What are button ribs?

Smokin' Lady · June 2008

I bought a three-rack vac pack of button back ribs, bone removed without noticing the "button" part. Is it just that they are smaller, or will they not be as meaty, or what? Do I cook them the same as usual?

Fidel · June 2008

Buttons are small circular bones about the size of a 50-cent piece that are cut from the back end of the pork loin, past the rear end of the actual rib cage. There are usually 4 or 5 of them in a set.

The meat is about the same as what you would find with baby backs, only usually thinner. When I worked in a pork processing plant many moons ago the standard was to cut them as close to the bone as possible leaving most of the meat intact on the boneless loin. We called them riblets back in the day.

I've never prepared them, and actually cannot say I have ever seen them for sale.

Car Wash Mike · June 2008

I would like to see a pic. "Button"?

Mike

Fidel · June 2008

You can find them on a google image search Mike. The entire set of them is about the size of your hand.

Smokin' Lady · June 2008

Yes, the tag said "back rib button - bone removed". Here they are, front and back, all 3 racks are there. They seem to be about the same length as a normal rack, only not as thick. I had planned on making them for my brother and his wife tomorrow, do you think I would end up regretting it?

Fidel · June 2008

Those look like regular baby backs to me.

The tag says back rib - button bone removed. They are back ribs with the button bones removed. Makes sense to me now.

Fidel · June 2008

These are what button ribs look like:

Smokin' Lady · June 2008

OK, I think I'll go ahead and cook them up. I mean he's my brother, what's he going to do, disown me? Thanks for the pic and the advice - I always know I can get a quick answer or two here. :cheer:

Car Wash Mike · June 2008

Well, maybe they are talking about the backbone removed. I don't know what meat cutters are doing.
You have baby backs. You need to pull the membrane off, follow the 3-1-1 if this is your fisrt time.
Call of you need help/
816*223-9925
Then give me your meat cutters name and number. We have to have a talk. :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:

Mike

Fidel · June 2008

Canadian cuts tend to be labeled differently than what we are used to Mike. I think we had this discussion a couple weeks ago about london broil.

stike · June 2008

methinks the limitaTIONS OF THEIR LABELER ARE SHOWING.
(OOOPS, CAPS LOCK ISSUES).

they aren't saying they are back ribs of the "button" type, with bone removed

they are saying they are (baby) back ribs, with the "button bone(s)" removed.

they relly are just "back ribs" (baby back ribs). button bones are the bones of the back bone that don't have ribs coming off of them. basically, every rack of baby-backs ever sold has been sold with "button bones removed"

weird.

Fossil Frank · June 2008

Smokin' Lady
The Applebee's restaurants in central Indiana serve riblets all the time, they are pretty good. I never knew where they came from until now but I figured they were from the ribs by the taste and the name. What you've got is baby back ribs that just happen to mention that the button bones are removed. Good Luck with your cook.
Frank from Indiana :cheer: :cheer:

Car Wash Mike · June 2008

Just my personal opinion. Meat cutters in Canada suck. :woohoo:
Call it like it is.

Mike

Smokin' Lady · June 2008

Thanks for your generous offer of help, but I already have it in the form of your "baby back rib class" notes that I have used a few times before with great success. Guess I'm just not quite experienced enough yet to be sure when I'm looking at actual back ribs! :blush:

Car Wash Mike · June 2008

We haven't adressed the issue of you cooking these.
Wess B has a nice site for a 3-1-1 method. I don't foil, but you should first time.

Mike

Smokin' Lady · June 2008

OK, I'll give it a look. Thanks again.

stike · June 2008

you are correct. every single butcher in the entire country of canada is an idiot.

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What are button ribs?

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