Choosing Baby Back Ribs

[STEbbq]

ecowper will be happy. My daughter asked me what I wanted for Christmas so I told her I’d like to make her and the other kids a nice meal. I didn’t know what she would suggest but I suspected pastrami as that has been a prior and happy request. However, she requested baby back ribs I made a few years ago with I am pretty sure Blue’s raspberry bbq sauce. I thought my ribs in general were meh, but I guess I did well! I, normally, as DaveD knows make pork perhaps once a year for myself only as Amanda doesn’t eat pork.

So, I am somewhat picky about my ribs. I don’t like the extra loin meat they leave on the meat now so I prefer my racks to be under three pounds each. The inability to oick size excludes online ordering and the use of raspberry bbq sauce makes iberico or Berkshire ribs a waste anyway. I suppose I could trim off the extra meat but then I am wasting money. Obviously I have not bought ribs for several years but now I must meet the kiddos’ standards.

So, what is the best way to pick some good quality ribs (3 racks) from local stores? Costco last time I checked sold them in a three pack and doesn’t let you pick individual racks.

It is not clear why prices are so different for a basic rack. Not really a fan of STL cut and it seems that flows through to the kiddos.

I could try the local butcher again when I oick up my turkey on the 20th but figured I would check to see if a rack is a rack or if there is something more to the higher prices.

[texastweeter]

Check the package, if they sat st. Lewis or spare, they are good...buy them.

[STEbbq]

So Aldi ones then?

[Bob K]

Know what you mean about the extra loin meat on one end of the baby backs. I trim it off and it does not go to waste. If it’s minimal, it’s a nice snack for me. If it’s a decent hunk, you get a couple of "boneless ribs" by slicing strips.

[STEbbq]

I don’t really mind the snack but I felt the extra meat added extra time to the cook drying out more of the ribs. I am hoping to eliminate it as a variable as I felt the smaller ribs fit a 2-1-1 cook process better. Again, not a frequent rib cooker…

[Bob K]

STEbbq - I should’ve clarified - I trim the excess off before cooking so the ribs are uniform thickness, like we’re looking for. Then put rub on the cutoff chunk along with the rack and toss it on the pit with the rack. Cooks faster so if it’s small it’s a pit master perk. If it’s decent size, I’ll slice into strips after cooking.

[Mosca]

Just curious, what do you have against St Louis cut?

[STEbbq]

I don’t have a great reason other than it is what I have always eaten and liked. I am sure I have been served awful STL ribs at restaurants while my homemade baby backs were pretty decent contributed too. My impression is the difference was fairly minimal. If the consensus is I should do STL because it is a massive improvement then I will do that but I guess I’d still have the original question about how to pick.

[Mosca]

I strongly prefer the taste of regular spares. I usually buy whole spares and cook ribs and tips together. What you probably should do (but not this time) is a rack of each, and compare, using your own technique.

[Andrrr]

For store bought ribs I’ve settled on Prairie Fresh ribs, specifically babybacks. They seem to be better quality than swift or Smithfield or whatever store brand they have. I’ve made Prairie and other brands side by side, same everything, and without me telling my family which were which, the Prairie Fresh were unanimously voted better every time. I actually made another brand without telling my wife and unprovoked she told me she could tell they weren’t “the good ones.”
Mind you I’ve never sourced through an online retailer so take all that for what it’s worth. I’m also with you on sub- 3lb racks. 2.5 is even better.

[Andrrr]

They have them there? STEbbq I found them at a local grocer and stock up when they go on sale. I think I’m down to 7 or 8 racks.

[STEbbq]

That is what the website said.

https://www.prairiefresh.com/where-to-buy/

[fzxdoc]

I'm a fan of Prairie Fresh babybacks as well. When I spot them I snap up a few.

The freezer section of our local grocery stores is where I most often find Prairie Fresh Baby Back singles.

Kathryn

[BFlynn]

I normally buy spares and cut them down to StLs.

But I'm with you on baby backs. I don't like the extra loin meat, so I loon for ones that are closer to 2.5-2.75lbs.

