Cookbook winner and more talk of ribs
My dad smoked these ribs a couple of summers ago. Photo by Lindsey Nair (moi).
Blog reader Bill has won the random drawing for “America’s Best Ribs” by Ardie A. Davis and Paul Kirk.
Bill said he likes baby back ribs the best and prefers a dry rub. He said he likes to start his ribs in the oven and finish them on the grill. Congrats, Bill. Now you can experiment with some different cuts and cooking methods.
I notice that of the 17 or so comments left on the cookbook giveaway entry, most of you said you like baby back ribs the best. That’s no surprise, considering how meaty and tender they are. But Jeff makes a good point when he says there are more affordable cuts which, if cooked properly, can also be delicious.
Check out these cuts (details from the book):
PORK
* Country-style ribs: Cut from the shoulder end of a bone-in pork loin. Not technically ribs, but they are boneless and, when cooked low and slow, can be very tender and succulent.
* Spareribs: From the lower breast belly section of the pig. Less meaty and less expensive than baby backs.
* St. Louis-style: Spareribs trimmed of the rib tips and skirt meat. Very meaty and generally consistent in size, which helps when cooking
BEEF/BISON
* Short ribs: Off the plate or chuck (flank) section of the animal. Often cut short, especially for Asian recipes.
* Back ribs: A full 7-bone slab
* Bison ribs: Bigger and less fatty than beef ribs
LAMB/MUTTON
* Lamb breast ribs: A full slab with 9-12 bones. Fatty and a little tough, but trimming helps.
* Denver ribs: Lamb breast ribs that have been squared off on the small end.
* Mutton breast ribs: Breast ribs from a grown animal. Stronger in flavor than lamb.
So, now that we’ve broken down the rib varieties a little more, how many of these have you guys tried at a restaurant? How many have you cooked at home?
April 3, 2012 - 1:22 PM
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AWESOME – can’t wait!
I love country “ribs” because they are cheap and super tasty. Although the ones I’ve gotten are usually bone-in and somewhat fatty. But they are awesome grilled, With either Vegeta (Which is awesome and can be found at Slon international on Williamson) or with bbq sauce.
I’ve heard that IGA in Craig County has good lean beef back ribs, I’ve had them cooked with cassava greens at a friends house. I made something very similar with collard greens and ribs from kroger but it turned out a bit greasy.
I like to slowly roast my country-style ribs in a roasting pan with a rack so the fat drips off. I rub them and roast, covered, at about 325 degrees, then brush sauce on at the end.
The best ribs I ever had were peeled baby backs (the peeling is VERY important) in Memphis at the Memphis in May contest several years ago.
That being said, St Louis style ribs are really good if done properly.
Ribs, being a ‘cuisine cousin’ to barbecue, are a source of lots of argument.
I have never liked any kind of beef ribs, even having had them cooked in Texas. I only like pork ribs. For beef, I go with brisket.
Long (several hours), very low heat (below 250), no boiling. Glaze only at the end.
Lots more biased points, but like I said, everyone has their own way. For me, though, ribs are a once/twice a year indulgence, since ‘I’m not as young as I once was…’
While I’m not a huge rib fan, my husband loves country style ribs that I dry rub. His favorite rib restaurant is Tony Roma’s. Once in a while, I like beef short ribs, but I braise them and make a mustard based sauce instead of barbecue. My grandson loves any kind of pork ribs and a sweet barbecue sauce – the stickier, the better!