Rib prep / Trim?

Balls Casten · 01-31-2009, 10:25 AM

First thank you for the input on the chicken thread.

For the Super bowl I am taking a case on ribs down to the local bar. So I am taking the opportunity to try my hand at trimming ribs. Just like the chicken, aside from some very obvious hunks of fat or loose meat, we did not trim. We would pull the membrane from the underside and clean that up the best we could.
So here are the ribs, which one from each group would you select and why?
#1 - A, the best rack of the bunch, thin some of the fat in the center.
#2 - B, less fat than the others
#3 - A, I would thin the large fat area in the center. Downside the length of each rib would be different.

How did I do?
I'll post the trimmed ribs before they go on the smoker.

U2CANQUE · 01-31-2009, 10:29 AM

I would have to see the back side, because I also take into consideration bone direction.....

Balls Casten · 01-31-2009, 11:35 AM

Here are the trimed ribs I selected and after the rub.
To the left is the fat that was trimmed from the three racks. Did I cut the right amount of flavor off or to much?

Balls Casten · 01-31-2009, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by U2CANQUE

I would have to see the back side, because I also take into consideration bone direction.....

I've got 12 left to do. What am I looking for in bone direction? This isnt a left or right hand brisket is it?

U2CANQUE · 01-31-2009, 02:25 PM

laughing, no, some ribs look great on the meatside, then when you flip them over they have scoliosis with the amount of turn/direction of the bones....

U2CANQUE · 01-31-2009, 02:26 PM

I tend to look at the backside first, looking for the straightest, and then once I have those picked out, I will look at the meat side to see which ones best suite my needs.....if that makes sense?

HawgHeaven · 01-31-2009, 04:35 PM

It is tough to find comp quality ribs around here, at least that I know of. Those ribs look really good, especially in comparison to what I can get locally! Where did you get the case of ribs?

I need a better local source...

ov1 · 01-31-2009, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by U2CANQUE

I tend to look at the backside first, looking for the straightest, and then once I have those picked out, I will look at the meat side to see which ones best suite my needs.....if that makes sense?

Good point Rob. You don't want ribs that look like a half circle when you try to cut through them.

Yakfishingfool · 01-31-2009, 07:56 PM

ummmmm...those are BB's... Spares is better. :)

Balls Casten · 02-02-2009, 07:59 AM

And the finished ribs ...

Spares better than BB .. this coming from a New Yorker?

Sledneck · 02-02-2009, 09:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Balls Casten

And the finished ribs ...

Spares better than BB .. this coming from a New Yorker?

I only do spares. Few years since I cooked BB's

Divemaster · 02-02-2009, 10:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sledneck

I only do spares. Few years since I cooked BB's

I also only do spares for comps... I do have customers that want BB's but I'm slowly converting them over....

Dave98 · 02-02-2009, 11:53 AM

Nice looking Ribs!

Can I get some guidance on spares VS baby backs in competitions? I have been doing spares to this point and am considering baby backs for this season. I figure the cost will end being about the same per pound after I get done trimming the spares. Maybe cost should not be a consideration but rather how easy one is to cook consistently vs the other etc.

Thanks for the help.

thenewguy · 02-02-2009, 12:38 PM

I prefer the look and taste of BB's over spares. Spares seem to taste too "hammy" to my liking.jmo.

Gowan · 02-02-2009, 09:31 PM

Spares are easier to get into a box if you layer your ribs - the arch to the BBs makes them stand tall in the box. My experience is that you have to look through more BBs in order to find good racks than you do spares, and the middle rack in a cryo 3 pack of BBs is almost always lousy.

Our highest finish in ribs was with BBs, but a personally still prefer spares.

01-31-2009, 02:25 PM	#5
U2CANQUE is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 07-04-06 Location: Cleveland, OH	laughing, no, some ribs look great on the meatside, then when you flip them over they have scoliosis with the amount of turn/direction of the bones.... __________________ Them Ohio City Boys BBQ Competition Team 2 Worthless Nuts Them Ohio City Boys All Jacked Up Cleveland, Ohio Jambo (J-3) Black on Black-with Hot Rod Flames FEC w/ IQ4

01-31-2009, 02:26 PM	#6
U2CANQUE is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 07-04-06 Location: Cleveland, OH	I tend to look at the backside first, looking for the straightest, and then once I have those picked out, I will look at the meat side to see which ones best suite my needs.....if that makes sense? __________________ Them Ohio City Boys BBQ Competition Team 2 Worthless Nuts Them Ohio City Boys All Jacked Up Cleveland, Ohio Jambo (J-3) Black on Black-with Hot Rod Flames FEC w/ IQ4

