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Spare Ribs or Baby Backs?

flyerdoc
flyerdoc Posts: 141
in EggHead Forum
I made ribs for the first time about a month ago, did a slow cook with St. Louis cut Spare ribs and they were fantastic. Then did some Baby backs a few weeks later. Not bad, but the spare ribs were SO much better. Fast foward to yesterday, did the spare ribs again and was sorely disappointed with what seemed like an enormous amount of fat..

I'll try to get some pics up later...

Anyway, all ribs were purchased from BJ's. Is it just the luck of the draw with spare ribs, maybe go to a "real" butcher" or just stick with baby backs???


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Comments

  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 37,173
    It's clearly the luck of the draw unless you are getting fresh butchered meat and can eye-ball the cut and all that does is improve the selection options.    Mother nature here...  FWIW-
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period. CHEETO (aka Agent Orange) makes Nixon look like a saint.  
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  • OhioEgger
    OhioEgger Posts: 1,001
    You just have to develop some experience with the places you get your ribs. Where I live, baby backs are generally much meatier  and better tasting than the St. Louis ribs that I've given up on the StL style. 

    And within the category, I know where I can usually get better baby backs so I head there first. If they're out, then I go to my second place source.

    OTOH, I know plenty of folks who swear they get better StL style ribs. I believe them, but they don't live where I do.
    Cincinnati, Ohio. Large BGE since 2011. Still learning.
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  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 26,479
    +1 what @lousubcap said, but just so you know BB tend to be as short on tasty fat and spares are to be long on tasty fat. Suit yourself, but I prefer spares any day over bb, though I do trim excessively fat.
    Re-gasketing the USA one yard at a time 
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  • pgprescott
    pgprescott Posts: 14,544
    Fwiw, fat is oh so good when it comes to bbq. IMO, lean is bad. The fat is the flavor. Just have to let it render enough. As always though, it's a matter of personal preferences. 
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  • Hans61
    Hans61 Posts: 3,901
    I like both! I chose st Lois today cause they were 1.99/lb. $5.50 slabs = bargain!!!
    “There are three rules that I live by: never get less than twelve hours sleep; never play cards with a guy who has the same first name as a city; and never get involved with a woman with a tattoo of a dagger on her body.”
    Coach Finstock Teen Wolf
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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 37,173
    @pgprescott -  wish I could recall the old forum poster who closed with the following:  "Know fat, know flavor-no fat, no flavor."  Definitely spot-on.  
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period. CHEETO (aka Agent Orange) makes Nixon look like a saint.  
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  • flyerdoc
    flyerdoc Posts: 141
    I hear you about the fat, but these things were soooo fatty that even after a 6 hour slow cook at 240F it did not all render out...had to pick around the big pieces of fat, me no likey.
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  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 26,479
    That's why I said I trim the excessive exterior fat. In fact when I sense the layer is thick I whack back to red meat. Besides that I egg my spares at 275 to 300 indirect and never foil.
    Re-gasketing the USA one yard at a time 
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  • Focker
    Focker Posts: 8,364
    edited September 2016
    lousubcap said:
    @pgprescott -  wish I could recall the old forum poster who closed with the following:  "Know fat, know flavor-no fat, no flavor."  Definitely spot-on.  
    That would be Adam "ripnem"
    As far as ribs, I have learned to like and appreciate both.  And I used to be in the spares only camp.  Backs tend to be more predictable when it comes to 4-5hr finish.  I've had some meaty spares go as far as 9 hrs at lower q temps.
    Brandon
    Quad Cities
    "If yer gonna denigrate, familiarity with the subject is helpful."

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  • Jeepster47
    Jeepster47 Posts: 3,827
    Go back and read @OhioEgger 's post.  With my local "meat pusher" baby backs are the best deal.  Lots of meat and a reasonable amount of fat.  The spares are okay, I certainly buy them when they're on sale, but they're simply not as good.

    Oh, BTW, hit your butcher up for a discount when you buy multiple racks.  I buy a half dozed or so at a time and he usually gives me a 5 sec sale price.  We take them out of the store freezer and right into my house freezer.

    Washington, IL  >  Queen Creek, AZ ... Two large eggs and an adopted Mini Max

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  • bhedges1987
    bhedges1987 Posts: 3,201
    Spares > baby backs IMO 

    Kansas City, Missouri
    Large Egg
    Mini Egg

    "All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us" - Gandalf


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  • EGoldstein
    EGoldstein Posts: 34
    bhedges1987 said:
    Spares > baby backs IMO 
    I agree.
    Tu ne cede malis, sed contra audentior ito.
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  • StillH2OEgger
    StillH2OEgger Posts: 3,915
    I feel like St. Louis style is the best of both worlds.
    Stillwater, MN
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  • milesvdustin
    milesvdustin Posts: 2,882
    I prefer whole spares. I cut the rib tips off and save them up for a once in a while rib tip feast. 

    Wife hates spares because of the cartilage nubbin. 

    2 LBGE, Blackstone 36, Jumbo Joe

    Egging in Southern Illinois (Marion)

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