jeez...whats up with babybacks?

[olive123]

I am used to q'n spare ribs. This time I thought I would get b backs for c change. Man...there I hope they come out good for the price.
I like the bigger bones and the meat on the spares better.
Anyone prefer one to another?

[kcquer]

I vastly prefer Baby backs. Didnt used to, but now prefer the lack of crap on them. Worth the price to me because you can eat everything but the bones. Most of the last spares I've bought were trashy, even for spares. Way too much fat and cartilage even after stl trim. May be more the ribs I've been getting than anything else but the next spares I cook will be given to me cause I'm done buying them.

[willkat98]

bbacks here too

Now matter how well I trim spares, I end up eating "knuckles" and the meat tastes more like ham to me than wibs

love them bbacks

[BigAl]

Me 2.

My last BBR were the best ribs I have ever had any where at any price. They were above a pot of beans and the beans were above the heat shield. Below the heat shield was a brisket. Below is copied from my Mar 17, 2004 ,9:40 am post. It was in a thread about "Insulation".

The lower temp above the foil allowed the BBR to stay in the smoke(pecan and apple) for many hours (about eight) without burning. Then I saused and foiled them and moved to under the heat sield to finish them. These were the best ribs I have ever tasted. The Smoke was all the way into the bones, they were redish pink. A slight bite tug and the meat cleanly seperated from the bones. Also, the beans were great and not stuck to the cast iron pot.
Give the heat sheild a try, you will like it.

[nthole]

I only buy bbs now. Used to like spares. They may be twice the price, but per pound, you get almost twice the edible meat...not to mention twice as good tasting.

[rusold]

I think the St. Louis cut "cuts" some sort of middle ground here

R

[olive123]

well im puttin the bb's on in about 20 minutes. I cant wait after reading the posts! damn im hungry

[parrothead]

I prefer baby backs, but have a bitch of a time finding good ones. Sam's an wally world have so much meat taken off of them it's ridiculous. Bone showing through on the top. The best I have found are at a little small town grocery store here and run 4.49 a pound, but they have all of the meat on them.

[cabo]

Baby backs here.
Kind of pricy in the local supermarkets, including Wally World. About 4 bucks pound average.
A friend of mine hooked me up with a butcher that charges me $3.38. Good ribs lots of meat.
When smoked with Hickory and foiled with Dave’s Jelly, they are SLAPYOURGRA……… Well you get the picture.
Damn now I’m hungry!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[olive123]

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm............. .................................................. .................................................
cabowabo.......................................... ..................................................

[chad]

Spare ribs. I refuse to be held up to Applebees or Chili's prices to cook my own meat at home.

I trim my own and prefer the larger ribs and use the trimmings for "finger food" while cooking.

I don't dislike BBs just prefer spares for the taste (more fat=more taste) and I think I cook 'em better.

That said: if BBs come down under $3 a pound I may rethink my views! :D Spares are now $2.12 locally up from $1.87.

[BBQchef33]

This is a cross over post that was originally going in "whats cooking" this weekend... but after typing for 10 minutes my report of the 9 racks of BB's and then my camera causing the PC to lock up when trying to attach the pictures.. well.. I'll type it again here..


BABYBACKS!!! more tender.. more eflavor.. more REAL meat. I would think that pound for pound of real meat, not gristle, knuckle, fat, etc... babybacks are cheaper than spares.

Did 9 racks of babybacks yesterday.., they run about 3.89lb here at costco. So a 3 pack runs between 26-31 bucks.

After years of cooking BB at 250 for 4-5 hrs.. last few cooks I been cookin them in the vertical part of the backyard chef, which runs in the 200 degree range while i have the horizontal doing otehr stuff at 250. The ribs come out ALL smoke ring.. the whole ribs pink and incredibly tender. it takes them longer.. 5-7 hours. but what a difference!! from know on.. i make some extra time.. and go for the REAL low and slow.

[kcquer]

DF, on another crossover note, nice post. Variety of opinion is IMHO the "official spice" of the Bretheren. If we all used foil or all liked spam or all hated liquid smoke I wouldn't be here.

Phil, Interesting on the "way low and slow". I read some stuff last winter about a trend in the contest end of things, where folks were cooking a little hotter and 250 was becoming the target temp of the day. Bull$hit. The more experience I get the more I think the 200-215 my friend who cooks told me about years ago is the better idea. Not necessarily a panacea for all disappointing results but a good place to start improving. Can you cook BB's in 3 hrs at 250, sure. Yours sound more like something I want to eat.

[BigAl]

kcquer,

Elwood Blues - IMHO great movie.

Agree on your points as well as I did low and slow on my last BBR, see post above.

