What is a Pork Rack Rib?

pocketaces · Apr 16, 2013

My butcher sent an email about spare ribs on sale for .79 a pound. I emailed back asking more about the special. In their return email they mentioned that the ribs are "Pork Rack" ribs and that next week the price would be back up to $2.49 per pound.

So, what the heck are they? I may just have to drive over there to find out.

bigblue · Apr 16, 2013

not sure lots of butchers have their own lingo ,it sounds like st Louis style not trimmed (skirt still on )

but for .79 a pound

who cares ,buy alot and play around

happy smoking

geerock · Apr 16, 2013

There is no real definition for pork back ribs. Even baby backs have lost their true meaning. Used to be bb was for ribs less than 1 1/2 lbs.then 2 then from a pig under 250 lbs. Now....who knows? My general idea boe is that pork back ribs just tend to be from a larger pig but......
At 79 cents damn you have to try them. Probably just have to render them longer than normal.

mdboatbum · Apr 16, 2013

It's my understanding that back ribs are from the upper part of the ribcage, AKA loin ribs. Spares are from the lower part, AKA belly ribs. I'd think you'd be able to tell pretty quickly if you went and took a look. $.79 a pound would be well worth the drive over in my opinion Hell, it'd be worth a walk over there. With a broken leg. In the snow. Uphill....

Bearcarver · Apr 16, 2013

Mdboatbum said:
It's my understanding that back ribs are from the upper part of the ribcage, AKA loin ribs. Spares are from the lower part, AKA belly ribs. I'd think you'd be able to tell pretty quickly if you went and took a look. $.79 a pound would be well worth the drive over in my opinion Hell, it'd be worth a walk over there. With a broken leg. In the snow. Uphill....

What he said.

Bear

smokeamotive · Apr 16, 2013

Mdboatbum said:
It's my understanding that back ribs are from the upper part of the ribcage, AKA loin ribs. Spares are from the lower part, AKA belly ribs. I'd think you'd be able to tell pretty quickly if you went and took a look. $.79 a pound would be well worth the drive over in my opinion Hell, it'd be worth a walk over there. With a broken leg. In the snow. Uphill....

:yeahthat: Backwards!!!

seenred · Apr 16, 2013

Mdboatbum said:
It's my understanding that back ribs are from the upper part of the ribcage, AKA loin ribs. Spares are from the lower part, AKA belly ribs. I'd think you'd be able to tell pretty quickly if you went and took a look. $.79 a pound would be well worth the drive over in my opinion Hell, it'd be worth a walk over there. With a broken leg. In the snow. Uphill....

X 3...$.79 cents a pound??? I'd like to get some of that!!

Red

mdboatbum · Apr 16, 2013

Opps, I misread that, I thought it said "BACK" ribs I'd say "RACK" ribs probably means a full rack of spares. Sorry for the confusion.

doctord1955 · Apr 16, 2013

Back ribs are what you get when you cut large loins out of a half of hog then bone them out leaving all the meat on the ribs other than the loin eye or rib eye then they cut the chine bone or backbone off of them!

demosthenes9 · Apr 17, 2013

@ .79 per pound, I'd also run, not walk, and pray that you have lots of freezer space :)

pocketaces · Apr 18, 2013

Thank you for the responses guys. I just got back from the butcher. I bought three racks. They are huge! Almost look like beef ribs. Big bones but tons of meat too. Each rack came with two of the pieces that they cut off. Each were between 6-7 pounds.

I was a little skeptical but for $15 bucks (for all three) I thought I'd give them a try. I have no idea how they'll turn out. First nice day here in WI and I'm going to give them a try. I'll make sure to follow up with some pictures.

Thank you again.

demosthenes9 · Apr 18, 2013

Can you post a picture of what they look like now? I'd wager that you got spare ribs. Might make a difference in how you prepare them.

pocketaces · Apr 18, 2013

They are in the freezer already. I'll have to wait until I cook them. But in the add they did call them spare ribs. In the email response they called them "Rack Ribs".

I've never seen pork ribs this big. The bones are huge like dino bones.

How should I prepare them?

mdboatbum · Apr 19, 2013

I wonder if they're just the whole side? Like the baby backs and spares together. If they didn't do any cutting at all that might explain the low price. Would be mighty tricky to cook if that's the case. You're sure they're not beef?

demosthenes9 · Apr 20, 2013

Pocket, a pic would still help a whole lot even if the ribs are frozen. As Mdboatbum's post illustrates, exactly what you have remains a mystery. This makes it difficult to even begin to offer advice.

pocketaces · Apr 23, 2013

Pictures are on the way. I pulled a package out this morning and put in the fridge to start thawing. I'm planning smoking them on Sunday.

pocketaces · Apr 28, 2013

image-3.jpg

pocketaces
Apr 28, 2013

mdboatbum · Apr 28, 2013

Those look like spares to me. Maybe a pic of the underside, showing the top part (which would be the part closest to the spine) would help. Can't really see how big they are as there's no reference, but my guess would be just really big spare ribs.

themule69 · Apr 28, 2013

Pocketaces said:
image-3.jpg

pocketaces

Apr 28, 2013

it looks like good eating to me. you did Great for .79#

happy smoken.

david

pocketaces · Apr 28, 2013

image-1.jpg

pocketaces
Apr 28, 2013

What is a Pork Rack Rib?

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