Rib Presentation

Qbert60 · Jun 16, 2013

I just read the thread about straight ribs bones and how they just might not exist.

I was fishing around on Youtube, and I came across a video of a comp team doing a rib turn in box. The pitmaster, made straight cuts and it seemed as if he was cutting through the bone. How many teams do this and is it the best way to achieve those mysterious straight bones?

sweetracks · Jun 17, 2013

that's interesting Bert. It seems to me though, that those wouldn't be very pretty on the ends because you would see bone. It also seems you might get dinged. Nothing worse than taking a bite of what you think is going to be juicy ribs and getting a mouthful of bone...(that's what she said...i know, I know :redface

roksmith · Jun 17, 2013

Judge biting into a bone piece will not do you any favors I assure you.
We usually just run the knife right down the edge of the first bone you aren't going to turn in then trim up the turn in slab to make it look as square as possible. I don't believe I've ever had 6 straight bones in the middle of a slab.

smokeisgood · Jun 17, 2013

Once you've cut them, what's the best way to get 6 ribs in the box? 5 always seems to be the limit on space, so do most of you stack them 3 on 3, 2 on 4, or one going the opposite way?

bbq.tom · Jun 17, 2013

What I usually see in turn-in boxes when I judge are 4 on 4 presentations. There is the occasional 3 on 3 and once in a while 4 across with one crossways at top and bottom, but usually the 4 on 4.
Ribs don't have to be straight - in fact it is highly unusal for judges to see boxes with straight ribs! MOST are curved.

Check out BBQCritic.com for LOTS of rib box samples!!!

Sawdustguy · Jun 17, 2013

Qbert60 said:
I just read the thread about straight ribs bones and how they just might not exist.

I was fishing around on Youtube, and I came across a video of a comp team doing a rib turn in box. The pitmaster, made straight cuts and it seemed as if he was cutting through the bone. How many teams do this and is it the best way to achieve those mysterious straight bones?

If you can find a rack of ribs with straight bones you are a better man than I. Are you sure the guy wasn't trimming full spares into St Louis cuts?

bruno994 · Jun 17, 2013

Cook 6 racks, bet you can find 6 straight ones then....:-o

indianagriller · Jun 17, 2013

smokeisgood said:
Once you've cut them, what's the best way to get 6 ribs in the box? 5 always seems to be the limit on space, so do most of you stack them 3 on 3, 2 on 4, or one going the opposite way?

5 on 5 works and so does 6 on 6

Kave Dweller · Jun 17, 2013

They exsist you just have to find a friendly butcher that looks out for you.

Qbert60 · Jun 17, 2013

Sawdustguy said:
If you can find a rack of ribs with straight bones you are a better man than I. Are you sure the guy wasn't trimming full spares into St Louis cuts?

I am sure they were cutting for presentation. I have seen the Youtube videos from the Shannon BBQ contest featuring Scottie from Cancersuckschicago.com. He seemed to do the same thing. Maybe it's me, but I have been told by judges that they look for straight cuts. Is that straight/straight or straight/diagonal? The comp class I took, he cut the bone as well according to memory. This would only effect the end of the bone if anything. Don't think the judges are biting the end of the bone.

Alexa RnQ · Jun 17, 2013

Qbert60 said:
I have been told by judges that they look for straight cuts.

Only you and that judge know the context of that conversation, but are you sure they weren't just looking for evidence of better knifework than "go home, rib knife, you're drunk"?

Jason TQ · Jun 17, 2013

smokeisgood said:
Once you've cut them, what's the best way to get 6 ribs in the box? 5 always seems to be the limit on space, so do most of you stack them 3 on 3, 2 on 4, or one going the opposite way?

If you hadn't been here yet check out BBQ Critic for lots of pictures of boxes for all meats. Lots of good & bad examples of how to put the meat in a box.

http://www.bbqcritic.com/judgemybox.html

Rib Presentation

Qbert60

Take a breath!

sweetracks

Full Fledged Farker

roksmith

is one Smokin' Farker

smokeisgood

is one Smokin' Farker

bbq.tom

is Blowin Smoke!

Sawdustguy

Quintessential Chatty Farker

bruno994

Full Fledged Farker

indianagriller

is one Smokin' Farker

Kave Dweller

Take a breath!

Qbert60

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Alexa RnQ

is One Chatty Farker

Jason TQ

somebody shut me the fark up.

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