Spare Ribs cut down to St Louis

Brisket_Fanatic

Thought I would show a couple visual aids for those that have never cut spares down to St. Loius style. This is how I do it, find the longest bone and cut straight down the slab making a rectangle. Then cut the tiny tendon/ligaments off to square up the slab.

Then flip the slab over and remove the membrane

Followed by trimming off the skirt on the backside.

Then I like to coat with canola oil and a heavy dose of your favorite rub:

Then onto the egg at 225 dome temp for a normal 3-2-1 type of cook with Pecan and Applewood. I also tossed on a hamburger patty for an appetizer along the way.

Checked on them at 2 hours and pulled the burger at 163 degrees.

Burger was great!

While the egg was doing it's magic I whipped up a batch of homeade rib sauce

Ribs done and ready for some sauce

 

Plated with some AuGratin Potatoes and Baked Beans

 

JohnInCarolina

Great cook and very useful guide!

RRP

Looks good! The only thing I see missing is the flap meat. I have found there is no need to even try to remove the membrane on it but lay it across the grill. In one hours time it is done and gives the cook a nice little taste treat!

NPHuskerFL

I've never cut ribs down to St Louis Style before. What purpose does it serve? Aesthetics only? I see you still cook the trimmed section also. Do other people cook these or use the trimmings for other things?

NPHuskerFL

What's in your rib sauce if that's something you care to share. OBTW great looking meal!

minniemoh

Looks great - nice cook! I wish I could whip up a batch of those taters but my Mrs would have some issues with her stomach from those. She has a dairy issue. 

RRP

NPHuskerFL said:

 Do other people cook these or use the trimmings for other things?

The parts removed are full of bone, gristle and fat, but I take a sharp knife and salvage the meat and use it for a wok meal...except for the flap meat as I mentioned above.

Dobie

I only buy the St Louis cut ribs now.

Brisket_Fanatic

@johnincarolina Thanks

Brisket_Fanatic

@RRP - Thanks I have 3 gallon size baggies full of that meat which like you will use for other cooks.

Brisket_Fanatic

@NPHuskerFL - Thanks, Like Ron said it is mostly for asthetics in competition and lots of other things in the meat but I save them up and then make other things with the trimmings. The sauce is fruit based traditional KC style BBQ sauce. Some friends gave me grief so it has been dubbed Smurfberry Sauce.

Brisket_Fanatic

@minniemoh - Thanks I used to be the same way but after years of immunotheraphy treatment I can once again eat dairy.

SmokeyPitt

The ribs look great and it is a helpful tutorial. 

NPHuskerFL said:

I've never cut ribs down to St Louis Style before. What purpose does it serve? Aesthetics only? I see you still cook the trimmed section also. Do other people cook these or use the trimmings for other things?

I think it is a combination of aesthetics but also because the flap you remove is much thinner and usually cooks faster.  

Personally I just buy them already trimmed.  You pay a little more per lb but I prefer not to have the extra.  If full spares are on sale I would buy them again and probably go ahead and cook the trimmings and then vac seal them for use in sammiches  ( @Griffinmcrib!) or ABT filler. 

Brisket_Fanatic

@Dobie - I agree but when these are on sale at Sam's I can't beat the price.

Brisket_Fanatic

@SmokeyPitt - Thanks!

Ladeback69

@Brisket_Fanatic‌, nice rib class. You do a better job then I do on mine. I did a couple slabs this Sunday. I didn't square mine off like you did. They look good. I like mine dry and everyone at our table ate them dry except my 5 year old son who puts ketchup on everything. I believe I will be having leftovers tonight by the way. Your sauce sounds good too.

Brisket_Fanatic

@Ladeback69‌ Thanks, the sauce really put s them over the top. My 5yold like them Memphis style and eats them off the bone. He ate two bones last night.

RRP

Brisket_Fanatic said:

 My 5yold like them Memphis style and eats them off the bone. He ate two bones last night.

Was it something like this?

Ladeback69

My wife likes it when do them when I wrap them in foil after 2 hours and add apple juice and brown sugar. She likes them fall off the bone. I forgot yesterday and just did them the way I like. My kid liked them better then the pizzas I did a few weeks ago. The pizza was good to me, but his taste aren't like us adults yet. He likes Papa Johns.

Brisket_Fanatic

RRP said:

Brisket_Fanatic said:

 My 5yold like them Memphis style and eats them off the bone. He ate two bones last night.

Was it something like this?

Exactly like that!

Brisket_Fanatic

@Ladeback69‌ Nothing wrong with Papa Johns in my book!

WeberWho

Fancy, fancy, fancy!!! I need some rib practice myself. I was out doing pastrami on the egg this morning and one of my neighbors stopped over to chat. "I notice you grill a lot". I had to laugh. "I just want to let you know about a place in Glencoe where I get my pork. It's all chemical and hormone free". So he gave me a pamphlet all about it. Sweet!!! This post will come in handy with spares being $2.29 a pound

Brisket_Fanatic

@WeberWho?‌ Thanks, that looks great! Wanted to try some Duroc sometime for sure. We'll see you in May as I'm getting a new furnace tomorrow I won't be making FF this year.

SkinnyV

thank you for your service sir. well done!!!


^:)^

Brisket_Fanatic

@SkinnyV‌ No problem, Thanks!

jhl192

Great post! Good pics, good info, good food!

Jeepster47

Thanks ... book marked this thread.  Will probably do as @SmokeyPitt and just keep buying the St Louis already cut, but love knowing how it got to that point.

Brisket_Fanatic

@jhl192‌ Thanks!

Brisket_Fanatic

@Jeepster47‌ Thanks, I agree but when the price is right these are a good choice

Jeepster47

@Brisket_Fanatic ... okay ... but how about a rule of thumb?  If the whole rib section is XX% of a St Louis cut, then it's a good deal type of guidance.

Chubbs

This is a great post.. Thanks for the excellent photos to accompany the narrative. Well done