This is where it's good to talk to the butchers. With a day or two notice they'll put a few of the smaller racks aside for me.

[jfmorris]

Yeah only suggestion I have is to look for racks of baby back ribs that are under 3 pounds each - to avoid the extra loin meat. I've had Fresh Market, Kroger, Sam's Club, etc, and find them all about the same, but prefer being able to pick individual slabs of ribs from Kroger or Fresh Market. I would not pay $8+ per pound though - so skip the Fresh Market unless it is on sale. Their "prime plus" pork really isn't much different than the ribs I get elsewhere. Especially after using a rub and smoking for hours and trhen saucing.

I don't think either of my daughter's would like the Blue's Hog Raspberry Chipolte - my son and son-in-law's would. It's a little on the spicy side for the women folk here.

[STEbbq]

Excellent info. Thanks. Ha. You know, I am pretty sure sweet and spicy hit is an exactly why they being being requested. I do remember “mmm spicy”.

[DaveD]

I wouldn't think twice about trimming off the excess loin meat from a rack of BBs, even if that did mean I was wasting (I'm sure I would find something to do with it). Worth it to have a good rack of baby backs.

I love them both, spares and babies...

[ecowper]

When my kids says “you made this and I want it again” I am super excited. Right up to the point where I realize I don’t remember how I made it in the first place ….. that’s awesome and hopefully we can help

[Jerod Broussard]

The real issue is marketing. BABY Back ribs are 2lbs, tops. Back ribs are everything above. Hence the "extra" loin meat and the reason I only buy SLC or trim down some Spares.

[radiodome21]

Mariano’s used to carry Prairie Fresh, which I like. Not sure if they do anymore because I’ve seen only Kroger brand there but I could be wrong. Interestingly enough the last batch of baby backs I made where Kroger, which I mistakenly bought thinking they were prairie fresh and they were good.

Jewel has Hornel, which I’ll pass on. Might have to try a wild fork store if you have one, or a local butcher. I bought spare ribs from the Skokie Wild Fork and they were delicious, and on sale.

[Steve R.]

Kroger's store brand ribs are sneaky good. And there are these mystery no-name ribs in really heavy cryo-vac that are the best I have bought from anywhere, but they only show up at Kroger occasionally. I grabbed a couple of slabs of SLC the other day even though I have zero need for any more at the moment. Cooking those on Sunday.

[STEbbq]

Alrighty. Just ordered the Blue’s Hog sauce for pickup at the local Ace’s sometime next week. The current plan is to head down to Walmart soon and grab three to four racks of the smallest baby backs I can find plus one STL cut if they have any. I’d really like to try the Prairie ribs after Andrrr and fzxdoc ’s recommendations.

[Purc]

That Blue's Hog sauce is good and puts a nice glaze on the ribs. My local little Walmart carries several Blue's Hog sauces except for the Tennessee Red.

[Santamarina]

I typically buy my baby backs at Costco. I scour the available packs for a lighter package that seems to have less loin meat. I’ve made spares/StL a few times over the years and didn’t care for them.

[STEbbq]

Well, Walmart’s Prairie Fresh ribs were all over 3.5 pounds and they had five in stock. I ended up grabbing three from Meijer's at $2.99 a pound that were 2.5 to 2.6 pounds so fairly successful. I did take a look at the STL but it just didn’t speak to me.

[Finster]

Well, that's a little discouraging, but thanks for the heads up. The Walmart in my area that has them is a bit out of the way. I likely wouldn't have been happy if it ended up being a wasted trip..
Unfortunately, the ones I've seen recently in local grocery stores that fit the reccomend weight range have all been over $5.00/lb 😮

[zupanj]

This is an interesting discussion. I have found that ribs with a lot of loin meat don't cook all that easily. I usually under-cook them and the thick parts are too chewy. Originally I thought this cut would be a good choice since it has a lot of meat so it's helpful to hear other's experience. I have recently been buying "St. Louis" cut from Smithfield from my local grocery store and they are as described. I didn't think St. Louis cuts were supposed to be like that. I think I will go back to baby backs, they always cook just fine.