Which do you prefer babybacks or spareribs

Spareribs are classic, St Louis style, trimmed of the tips, is best, IMO.

I love baby backs, too, but prefer the bigger end. The extra meat on the small end is sometimes a little too fatty (as if that's possible with barbecue!)

No matter what, don't drown them in sauce. Serve the sauce on the side, or just brush them lightly the last few minutes on the smoker.
More ribs have been ruined by too much sauce than about anything else. Taste the meat and the rub, not the sauce.

I have trouble getting excited over beef ribs...usually too tough.

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Originally posted by drsmoke02

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Originally posted by NebGuy

Hey! They look like the 3 guys I just saw on The Dating Game. Bachelor number1, bachelor number2, and bachelor number3.

Which one did you choose?

NONE.. which one did you choose, Nebguy?

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Originally posted by porkbeaks

I've use the "crutch" a few times. It's most appreciated by thse in the family that like fall-off-the-bone tender. To each his own, I guess. pb

That's the way I like mine best, and it's usually the way my dad makes his. Mmmm, good.

I guess I'll throw in with the BB crowd.

There's a place up here just NW of Chicago for Yankee BBR's.Gale Street Inn in Mundelein IL.Across from Diamond Lake.I love the things.Old school place with chopped liver etc at the salad bar.You could almost shake the bones out these babybacks and they're coated with some kind of bbq/ham glaze.Great menu.BTW i spent many years in Memphis and i swore i hated Yankee bbq but i like this place.In SC we tried Tony Roma's up at Broadway by the Beach,but have pretty much given up on bbq in SC'S Lowcountry.If shipping weren't so high i'd order some ribs,slaw,and beans from the Rendevous.

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Originally posted by Pigiron

I'm a babyback fan, but they gotta be done right. I don't think I've ever had "spare" except at a Chinese restaurant. What region of the US uses spare ribs as BBQ?

Are you serious? I don't know where Babybacks came from, to tell you the truth.
"Ribs" means a slab of ribs in KC, not no stinkin' babybacks.

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Originally posted by Al-The Mayor-Bowen


I tend to prefer the full-rack of Spare Ribs over the Baby Back. As was said by others, I won't turn down the BB's though. I get the 'Chin'(SP?)bone removed from the rack and get the rack notched at the double rib spacing by the butcher. I really like the 'flap' of meat that is attached at the large end on the backside of the Spare Rib Rack.

I think many places call their ribs BB's when indeed they are Spare Ribs trimmed to a squared off appearance.

Note that Arthur Bryant sells Spare Ribs...and labels the 1/2 rack as the Small end or the Large end. Now that is honest labeling!

Then what are "Danish Baby Back Ribs"?.. I used to see that quite often, and then it kinda petered out, but I saw the "Danish" on a menu yesterday.

Ok, Babyback or spare rib?

Benjy wont tell!

I like both. Matter of fact, I love meat period.
Fast Freddie

danish ribs are for the most part a marketing tool but denmark does export quite a bit of pork. what a lot of people call danish baby back ribs are actually #422, range a, which is a 1 1/2 down loin back rib

spares are my choice. also rubbed & smoked, never ever find mine wrapped in foil. rubbed & on the smoker, 6 hrs later enjoy. I will
serve sauce on the side for those that must hide the fantastic flavor

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Originally posted by prisonchef

danish ribs are for the most part a marketing tool but denmark does export quite a bit of pork. what a lot of people call danish baby back ribs are actually #422, range a, which is a 1 1/2 down loin back rib

TY, Mr chef!
I always wondered about that.

Our supermarket in SoCal(Stater Brothers- a regional chain) used to stock boxes (10 lb) of Danish Pork in the form of "Riblets" which were in actuallity 'Rib Tips' or SpareRibs which were very small racks of SPARE not Baby Back Ribs.

The 10 pound box would be frozen when we got it and was dirt cheap, Less than a dollar a pound when on sale. They were ok, nothing to get excited about as far as quality goes. But for the price they made a great BBQ dinner for a group.

for sheer eating enjoyment i like the 5 1/2 down spare ribs. course they take longer to cook so i get to drink more beer
for competition it is always loin back ribs 1 1/2 down. taste ok just not as much fun to make

I bet your prisoner "guest's" don't get any baby back ribs!

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Originally posted by prisonchef

for sheer eating enjoyment i like the 5 1/2 down spare ribs. course they take longer to cook so i get to drink more beer
for competition it is always loin back ribs 1 1/2 down. taste ok just not as much fun to make

Are Baby Backs the norm for competition cooking? I'm gearing up for my first this summer, and it sounds like I'm gonna have to start experimenting.

Vayo con Queso

Laststand,they are.Try the Babybacks packed by Swift,you can find them at Sams or Costco.

Good luck!

Thanks Doc, looks like its time to start playing with meat again.

Vayo con Queso

I've always cooked spares, trimmed St. Louis style, but due to a sale at a local supermarket I have 3 slabs (don't know if that's the right term for baby back ribs) of baby backs (all less than 2 lbs) that I'll be cooking on Saturday. I guess I'll know soon enough which type I like best.