Baby Backs Vs. St. Louis Cut Ribs

TonyA

As much as I love making pulled pork, at my house we love ribs.  I started out always cooking baby backs because they were quicker.  But I noticed I always tend to buy bigger baby backs and somewhat smaller St. Louis cut.  So I've got a rack each in the egg right now within 0.2 lbs of each other. Other than the cut, they will be identical - we'll see who the favorite is .. 

chrisnjenn

I prefer to buy spareribs and cut it St. Louis cut.  I like spares better than babyback.  I feel they have better flavor overall.  Everyone has their own tastes.

TonyA

I'm anticipating a draw these both looked pretty good .... We'll see.

lousubcap

@TonyA-can't have a draw-nothing learned....just kidding-welcome and enjoy.

TonyA

Well I'll at least know I'll never get a straight answer lol

GreenhawK

Sounds like an interesting test.  I have always been a St. Louis fan because they have more meat.  I have never really noticed a flavor difference though.  One thing that I have noticed though is that restaurants that cook baby backs seem to over cook them.  It's probably more the cook than the cut of ribs though.  Let us know how it goes.

TonyA

So far so good at there hours.

The Cen-Tex Smoker

Sounds like an interesting test.  I have always been a St. Louis fan because they have more meat.  I have never really noticed a flavor difference though.  One thing that I have noticed though is that restaurants that cook baby backs seem to over cook them.  It's probably more the cook than the cut of ribs though.  Let us know how it goes.

That's because they have to keep them warm for many hours to complete a food service. When you hold them hot for so long, it overcoooks them. It's the biggest problem in low and slow food at restaurants- you have to cook them all hours ahead of time, but your service can run 4-5 hours sometimes. You can't make more if you run out bucause they take 4 hours to cook! The people that do it right are very few and far between.

bigguy136

I think you will like the St. Louis ribs over the baby backs. I normally do 2 racks of St. Louis style but one of the racks starts as spare ribs. I trim it to St. Louis style, cook the trimmings for a few hours and chop that up into some beans. Wonderful.

SlowMotion

St. Louis is my pick

TonyA

Not my best work. Both racks were done, I let them go a little further and the small St. Louis rack wound up a tad dry. I at least learned to trust my judgement. The big beefy baby backs were preferred but it's hardly fair. From a shopping perspective, if sizes are similar I willtake the baby backs.

stevesails

My family likes baby backs. Last family meal before the kids go back to college. Some hobo potatoes in the foil packs

ugafan

"big beefy baby backs"

Am I the only one that found that description funny? 

TonyA

Does meaty make it better or you thinking it's just an oxymoron?