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Can someone explain St. Louis cut ribs?

bicktravbicktrav Posts: 628
in EggHead Forum
I've made St. Louis cut ribs several times, and every time I've wondered why anyone eats them. They always have tubes of white cartilage running through them, which makes for some pretty unappetizing bites. The other side of the rib (the side with the bone in it) is good, but it's only about two-three inches long; the remaining two-three inches is the fatty cartilage stuff. Basically half of each rib is kind of nasty on account of the cartilage. I always get mine from the same butcher. Is he cutting them wrong or something? 
Southern California
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  • bicktravbicktrav Posts: 628
    lkapigian said:
    What you are describing are whole Spate Ribs, cutting that plate section out gives you St Louis , the trimmed section gives you rib tips 

    I buy whole and cut them down to st Louis, cheaper plus is gets you the rib tips which is also some great Q
    So a proper St. Louis cut should have no tubes of cartilage at all? The butcher I go to calls these St. Louis cut. They are certainly not full spares because they are much too rectangular looking. Does that mean he's doing a bad job trimming?
    Southern California
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  • lkapigianlkapigian Posts: 7,564

    Visalia, Ca

    LGBE- Pit's by Klose Trailer -Stumps XL Stretch - Custom Santa Maria-Modified HD Offset Smoker Reverse Flow- FatStack Smoker coming soon- Blackstone 36 - Custom Cold Smoke House and a lonely Brinkman Vertical Smoker
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  • lkapigianlkapigian Posts: 7,564
    bicktrav said:
    lkapigian said:
    What you are describing are whole Spate Ribs, cutting that plate section out gives you St Louis , the trimmed section gives you rib tips 

    I buy whole and cut them down to st Louis, cheaper plus is gets you the rib tips which is also some great Q
    So a proper St. Louis cut should have no tubes of cartilage at all? The butcher I go to calls these St. Louis cut. They are certainly not full spares because they are much too rectangular looking. Does that mean he's doing a bad job trimming?
    Sounds like bad trimming 
    Visalia, Ca

    LGBE- Pit's by Klose Trailer -Stumps XL Stretch - Custom Santa Maria-Modified HD Offset Smoker Reverse Flow- FatStack Smoker coming soon- Blackstone 36 - Custom Cold Smoke House and a lonely Brinkman Vertical Smoker
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  • bicktravbicktrav Posts: 628
    lkapigian said:
    bicktrav said:
    lkapigian said:
    What you are describing are whole Spate Ribs, cutting that plate section out gives you St Louis , the trimmed section gives you rib tips 

    I buy whole and cut them down to st Louis, cheaper plus is gets you the rib tips which is also some great Q
    So a proper St. Louis cut should have no tubes of cartilage at all? The butcher I go to calls these St. Louis cut. They are certainly not full spares because they are much too rectangular looking. Does that mean he's doing a bad job trimming?
    Sounds like bad trimming 
    Too bad. I like the butcher a lot, and he's got good meat, but definitely sounds like he is not trimming it right. Will have to get my spares elsewhere, I guess.
    Southern California
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  • DoubleEggerDoubleEgger Posts: 16,849
    bicktrav said:
    lkapigian said:
    bicktrav said:
    lkapigian said:
    What you are describing are whole Spate Ribs, cutting that plate section out gives you St Louis , the trimmed section gives you rib tips 

    I buy whole and cut them down to st Louis, cheaper plus is gets you the rib tips which is also some great Q
    So a proper St. Louis cut should have no tubes of cartilage at all? The butcher I go to calls these St. Louis cut. They are certainly not full spares because they are much too rectangular looking. Does that mean he's doing a bad job trimming?
    Sounds like bad trimming 
    Too bad. I like the butcher a lot, and he's got good meat, but definitely sounds like he is not trimming it right. Will have to get my spares elsewhere, I guess.
    Or just ask him to trim them as per the pic above. If he shows his butt about it, then find another butcher. Most butcher shops are very helpful. Service is why they still exist. 
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  • lkapigianlkapigian Posts: 7,564
    Like @DoubleEgger says, just ask....but if so inclined , by whole and trim yourself , it really is quite easy once you've done a couple and you yeild a lot more meat for less $$$
    Visalia, Ca

    LGBE- Pit's by Klose Trailer -Stumps XL Stretch - Custom Santa Maria-Modified HD Offset Smoker Reverse Flow- FatStack Smoker coming soon- Blackstone 36 - Custom Cold Smoke House and a lonely Brinkman Vertical Smoker
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  • dmouratidmourati Posts: 962
    I did a post where I showed how i trimmed full spares into st louis style:

    https://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1222573/trimming-st-louis-spareribs#latest

    You can do it with a sharp knife and a little bit of know how. Takes maybe five minutes.
    Mountain View, CA
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  • CalbbqerCalbbqer Posts: 60


    Buying a St. Louis cut probably cost more than buying the slab of spares per pound and you’ll get less meat. 