Someone posted that meat quits taking smoke after 140F, so it stands to reason that it will have more time to soak smoke up when cooked low and slow.

I pulled a part of a previous post that I found interesting on low and slow.

Saw a segment on TV about OK Joe's Brisket in KC.

They use a sugar based dry rub, just a little salt and their seasoning.

Then smoke the whole brisket at 185 F for 16 hrs or until the internal temp reaches a certain point which they did not disclose.

They then cut the point off of the flat, trim the fat off the point and cook it for about 4 more hrs.

Hey, they are making money in a tough crowd of BBQ eater experts in KC!

[mook]

I agree with DF I like a well cooked spare. I trim those suckers and use the the trimmings as a snack during cooking. I put them in the pit for at least 8 hours at between 200 and 250. The time and temp renders the fat and they are about the tastiest, tenderest things you ever did eat.

[Solidkick]

I was at Sam's tonight, and they were damn proud of their Babybacks. $4.47 a pound!!
I just couldn't do it........
I opted for the country style at $1.69. I may regret it, but to jump up almost a dollar from
the last time I bought them was ridiculous.

I ran into JT there.....I'll let him share his pork butt story if he so chooses.

[olive123]

wow i wonder why? they are 3.47 here

[chad]

$3.47 is still $1.50 per # too much!! :D

[jt]

Pork Butts are 1.26/# at Sam's right now. Last time I got some (right before the surgery mod) they were 1.09. We've got enough pig farms around here from the smell of things.... :shock: ....don't know why prices are going up.

[willkat98]

$3.47 is still $1.50 per # too much!! :D

You saying you get baby backs for $2 a pound DF?

[willkat98]

Pork Butts are 1.26/# at Sam's right now. Last time I got some (right before the surgery mod) they were 1.09. We've got enough pig farms around here from the smell of things.... :shock: ....don't know why prices are going up.

Is that it (the pork butt story)?

Anti Climactic Mod

[jt]

Unless Kick remembers something I don't, that's it. The butt, the whole butt, and nothing but the butt.

[willkat98]

Pork butts here in ChiTown run .99# pretty much the normal price. Only get 5 to 8 pounders though (which is perfect for us)

[Solidkick]

Unless Kick remembers something I don't, that's it. The butt, the whole butt, and nothing but the butt.

what I remembered is the guy trying to sell you a case, ( I thought the first words out of your mouth to me was "he's trying to sell me a case") I told the butcher last time I got 2 cryopacs it was about 30 lbs, he goes to the back and grabs 2 cryos and it weighs out at 33 lbs, just about what you wanted in weight.

Maybe i misunderstood the conversation before I walked up and stuck my long nose into it.

[jt]

He did! He wanted me to buy 70#. And then he couldn't divide it right - said I'd have to take 40#. Long night last night, Kick. You remember correctly, not me.

Although next time I might buy the case and throw the rest in the freezer.

[jt]

You already got the 'dera smokin' this morning, Kick?

[Solidkick]

I'm trying to.....Farking charcoal didn't light in the charcoal starter, so everything is ready to go in and no fire......FARK!!

I'll start a new post about today's cook.......

[jt]

Are the ribs done? :twisted:

[chad]

You saying you get baby backs for $2 a pound DF?


:D I was indicating that I MIGHT actually buy some if they were $2.00 per pound!

I'm not sure why prices are weirding out right now -- chicken is up, too. My sons are both Asst. Managers at Chick-Fil-A stores and case price on boneless skinless is getting up there, too.

Fortunately the increases should be short term!! At least they always have dropped after a few weeks.

I, too, miss $.87 per pound pork butt and $1.87 spares!! :mrgreen:

[racer_81]

You saying you get baby backs for $2 a pound DF?



I'm not sure why prices are weirding out right now -- chicken is up, too.

low-card diet induced demand increase perhaps?

[jt]

Maybe it's due to the season. Look at Racer's pig for example....would you want to eat that? :D

Mmmmmmm.....horny pork.

[BigAl]

You saying you get baby backs for $2 a pound DF?


:D I was indicating that I MIGHT actually buy some if they were $2.00 per pound!

I'm not sure why prices are weirding out right now -- chicken is up, too. My sons are both Asst. Managers at Chick-Fil-A stores and case price on boneless skinless is getting up there, too.

Fortunately the increases should be short term!! At least they always have dropped after a few weeks.

I, too, miss $.87 per pound pork butt and $1.87 spares!! :mrgreen:

According to the reports on CNBC, Milk hit $4.00 a gallon today and meat prices went up again. They claim meat is up because of increased demand for meat and poltery from China. Now that they gots our jobs, they want our food and can pay for it. Gas prices are up and this adds cost to all food that is transported.