Spare Ribs question

mookied

I think I am doing my first rib smoke tomorrow....I have done baby backs on my gas grill many times, but never spare ribs....I have a question.....the tip of the ribs....you know the fleshy part that is not attached to the bone....that usually makes the rib tips....what should I do with that?  Do I take it off  or leave it attached? 

Please tell me what your techniques are with spare ribs. This will be my 3rd time firing up the egg.....any and all help is appreciated.  

gdenby

The classic solution is the "St. Louis trim." There are lots of images and videos of how to do this. Cut off the meat only end flap. Cut off the small tip bones, and the big chunk of chine bone. Once there is just the strip of bone-flesh-bone-flesh-bone etc, it will all cook pretty evenly. 

The trimmings can be cooked separately, often with equally good results.

Expect a longer cook than BBs. 5 hours is really the absolute minimum. 6 is good. Sometimes even 7 is required.

mookied

Thanks.

Ok....can I cook the trimmings with the Spare's?  Do they take a lot shorter to cook?  They seem to be skinny, and will be hard to get a temp on?  Maybe smoke for 2 to 2.5 hours?  Then put them in the beans to flavor them up.  What say you.

gdenby

They make great additions to beans. Sometimes its hard to get them tender before they dry out, so a couple of hours for smoke makes them just right for flavoring. If they are rolled up or folded over to be thicker, they may cook a little better. 

I've come to like trimmed spares better than BBs. Take a little more work, but the Egg helps immensely.

jaydub58

Try 6 hours at about 240-250 indirect. During the last 2 hours spritz with 1/3 apple cider vinegaar, 2/3 apple juice lightly every half hour. If you use a bbq sauce, put it on waith about 20 minutes to go, or when the meat is pulled back about 1/4 inch from the end of the bone, Yum!

 =P~

SmokeyPitt

I think using the trimmin's in the beans is an eggscellent idea!