Cutting Spares Down To St. Louis

Cack

Cack

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My local grocery suckered me in with 1.99lb ribs. Once I got there, they were baby backs. :tsk:

Nothing is wrong with BBs, I just want some eat something if I'm going to cook for 5-6 hours.

I walk over to the pork section and they had their full spare ribs at 1.99 also, so I went ahead and picked two racks up.

I've never cut Spares down to St. Louis cut, so do I just find the end of the bone and make a straight cut along the top of them?

What tips do any of you experts have for this spare rib virgin ...
 
You pretty much summed it up. Find the tip of the longest bone, and cut a straight line from there. You may have to curve around the sternum bone a little bit when you get to the end. I like to mark my cut line with the back of the knife first. And if you're going for super straight comp style, I'll square up the "factory" trimmed edge with the edge of the cutting board to make sure my cut is parallel.
 
That is what I do - find the longest bone and cut from there. After my first cut I might go back and trim them down a little more depending on how they look.

Why not just cook the spares whole?
 
First, babybacks for $1.99/lb? I would have stock up. Shorter cook and still good eating!

Second, yes. Find the longest bone (usually the third or fourth bone in) and cut straight across at that mark. It helps if you have something straight to push the rack up against so you get a straight cut.

There are some tutorial videos on YouTube and I'm pretty sure there is a pictorial on here.
 
Also, don't forget to flip them over and trim the flap meat from the bone side, then peel the membrane if you are so inclined.
 
Hey, Upstate. Smoke the tips along with the racks.

Take the meat off of the tips and make some Wampus baked beans!

Trying not to steer you wrong, here.:p
 
PatAttack said:
Hey, Upstate. Smoke the tips along with the racks.

Take the meat off of the tips and make some Wampus baked beans!

Trying not to steer you wrong, here.:p
Click to expand...


Oh yeah, definitely do this.
 
cpw said:
Oh yeah, definitely do this.
Click to expand...

I usually use the flap meat for the beans, and eat the tips along with the ribs, and a bunch of the beans, and...:oops:

I typically do my St. Louis style spares at around 275° or so (cuz that's where my WSM likes to roll), unfoiled until they pass the the bend and/or toothpick test...usually runs somewhere in the 5 hour range. They're always really good!
 
Cutting the ribs down to St. Louis style isn't too difficult. I had no idea what I was doing, just check out one of those youtube videos.
 
How about [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHwsPO0KBaM] >> THIS <<[/ame] video.
 
Yep, I would've been loading up on the bb's at that price!
 
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