Whats your choice- Baby Back or Spare Ribs

Which is your favorite pork rib, Baby Back or Spare Ribs. Where do you stand?

  • Baby Back Ribs

    Votes: 49 50.0%
  • Spare Ribs

    Votes: 46 46.9%
  • Other

    Votes: 3 3.1%

  • Total voters
    98
I'm thinking baby backs - but that might also be because I haven't cooked them in a bit and I'm feeling a little burnt out on St Louis. My last batch was a bit disappointing, which doesn't help. Not bad, just underwhelming.
 
I'm thinking baby backs - but that might also be because I haven't cooked them in a bit and I'm feeling a little burnt out on St Louis. My last batch was a bit disappointing, which doesn't help. Not bad, just underwhelming.
That sometimes happens. Did you ever have it where everyone thought they were great but you though, they were so-so. You know the difference and sometimes it's something really small like a slightly softer bite, more or less bark, or tenderness. Thats why we keep coming back. It's like fly fishing for trout, different fly, different size fly, leader thickness, fly presentation, each time a little different, Always looking for better. ??
 
That sometimes happens. Did you ever have it where everyone thought they were great but you though, they were so-so. You know the difference and sometimes it's something really small like a slightly softer bite, more or less bark, or tenderness. Thats why we keep coming back. It's like fly fishing for trout, different fly, different size fly, leader thickness, fly presentation, each time a little different, Always looking for better. ??
So you're basically saying that he needs to stop blaming the ribs and lower his expectations?? I agree! :)
 
Nah, this one was the ribs. Even the wife noticed, and she's as supportive as can be. Methinks the meat I started with wasn't the best. It's all good, we learn from experience.

Seems like a few years back, I was getting really consistent ribs from Costco. The past year or so has been a lot more variable on tenderness, fat, and silverskin content. I like a good spare rib, but the consistency and tenderness seem a little better on the babybacks.
 
Seems like a few years back, I was getting really consistent ribs from Costco. The past year or so has been a lot more variable on tenderness, fat, and silverskin content. I like a good spare rib, but the consistency and tenderness seem a little better on the babybacks.
In BBQ it’s always the product, not the pit master. If you start with a lesser product, bad things can happen. Spare ribs are “spare” because they spare you any problems. ???
 
I’m a judge at the Memphis In May barbecue contest every year. I get to see both spares and baby backs, and a lot of times I eat heritage meats from very small specialized farm producers. I also smoke a whole lot myself.
My favorite thing is to take a full spare and cut it down to St. Louis cut. Then I use all the tips as teriyaki pork by chopping it up into chunks and adding soy sauce some chili pepper a little bit of honey and some sesame seeds. I’ll throw that in the freezer and just pull it out for grilling when I’m ready.
On the baby back‘s I judge a ton of them. The problem is that there is a belt of meat about an inch wide that runs diagonally across the top of the baby backs. That meat is a different density and texture than the rib meat just underneath it. When you are judging those ribs it’s very difficult to bite into a baby back and not tear the crap out of the thing because the meat in the “belt” pulls off all the meat on the bone. It’s not that it tastes bad, it’s just that the difference in texture makes it very hard to get a clean bite when you’re serving. I like to give a nice clean bite when I’m serving, so I use spares. It’s a small preference difference for me.
 
Both

Lots of times I will cook two Stl and 3 baby backs

That how they come in the packs from Sams :)

Hold a rib tasting after completion with a couple of the neighbors to decide which rub or sauce we like best.

Seems each person has a different taste but all the ribs get gone
 
I’m a judge at the Memphis In May barbecue contest every year. I get to see both spares and baby backs, and a lot of times I eat heritage meats from very small specialized farm producers. I also smoke a whole lot myself.
My favorite thing is to take a full spare and cut it down to St. Louis cut. Then I use all the tips as teriyaki pork by chopping it up into chunks and adding soy sauce some chili pepper a little bit of honey and some sesame seeds. I’ll throw that in the freezer and just pull it out for grilling when I’m ready.
On the baby back‘s I judge a ton of them. The problem is that there is a belt of meat about an inch wide that runs diagonally across the top of the baby backs. That meat is a different density and texture than the rib meat just underneath it. When you are judging those ribs it’s very difficult to bite into a baby back and not tear the crap out of the thing because the meat in the “belt” pulls off all the meat on the bone. It’s not that it tastes bad, it’s just that the difference in texture makes it very hard to get a clean bite when you’re serving. I like to give a nice clean bite when I’m serving, so I use spares. It’s a small preference difference for me.
Thanks for your insights. Any recipes to share? ??
 
Both

Lots of times I will cook two Stl and 3 baby backs

That how they come in the packs from Sams :)

Hold a rib tasting after completion with a couple of the neighbors to decide which rub or sauce we like best.

Seems each person has a different taste but all the ribs get gone
As long as they are all gone, you’re doing something right ???
 
Thanks for your insights. Any recipes to share? ??

Happy to. I don’t know if it is ok to post to my blog but I have several smoking and related recipes there. (Also, just ordered my Bull today; the blog is all Weber Smoky Mountain.)

Here’s Ribs:

https://www.woopigfoodie.com/how-to-smoke-ribs/

Here’s Brisket:

https://www.woopigfoodie.com/how-to-smoke-a-texas-style-beef-brisket/

There’s a bunch of other BBQ-related recipes in the search function.

Cheers.
 
I seem to be part of the minority here (typical in my life), but it's baby backs for me. They're the first ribs I ever cooked and they were so freakin' good I ate them all right off the cutting board standing at the island! :giggle:
 
It's whatever you and your family like. They re all good. Its great to have a choice. Pigs, they are so accommodating! ???
 
St Louis guy here..BB's around here are way too fatty.
Dan
 

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They look good. Did you St. Louis them yourself? ??
 

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