Smoking Full Spare Ribs?
I have always trimmed the rib tips off my spare ribs, but I typically don't like what comes out when I cook just the rib tips. Have y'all done full spare ribs and had the results come out good? Any recommendations for how to decide what to trim in this case? I'm smoking 3 racks on my OJB tomorrow that I just picked up for $1.39/pound at Park Packing!
-
-
I prefer whole spares.
My only problem with them, is having room for them on the smoker. St Louis fit better.
I have two sources for whole spares, US Chef Store sells them with 3 racks to the package. Sams sells them two racks to the package. Three racks are a harder fit on any of my smokers.
-
I leave it on, but don't often buy them that way. I use the meat from the tips for a future pizza topping or if a grand dog is around they get a great treat. That section can be a bit fatty.Comment
-
I, too, prefer whole spares. I do cut off the breastbone, and any hard bone, but I leave the tips on the ends of the ribs. I cook the trimmings alongside the racks, then mix them into beans.
They come out great! Do them exactly the same as St Louis style. Folks haven’t seemed to mind the tips; ribs are messy anyhow, and it’s fun to work around the cartilage using your tongue, teeth, and lips.
I get full spares from Cheshire Pork. They go on sale frequently, I wouldn’t pay that much.Comment
-
Just did 7 full wacks, full , yessir. Then when I bagan trimmin took the tips & other assorted goodies & threw em on a grill fer some extry cookin. Folks loved em!Comment
-
I switched to whole spares when I realized how much cheaper they were than store-bought St. Louis cut. Then, after realizing many Texas BBQ places smoke them whole, I started doing that. Only trimming I did was the membrane and just shaping them up a bit.
Like others have said, I really don't notice much difference smoking them over St. Louis cuts. Yes, when you're eating them, you have to eat around a bit of cartilage, but they are ribs....they are supposed to be messy.
(And on a PBC, double-hooking is a must. Whole spares are heavy and will fall off!)
Comment
-
Trim off any part you won't eat or serve.
I like to trim spares to St Louis and cook the rib tips for a cook's snack
I have always trimmed off the breastbone.
Comment
-
I’ve switched to whole spares. The Members Mark ones I get at Sam’s already have the breast bone trimmed off. I’ve been able to find some nice ribs. All I have to do is pull the membrane off and trim a couple of thin places on the ends. I just explain to others there are going to be a couple of thin strips of cartilage to eat around but that’s some good meat. Like you I can’t get the trimmed meat to cook as well if I trim it off. I think you’re on the right track.Comment
-
I normally cook back ribs, or St. Louis style.
When I cook the full ribs, the tips (cartilage) is fatty.
How do you get the fatty part to render, while keeping the rib meat moist?
I cook by color and feel, but the tips are soft, so they keep fooling me. -
Johnny Booth In all honesty my usual spare rib cook has evolved over the last year. I put my ribs on at 250 F in my kamado. The next time it gets opened is at 3.5 hours. If I like the color I wrap in foil and cook on for another hour. They’ve been tender at this point every time so far. Then I open the top of the foil, like a foil boat, and apply a light glaze. In 30 minutes they’re ready. Everyone has their way to the ribs they like best. Mine aren’t fall off the bone, but closer than before. -
@oaksmoke Thanks. 👍 I have not yet tried the foil boat, I guess that’s next. I suspect the cooling that happens when I take the foil off might be stopping the cook. I keep getting un-rendered fat. When I tried a longer smoke and then a paper wrap, the rib meat was over cooked.
-
-
In the fall/winter/spring - I buy whole spares and trim down to St. Louie ribs. But I keep all the trimmings and make pork broth for soup, stews and pozole. And now I have roasted hatch chiles in the freezer. Oh yum
....can't wait.
Comment
-
Before I came to AR in 2017, I always smoked my spares whole - usually bought at Sam's Club like Oak Smoke - then I learned (here) about SLS trimmed ribs, and started doing that, smoking the tips separate. I think the biggest issue for me if I don't trim will be fitting them on the kettle or kamado. On the offset it would be no problem smoking the full spares, and I may just do that some time soon, as the untrimmed spares are the best buy usually.Comment
-
Cook is moving along quite well! 3 of 6 halves are off and in hot holding!Attached FilesComment
-
-
Doing full spare ribs turned out great! I will be doing that from now on.Comment
-
I’m a big fan of doing full ribs also. I do that 90% of the time. They’re cheaper, and with a lot more meat. I look a the ribs, thinking “this time I’ll trim them SL style”, but I just can’t bring myself to remove all that extra meat. It’s so good! And they cook exactly the same.Comment
-
Like others here I prefer spare ribs. And I like full spares vs STL’s. As noted above, they’re less expensive and have all that extra meat. And I think all that extra stuff is some of the best on the whole darn pig! BUT, none of what I think matters here because the wifey prefers back ribs. She can’t stand the parts with the cartilage which to me is the best tasting and most tender part. So…..you know what I buy and cook. Every once in a while I’ll slip in a rack of STL’s and blame it on Wild Fork sending the wrong type. 🙄🤷♂️.Comment
Comment