01-31-2009, 04:35 PM	#7
HawgHeaven Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 08-17-08 Location: Newark, DE	It is tough to find comp quality ribs around here, at least that I know of. Those ribs look really good, especially in comparison to what I can get locally! Where did you get the case of ribs? I need a better local source... __________________ Pop-Pop Phil [I][COLOR=purple]Klose Backyard Chef[/COLOR][/I] [I][COLOR=purple]18.5" WSMs[/COLOR][/I] [I][COLOR=purple]Numerous Weber kettles[/COLOR][/I] Hawg Heaven Smokin' BBQ [URL]http://www.hhsbbq.com[/URL] Super, ultra-fast [B][I][U][COLOR=darkorange]ORANGE [/COLOR][/U][/I][/B]Thermapen

01-31-2009, 07:56 PM	#9
Yakfishingfool Babbling Farker Join Date: 10-01-05 Location: Shokan, New York	ummmmm...those are BB's... Spares is better. :) __________________ Oh It'z BBQ! 1 Weber Gold Series Grill 1 WSM 18,1 WSM 22 1 Weber performer, 1 Smokey Joe Platinum 1 XL Big Green Egg 1 FEC 100 Team BBQ-Brethren.com KCBS Certified Judge #9079

02-02-2009, 07:59 AM	#10
Balls Casten is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 01-04-09 Location: Johnston, Ia	And the finished ribs ... Spares better than BB .. this coming from a New Yorker? __________________ Specialization in bipolar, self-injury, and OCD Last edited by Balls Casten; 02-17-2014 at 11:33 AM..

01-31-2009, 10:25 AM	#1
Balls Casten is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 01-04-09 Location: Johnston, Ia	Rib prep / Trim? First thank you for the input on the chicken thread. For the Super bowl I am taking a case on ribs down to the local bar. So I am taking the opportunity to try my hand at trimming ribs. Just like the chicken, aside from some very obvious hunks of fat or loose meat, we did not trim. We would pull the membrane from the underside and clean that up the best we could. So here are the ribs, which one from each group would you select and why? #1 - A, the best rack of the bunch, thin some of the fat in the center. #2 - B, less fat than the others #3 - A, I would thin the large fat area in the center. Downside the length of each rib would be different. How did I do? I'll post the trimmed ribs before they go on the smoker. __________________ Specialization in bipolar, self-injury, and OCD Last edited by Balls Casten; 02-17-2014 at 11:33 AM..

01-31-2009, 10:29 AM	#2
U2CANQUE is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 07-04-06 Location: Cleveland, OH	I would have to see the back side, because I also take into consideration bone direction..... __________________ Them Ohio City Boys BBQ Competition Team 2 Worthless Nuts Them Ohio City Boys All Jacked Up Cleveland, Ohio Jambo (J-3) Black on Black-with Hot Rod Flames FEC w/ IQ4

01-31-2009, 11:35 AM	#3
Balls Casten is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 01-04-09 Location: Johnston, Ia	Here are the trimed ribs I selected and after the rub. To the left is the fat that was trimmed from the three racks. Did I cut the right amount of flavor off or to much? __________________ Specialization in bipolar, self-injury, and OCD Last edited by Balls Casten; 02-17-2014 at 11:33 AM..

02-02-2009, 11:53 AM	#13
Dave98 Is lookin for wood to cook with. Join Date: 10-10-08 Location: Overland Pork, Kansas	Nice looking Ribs! Can I get some guidance on spares VS baby backs in competitions? I have been doing spares to this point and am considering baby backs for this season. I figure the cost will end being about the same per pound after I get done trimming the spares. Maybe cost should not be a consideration but rather how easy one is to cook consistently vs the other etc. Thanks for the help.

02-02-2009, 12:38 PM	#14
thenewguy Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 10-23-07 Location: Norwalk,Iowa	I prefer the look and taste of BB's over spares. Spares seem to taste too "hammy" to my liking.jmo.

02-02-2009, 09:31 PM	#15
Gowan is Blowin Smoke! Join Date: 08-08-07 Location: Cartersville, GA	Spares are easier to get into a box if you layer your ribs - the arch to the BBs makes them stand tall in the box. My experience is that you have to look through more BBs in order to find good racks than you do spares, and the middle rack in a cryo 3 pack of BBs is almost always lousy. Our highest finish in ribs was with BBs, but a personally still prefer spares.