Comparing St. Louis Ribs and Baby Backs

[Potkettleblack]

I know the feeling. Wife likes a fall off the bone (she has a crown on one of her front two teeth, so she's a bit weirded by pulling or biting with them) ribs and prefers BBs. I much prefer SLC/SRs. I also prefer a simple splash of a NC vinegar sauce on a dry rib right as I'm pulling it off, while wife prefers a rib glazed with sauce.

[johnsteen]

For me, extra rub and no sauce. Beautiful pictures...success!

[tbob4]

Hahahaha. Love the photos and write-up. Hint with a wink... You didn't prove anything and just need to keep experimenting. That's what I told my wife when RonB asked the other day about front v reverse searing. I already had my preferences but used his question to buy a couple of T-bones to experiment with. She knows my BS but what the heck.

[EvanRobinson]

Fortunately my wife doesn't interfere with my meat obsession. She even turns it to her advantage for family Christmas dinner, where I go find (much easier now than in years past) a nice Prime standing rib roast and cook it on the smoker!

[tbob4]

EvanRobinson - My wife really doesn't interfere with mine either but she does roll her eyes at me with a smile. She gave up on trying to reign me in awhile back. My kids grew up really spoiled with BBQ. Seriously good post. I had fun with your photos and description.

[Bruce54]

In the name of science, extensive repeats are needed. I've found BB's are way more forgiving of fast / slightly under cooked, than too long / overcooked. Even to the extent of grilling them on moderate direct heat with lots of flipping to prevent burning! They just don't seem to need low / slow the way that spares do.

If you're looking to try a sauce, check out Meathead's version of Danny Gaulden's glaze. I'm in the "heavy on the rub, no sauce needed" camp, but that glaze (bumped up with the same rub as on the ribs) really worked nice.

[EvanRobinson]

It's got WAY too much sugar in it for me. One of the reasons I'm a meat eater is to avoid carbs. I've lost 30 pounds on low carb eating and I can't backslide too much. I'm looking up low carb alternatives to KC sauce for a beginning, but mostly I eat meat with just rub on it.

[Potkettleblack]

You could roll with my method. Take 1 cup of white distilled vinegar or apple cider vinegar, whisk in two tablespoons of rub, plus some salt (if it's a commercial rub, maybe a TSP and if it's a salt free, maybe 2 TSP), and brush right as you take off the grill.

[FireMan]

Absolutely yes! I agree with Bruce54. In the name of science more testing is needed. I think EdF once stated that also.

Bruce's words of extensive repeats is just the right expression. Extensive repeats!

[Amajeff99]

love it i am learning so much from all you guys, thanks so much for experimenting like this.

[Mosca]

What about the flavor? I've always found baby backs to be milder, and St Louis to be porkier. But never having had them side by side, that could be perception rather than reality.

[EdF]

Sounds like another dimension of the "amazing rib research program" that needs experiments!

[FireMan]

There again, extensive experimental repeats! Yes!

[Bruce54]

I think the SR's have more flavor in general, ratio of surface to meat (smoke, rub), and ratio of meat to fat & bone.

[HawkerXP]

Thanks for sharing!