How do you carve up your ribs for serving?

[JPGators17]

My ribs are pretty damn good, but I have yet to figure out how to cut them without uneven, sloppy looking results. Especially with more crooked slabs. Im considering an electric knife, but figured I'd see if anyone can suggest a technique fix first.

[Jerod Broussard]

Let them cool off a bit after taking them off the smoker, it allows the meat to firm up some.

I stand mine up on their side and slice down.

[tbob4]

Exactly what Jerod said.

[Spinaker]

I let mine cool as well. Then I Use a long, sharp knife to cut them. I lay them down and slice. It helps if you line the tip of the blade up to be in between the ribs, then let the knife fall at the angle the ribs are running.

Cutting them on end like these other guys are doing works fine to, but I usually produce shiners (have the bone show on the side the whole length of the rib) when I do that. But they are probably better at it than I am.

But an electric knife is not a bad idea either. They make some really nice cuts on the Comp circuit.

[RonB]

It really helps to have a very sharp knife. Slicing with a dull knife will tear tender ribs, or just about any tender meat.

[MBMorgan]

I lay them bone side down and use a very sharp boning knife in order to follow the contour of curved ribs.

[DWCowles]

All of above

[BBQCentralShow]

I do bone side up...but I cut against the bone on the very far right one...then to the very far left of the 3rd bone...so there is meat on both side of the bone left in the middle...I think you lose every other bone...but I like the product at the end. They call it a "Cadillac cut" on the circuit.

[Mr. Bones]

Do ya use the 'Non-Cadillac' cuts for stock, beans, soups, etc.? Sounds like a perfect match!

[Nate]

I've done that cut for backyard comps where I only needed 3 portion turn in. For larger portion turn in I prefer a different cut where I can get all my portions from the same rack as I think the uniformity looks better in the box and it isn't as crowded then.

[BBQCentralShow]

Mr. Bones, I usually eat the "tweeners" ....LOL!!

[Nate]

Are you talking for competition, large crowds, or friends and family? Do you want to serve as individual ribs or are you wanting to serve 1/2 or 1/4 slabs, etc... ?

[JPGators17]

Just home cooking for friends and family. Individual ribs.

[DJ DeSpain]

I use a Rada Cutlery R200 Fillet Knife, which I got on Amazon back in April. It's very sharp, and doesn't cost a lot, which means I'll just buy another one when the one I have now gets dull. As far at the actual cutting, I lay the ribs meat down, and cut in the center between the bones.

[Nate]

That is a good looking knife! I will have to check it out. I use the Rapala knives for a similar reason.

[DWCowles]

Dang, I didn't think that was a hard question but it must been for some people.

[Mosca]

Yeah. I just cut them.

[PaulstheRibList]

3 words: Practice, Practice, Practice!

I want the bark on the top to be untouched. (Otherwise, you would flip them over, bone side up, so you can easily see the bones and make your cuts inbetween. I was relying on this cut-them-upsidedown technique, but it burnt me at a competition, where I say my rub stuck to the cutting board and no longer to the ribs!) The big trick seems to be following bone # 5 or 6 where the angle shifts. That rib is the easiest to mess up, which I do regularly when guessing. To avoid that, stand the ribs up, look underneath, and find the top and bottom of the next bone you are cutting with your fingers. Usually it's easier to see the bottom bone, so I'll mark the top side of the bone with my finger, then make the cut.

I like a sharp, flat knife, like a Japanese style.

This would be a fun video to make!

[Nate]

Bishop, You should make one... It is always good to see and expert at work and get some pointers from someone who does a lot of volume.

[JPGators17]

A video would be great, and it may be the first. I didn't see any others on my quick search.

[billg71]

A good sharp serrated bread knife works wonders for slicing ribs.

[Huskee]

Totally agree

[Mr. Bones]

At times, it kinda stinks to be a 'Newbie'... kinda like now, fer I'm cornfused.

Mebbe it's some kinda' 'Cultural Distinction', where y'all live, or summat', what yer askin', but I allays thought that a slab of ribs= 1 Serving. Poof! Bob's yer Uncle!

Pardon my lack of enlightenment!

opus in profectus

[tbob4]

Love the answer. Well in the spirit of the question, do you bite into them with incisors, canine or your pre-molars, Mr. Bones?

[Mr. Bones]

tbob4 ,I bite into 'em real careful-like, on accounta I'm on th' very cusp of needin' me some store-boughten uppers, what I kin keep in a jar at night! Bad genetics, ah'd reckon.
Over half a century of bad teef has not bin fun. Cain't recommend it, at any rate...