    Get the slab of spares, trim it yourself, and cook the rib tips for your mid cook snack. 
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  • 6baluts6baluts Posts: 84
    @DoubleEgger
    You got that right. Hit Scott’s and Sweatmans on my way back to Va Beach. Scott’s for the win.
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  • bicktravbicktrav Posts: 628
    dmourati said:
    I did a post where I showed how i trimmed full spares into st louis style:

    https://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1222573/trimming-st-louis-spareribs#latest

    You can do it with a sharp knife and a little bit of know how. Takes maybe five minutes.
    Thanks for the link. I'm definitely going to trim it myself next time. When you do it, how much cartilage ends up in the final ribs?
    Southern California
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  • dmouratidmourati Posts: 962
    Not much cartilage remaining when I trim the spares myself. Be careful your first time. It is a little weird working the knife in that fashion. I watched lots of Youtube videos.
    Mountain View, CA
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  • SSQUAL612SSQUAL612 Posts: 1,177
    The rib tips are also good to put in your baked beans.
    Tyler, TX   XL BGE 2016, KJ Classic 2019,  MES, 18.5 WSM,  Akorn Jr,  36"&17" Black Stone, Adj Rig, Woo, Grill Grates, SS Smokeware Cap, KAB,  FB 300, Thermapen 
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  • JNDATHPJNDATHP Posts: 456
    Great thread. Now I know why spare ribs should be trimmed. Thanks. 
    Michael
    Large BGE
    Reno, NV
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  • thetrimthetrim Posts: 11,351


    =======================================
    XL 6/06, Mini 6/12, L 10/12, Mini #2 12/14 MiniMax 3/16 Large #2 11/20 Legacy from my FIL - RIP
    Tampa Bay, FL
    EIB 6 Oct 95
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  • nolaeggheadnolaegghead Posts: 35,790
    I mean, the whole idea of st Louis cuts is less cartilage for people that are grossed out by eating carcasses. 
    ______________________________________________
    Large and Medium BGE, Kamado Joe Jr, Akorn Jr, big effin' pellet smoker, gas grill, fire pit, FireDisk, pack of angry cats, two turntables and a microphone, my friend.  Registered republican.
    New Orleans, LA - we know how to eat 
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  • MickeyMickey Posts: 19,501
    am i the only one who likes the cartilage?  
    Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). 

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  • lkapigianlkapigian Posts: 7,564
    Mickey said:
    am i the only one who likes the cartilage?  
    you and me,that and Gizzards @Mickey
    Visalia, Ca

    LGBE- Pit's by Klose Trailer -Stumps XL Stretch - Custom Santa Maria-Modified HD Offset Smoker Reverse Flow- FatStack Smoker coming soon- Blackstone 36 - Custom Cold Smoke House and a lonely Brinkman Vertical Smoker
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  • MickeyMickey Posts: 19,501
    lkapigian said:
    Mickey said:
    am i the only one who likes the cartilage?  
    you and me,that and Gizzards @Mickey
    my wife hates to go to dinner with any of the above.... that and chicken legs
    Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). 

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  • EoinEoin Posts: 3,477
    lkapigian said:

    The problem here is finding ribs that haven't been trimmed down to the bone on top. They don't leave any meat on the rib.
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  • SmokeyPittSmokeyPitt Posts: 10,458
    When I buy them pre-trimmed St Louis ribs from somewhere like Costco, they usually still have some of the tubies in them. 

    Picture from sucklebusters:
    BBQ Pork Ribs

    I have had mixed results. Some were mostly good meat and I have had some that were too much of the cartilage. My wife really doesn't care for them compared to loin back, so I usually do the loin back ribs. 

    Which came first the chicken or the egg?  I egged the chicken and then I ate his leg. 

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