Baby back or spare ribs - what's your favorite?

ScottinKC

and why?

RocketMan

ScottinKC,[p]spares, no doubt... I think much better flavor (and usually at 1/2 - 2/3rds the cost!)[p]- Andy

stike

ScottinKC,
trimmed pork spares, by far.
more meat! grrrr

thirdeye

ScottinKC,[p]Spares, hands down. I like the flavor, value & size. I buy the full slab and cook the trim just for me![p]~thirdeye~

stormyddog

Funny thing about this question, last night I picked up 3 slabs of babyback ribs to cook up for tonight. Had some people over last night and it started talking about the ribs. Long story short we are now having some of the neighbors over tonight so I ran down to the Abitoir, they where out of babybacks so I picked up some St. Louis to do for the first time. I am cooking them all the same on the egg right now so I will take a survey tonight and give you a report.
The butcher recommended the St.Louis saying that all the restaurants and competitors by the St. Louis and trim them up to look like Babybacks.
2funny

SuperDave

RocketMan,
There are two styles of spareribs, St.Louis and Kansas City style. St.Lous are whole as purchased ... just smoke 'em.[p] KC are trimmed to the cartilage and the bottom edge or the flap of meat is trimmed evenly across, leaving a even and uniform size rib with the same amount of meat on both ends. Nice to eat, and they don't seem to be so fatty this way. The trimmings are cooked with the ribs and usually used chopped up and put in beans for flavor and texture. It's quite delicious!
I prefer the latter because they always come out the same to me. Baby backs taste great, but they're all bone and very little meat. On average in my area of Oklahoma, BB's cost about 12.00 per rack, or 3 racks for 20.00 at Sams Club. Kinda pricey for no more meat than you get!
Try them all and report your preference and favorite recipe when you find it!

BabyBoomBBQ

ScottinKC,[p]Spares. More meat, better taste, better value if you cook the tips for eating or adding to other dishes.[p]I still do BB's once in a while too.

Unknown

ScottinKC, guess I am late, and a contrarian. I used to do spares, but after getting good baby backs, never buy spares unless they giving them away. Spares available here are about 80% bone, gristle and cartilage, while baby backs are lean and very meaty. I cut a rack of BB's in half, and wife and I each eat only 1/2 rack. I only buy BB's when they are on sale for $3.00 or less per pound. Used to use hickory or cherry, but now only use guava wood from Greg.

Eroc

ScottinKC,
Babybacks when i'm just cookin' for me and my old lady.
St. Louis spares when I have company because I'll just buy as much as my cooker can fit for a good price.
Babybacks are just consistent in size and texture, and have almost no gristle or anything like that, and i think they just taste sweeter: but that said it takes alot of them to feed a crowd.
I like ribs in general, so this is all just splitting hairs to me though.:)