Any good reason to cook a whole spare as is?

cholloway · Oct 14, 2018

Most butchers are gonna charge up to $1 per lb to cut spare ribs into St. Louis style. I'd rather do it myself and keep the trimmings.
It's getting hard to find spare ribs around here anymore.

Seefyre · Oct 14, 2018

I may be an exception, but my eyes roll into the back of my head when I bite into the butter soft cartilage that is removed to make STL. It's the mark of perfection in ribs for me.

They also take the longest to cook, and more skill. The baby back are essentially tender right out of the package, I see spares as the brisket of the pork rib world.

dadsr4 · Oct 14, 2018

Seefyre said:
I may be an exception, but my eyes roll into the back of my head when I bite into the butter soft cartilage that is removed to make STL. It's the mark of perfection in ribs for me.

They also take the longest to cook, and more skill. The baby back are essentially tender right out of the package, I see spares as the brisket of the pork rib world.

For me, it's exactly the opposite. Spareribs are like a pork butt.

I remove the membrane, apply the rub, and onto the kettle for 4-5 hours before I need to bother with them. Loin backs, they need to be fussed with, with a narrow window between under done and over done.

Nuco59 · Oct 14, 2018

No likey loin backs. I will cook them if the family is insistent. I always feel they have to be babied, foiled, sauced and coaxed into being "decent". Ain't go NO time for that.

EyeBurnEverything · Oct 14, 2018

I have to say, I am a believer of whole spares. I don't have a tone of pics but i at least got pics of the final product, and its a winner.

BillN · Oct 14, 2018

^^^Nailed it, nice work Candice.

EyeBurnEverything · Oct 14, 2018

BillN said:
^^^Nailed it, nice work Candice.

Thanks. I wrapped 2 hours in and pulled them at 4 1/2 hours at a steady 300F, the meat just started pulling away from the bones. Meat still had a nice tooth feel, but gave way. The Fam loved them, but next time i would give the rack another hour wrapped, to me, that would be perfection.

70monte · Oct 15, 2018

I cook them occasionally and do a little trimming. I usually leave the tips on. Here is some pics of my last spare cook.

G'Daddy · Oct 15, 2018

I also just trim a little. Not too much though. Just enough to to have extended bones when sliced. Or, If the missus desires some candy, I cut off the tips so that she can grab it right off the smoker when ready...

Hoss · Oct 15, 2018

Spares are the TRUE TEST of a rib cooker.Anyone can cook loin/ baby backs.Spares are different.They require a special touch.If the pit master has that touch,they are phenomenal.

gtr · Oct 16, 2018

I love all ribs in any form - both cooking them and eating them.

el luchador · Nov 15, 2018

Hoss said:
Spares are the TRUE TEST of a rib cooker.Anyone can cook loin/ baby backs.Spares are different.They require a special touch.If the pit master has that touch,they are phenomenal.

I only cook whole spares and they are the most forgiving meat to cook imo.

no need to trim, or remove silverskin.

no need to wrap

no need to sauce.

just add some salt n peppa, before or after cooking, and Enjoy.

Steve S · Nov 15, 2018

I would say pork butts are far more forgiving than ribs of any kind, but to each his own. I am in the camp of trimming spares and cooking the tips along side.

Any good reason to cook a whole spare as is?

cholloway

Babbling Farker

Seefyre

Take a breath!

dadsr4

somebody shut me the fark up.

Nuco59

Babbling Farker

EyeBurnEverything

is Blowin Smoke!

BillN

somebody shut me the fark up.

EyeBurnEverything

is Blowin Smoke!

70monte

is Blowin Smoke!

G'Daddy

Full Fledged Farker

Hoss

Quintessential Chatty Farker

gtr

somebody shut me the fark up.

el luchador

is Blowin Smoke!

Steve S

Take a breath!

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