Third effort with the BDS today - ribs again. I solved the blackened appearance problem from my first try. When I boated them, I added more apple juice; just enough to cover the bottom of the tray.
But I was wondering at the grocery store what others like to use for pork ribs: side or back? I noticed that back cost twice as much. My first couple of tries were with backs and I wondered how sides would turn out.
I like them all, but the baby back ribs really taste the best to me.
I usually get the back ribs. Costco sells them in the cryovac and there is more meat to them. I picked up a case (6 packages with 3 racks of ribs each) for $3.01 per pound. 6 racks went to some friends' 60th anniversary today and the rest will be for my employees Friday. The spare ribs were $1.98 a pound, come 2 to a package and there are 5 packages per case. The reason the price difference is there is more bone weight than meat weight compared to the backs.
costco sells some good meat. Their pork butts, tri tip, ny strip, ribs all are quality cuts and well trimmed in our area. 2 packs of those baby back packages you mention will fill up a 6r nicely.
Their pork loin is delicious too.
Yes the 6 rack was at capacity (not that I couldn't have stuffed more in ;D).
baby backs for me. I don't like the lack of meat on spares.
I'm really not a rib person, but when I do eat them I prefer spareribs, cut St. Louis style. There is a lot more meat, and I like the texture better.
I did some googling on the subject and found this: http://www.hormel.com/templates/knowledge/knowledge.asp?catitemid=34&id=308 (http://www.hormel.com/templates/knowledge/knowledge.asp?catitemid=34&id=308) It has info on ribs, but if you check out the left hand column there's info on the rest of our BBQ friends as well :P I'd like to find some diagrams of where the cuts are coming from, but it's good start learning the terminology.
Thanks for the link NS. :) They cut meat a lot differently here. From the pix it looks like St. Louis style are what are common in these parts. I too would welcome diagrams of exactly the ribs (or any other part) come from so I can print it out and show the local butcher. I had a link bookmarked to a Canadian government site that had great diagrams (for pork, beef and lamb) with labels in English and French but unfortunately they've updated the site and I can no longer find it. Alas I never printed out the diagrams. :-\
Tom
Here is an old fashion meat chart and color pics showing the different cuts from the Hog.
http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/meatcharts_photos/porkcuts.pdf
Thanks, Chuck. Good photos.
I prefer baby backs, but will accept anything in an emergency (http://www.weekendhobby.com/offroad/ISUZU/icon/icon42.gif)