like stir fry. Its just much simpler to throw the whole thing on and not have to worry about the other parts taking up freezer space. 

    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
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  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 18,731
    here's a vid to help out:
    www youtube com/watch?v=PpJxnnVOLiM.

    The rest of their site is pretty good too. Their videos are fun to watch.

    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
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  • Stoater
    Stoater Posts: 292
    jerryp said:
    Anybody know what those white tube-like things are in spareribs or perhaps how to get rid of them?  Thanks.
    Tapeworm. Don't eat it! Ship it to me and I will destroy it.
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