Fabricating the St. Louis Rib Rack, a pictorial tutorial

[eaglewing]

THANKS TONS BOB!!!!

I am going to have to try this on my next set of ribs

1 Question BOB:

what were your TIMES and TEMP on those ribs you displayed, and did you foil or not??

Alot of that has to do with pullback also right??

 

[3montes]

Excellent post and very informative. Thanks for posting this Bob. I agree it should be a sticky.

 

[jak757]

Great post. As a newbie, I find this very helpful. I have been a little intimidated about trimming spares -- but you show clearly how to do it. Thanks!

 

[fireangel]

Excellent tutorial!!

 

[eaglewing]

I made a PDF of this thread if you want it on your computer just download it from this link, choose 'Free User' unless you have a Rapidshare account...

http://rapidshare.com/files/33726573...Louis_R....pdf

IT IS PERFECTLY SAFE AND FREE, there is no risk of virus or anything like that.... I guarantee it

 

[bbally]

I do 2.5 hours on the initial cook. Then I go to 100 percent humidity for 2 hours, then I finish for 1.5 hours by killing the humidity. I use a tea kettle for humidity. I cook cases and cases of ribs, don't have time to do foiling.

Truth be told I need to go to 3.5 hours on the initial stage.

 

[pit 4 brains]

Great post Bob, i may have to get over to Havasu and try some of those..

 

[the dude abides]

Awesome tutorial. +1 for sticky status!

for taking the time to do this.

 

[fireangel]

Another vote for Sticky!!

 

[pit 4 brains]

Yeah, sticky it up! I searched high and low for this info a while ago..

 

[Dutch]

Great tutorial Bob. As has be suggested, this thread is now a sticky.

Last fall when I was picking out some spares to do my first smoke on the Lang, a guy had pick up a pack of ribs that I discarded because of the weird way that the loin was cut from the plate. He approached the "cutter" wanting to know if he could get the spare ribs cut St. Louis style. The "cutter" shook his head and told the guy that he didn't have a clue how to do ribs.

I spoke to the guy when he returned to the were the spares ribs were at in the meat case-I showed him why I discarded the ribs that he had in his hand and then showed him what to look for. I then took out a sharpie pen and diagrammed how to cut the ribs into St. Louis style right there on the cryovac. I gave him my phone number so he could call me if he had any questions. The "cutter" then came up to me and was curious as to how I knew how to do ribs like the other guy wanted. I smiled and told him "4 years as an apprentice and 10 years working as a journeyman cutter.

I walked away smiling, knowing that learning my father's trade has stood me well even though I no longer cut for a living.

 

[eaglewing]

Thnx Dutch

 

[bbally]

I too have never regretted being sent to help out in the butcher and sausage houses in Dairy Country Penna of my youth. While at the time I thought it was a just being loaned out as a slave. It has paid me well at the meat counters and butcher shops over the years.

 

[marty catka]

Great post. Learn something here everyday.

 

[tlzimmerman]

Great post, and a beautiful set of ribs at the end. Will keep this one ready for the next time I want to try spares.

 

[ismoke]

Nice read, but the pics don't seem to be working...

 

[bbally]

They are up and working. Just checked? Might be your browser?

 

[sweet chops bbq]

where are the pics??

 

[bbally]

First post.

 

[voldaddy]

Great job! I have 3 slabs I'm going to smoke for the Super Bowl tomorrow.

I'll try to trim them up like the pictures show, they look great.