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Babyback vs St Louis

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Wanasmoke
Wanasmoke Posts: 388
edited September 2017 in EggHead Forum
Discovered a new butcher shop close to home that is basically a forum member's dream. Walls lined with bags of Rockwood, 10 varieties of house made sausage, dry aged beef, heritage pork.....you get the picture. Purchased an untrimmed sparerib rack and a slab of babybacks.
Trimmed into a St Louis slab and rubbed both with Memphis dust. 
Set the egg for 225 with apple chunks. Rode it out for about 5 hrs no foil. One layer of light sauce for another 20 min.
 


Thoughts- I think I've finally determined that my preference is babybacks. I like how the spareribs look- they are always a bit more challenging to eat imo with some of the cartilage bits. I like the meatiness of the back ribs especially when the pork is of this quality. Props to Kettle Range Meats in Milwaukee. 

The Rockwood was a nice find as well as I've never seen it anywhere else around here. Smaller pieces than the Fogo I usually use but lights quickly and had nice mild flavor. Thumbs up from the kids so it was a win in my book!  Packers comeback win was the icing  ;)
LBGE in Elm Grove, WI
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  • drumdudeguy
    drumdudeguy Posts: 165
    edited September 2017
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    Looks great! Was this direct or indirect heat?

    Charlotte NC - Large Big Green Egg (2009) w/Nest and Handler
    Accessories: PSWoo, Woo, Adjustable Rig, Smokeware Cap and Temperature Gauge
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  • Wanasmoke
    Wanasmoke Posts: 388
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    drumdudeguy said:

    Looks great! Was this direct or indirect heat?

    Indirect with a drip pan filled with H20
    LBGE in Elm Grove, WI
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  • Theophan
    Theophan Posts: 2,654
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    I envy you the store, and those ribs all looked great!
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  • pgprescott
    pgprescott Posts: 14,544
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    Those all look great! I cook BB’s almost exclusively, for the same reasons you do and they are the best product readily available to me. I must say the best ribs I have ever eaten were STL prepared by a friend who has done comps. They were unbelievably succulent. 
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  • Wanasmoke
    Wanasmoke Posts: 388
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    pgprescott said:
    Those all look great! I cook BB’s almost exclusively, for the same reasons you do and they are the best product readily available to me. I must say the best ribs I have ever eaten were STL prepared by a friend who has done comps. They were unbelievably succulent. 
    @pgprescott I've heard the same but can't seem to recreate them myself. I must be missing something on my technique...
    LBGE in Elm Grove, WI
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  • pgprescott
    pgprescott Posts: 14,544
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    Wanasmoke said:
    pgprescott said:
    Those all look great! I cook BB’s almost exclusively, for the same reasons you do and they are the best product readily available to me. I must say the best ribs I have ever eaten were STL prepared by a friend who has done comps. They were unbelievably succulent. 
    @pgprescott I've heard the same but can't seem to recreate them myself. I must be missing something on my technique...
    Same here! 
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  • Durangler
    Durangler Posts: 1,122
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    $$
    Looks great!
    XL BGE, 22" Weber Red Head, Fiesta Gasser .... Peoria,AZ
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  • StillH2OEgger
    StillH2OEgger Posts: 3,746
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    I don't have a strong preference on SL vs. BB ribs, but will opt for whichever happens to be on special that week.
    Stillwater, MN
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  • CigarCityEgger
    CigarCityEgger Posts: 2,109
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    Great looking ribs. I prefer baby backs myself, but wouldn't turn down either, especially if they looked like yours
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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,349
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    I'm currently in the BB camp as the ones I can find around here of late are quite meaty.  I will land where the ribs look the best to me.  
    BTW-great outcome across the board.  Most eggcellent.  
    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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  • gdenby
    gdenby Posts: 6,239
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    Good results from good starts.

    I've got a couple places similar to what you found. One has its own smokehouse, another is a BGE dealer on top of being a butcher shop. Wonderful places to spend $$
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  • JRWhitee
    JRWhitee Posts: 5,678
    edited September 2017
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    Those ribs look great, I prefer the Baby Backs over Spares as well.
                                                                
    _________________________________________________
    Don't let the truth get in the way of a good story!
    Large BGE 2006, Mini Max 2014, 36" Blackstone, Anova Sous Vide
    Green Man Group 
    Johns Creek, Georgia
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  • northGAcock
    northGAcock Posts: 15,164
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    I don't think there is a wrong choice to the options here. Real estate could be impacted by the size of your egg. Myself, I cook my ribs in a rack (vertically) with the large bone side up. The spares make it crowded in the dome..... but like them just the same.
    Ellijay GA with a Medium & MiniMax

    Well, I married me a wife, she's been trouble all my life,
    Run me out in the cold rain and snow
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  • GregW
    GregW Posts: 2,677
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    Great looking ribs. I wish that there was a good butcher near me, but sadly Publix is the best we have.
    I'm thinking that I like the baby backs better. 
    I have had really good luck cooking indirect at 275 Degrees on my last few cooks. The higher temp really shortens the cook time. I'm cooking unwrapped all the way.

    Again, your ribs look awesome.
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  • saluki2007
    saluki2007 Posts: 6,354
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    Yes sir!  Great looking ribs. I don't have a preference as I go with whichever looks better at the time. 
    Large and Small BGE
    Central, IL

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  • ChokeOnSmoke
    ChokeOnSmoke Posts: 1,942
    edited September 2017
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    Nice cook.  Baby backs all day over spare ribs.
    If you're in a hurry, cook em indirect at 350º for about 1.5 hours, see if you can tell the difference over low and slow, I can't!
    Packerland, Wisconsin

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  • Hans61
    Hans61 Posts: 3,901
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    Sounds like a cool place. Ribs look great
    “There are three rules that I live by: never get less than twelve hours sleep; never play cards with a guy who has the same first name as a city; and never get involved with a woman with a tattoo of a dagger on her body.”
    Coach Finstock Teen Wolf
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  • feef706
    feef706 Posts: 853
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    Very nice cook, I too prefer baby back, haven't had great results with spares and definitely prefer the meatiness of BB. Love the color on your finished product. Is your rub a home mix? I like the color, if it is your recipe do you mind sharing? Trying to ditch the premade rub if possible. Have tried making my own and the color is always off, yours looks perfect.
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  • bgebrent
    bgebrent Posts: 19,636
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    Great topic. At my place, babybacks/loinbacks are preferred. They simply are eater-friendly. 
    Sandy Springs & Dawsonville Ga
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  • Wanasmoke
    Wanasmoke Posts: 388
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    feef706 said:
    Very nice cook, I too prefer baby back, haven't had great results with spares and definitely prefer the meatiness of BB. Love the color on your finished product. Is your rub a home mix? I like the color, if it is your recipe do you mind sharing? Trying to ditch the premade rub if possible. Have tried making my own and the color is always off, yours looks perfect.
    @feef706  Thanks!! Amazing Ribs website is the recipe for Memphis dust. It's pretty high sugar content which I think leads to the nice bark!
    LBGE in Elm Grove, WI
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  • feef706
    feef706 Posts: 853
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    Wanasmoke said:
    feef706 said:
    Very nice cook, I too prefer baby back, haven't had great results with spares and definitely prefer the meatiness of BB. Love the color on your finished product. Is your rub a home mix? I like the color, if it is your recipe do you mind sharing? Trying to ditch the premade rub if possible. Have tried making my own and the color is always off, yours looks perfect.
    @feef706  Thanks!! Amazing Ribs website is the recipe for Memphis dust. It's pretty high sugar content which I think leads to the nice bark!
    Thanks, I will check that one out for sure.
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