Doing Whole Spare Ribs for the First Time....How about the skirt and tips?

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bgray

Fire Starter
Original poster
Aug 31, 2013
30
12
I'm doing spare ribs for the first time tomorrow.

I like fall off the bone, so I'm thinking about a 3-3 method at 225.  Good method?

Should I trim the skirt and tips, or just leave them on? 

If I do not trim them off, will the extra thickness of the skirt really effect cooking time?

If I do trim them off, should I just cook the tips and skirt the same way, 3-3 at 225, right next to the ribs?

Any advise is appreciated!  Thanks in advance!
 
I don't trim mine, but that is my personal preference. I'm not competing in a competition so why bother. Not sure what a 3-3 method is, but you could do a 3-2-1 method for spares. I really prefer to cook mine straight through no foil, but I do every once in a while do the 3-2-1 and have had great results.

The trimmings can be cooked right along, just check them for doneness as the will more than likely get done before the ribs. That's called snackins for the chef!
 
OK thanks! 

By 3-3, I mean 3 hours unfoiled and 3 hours foiled.
 
I, like Case, seldom trim my spare ribs. I realize you have extra thickness there but it matters if I am grilling yes, but when low and slow I have not had a problem.  I am new to the Foiling type of cooking, but learning. My last spare ribs I did in an electric smoker 220, 3 2 1 and the bones were falling out as I tryed to pick 'em up. The last 1, is there to help dry 'em out a little and firm up the meat I believe. Also gives a handy time period for folks who like that sauce stuff.

Right now here its 25 degrees cooler outside than it was then, the house A/C now even turns off some during the day. So if your climate is nice it might be the perfect time to try 'em the regular 3 2 1 and find a good set point to build upon.

I sorta think that maybe 3 3 might give ya pulled pork spare ribs. But thats my opinion using my climate conditions.

If ya have room, its pretty nice to set a pan of beans under the ribs too! Mmmmm....gud!
 
I agree with Foam about the pulled pork. 3 hours in foil, for my taste, is just way too long. Since you've never done this before why not try the method that has worked for literally thousands of folks over many years? 3-2-1 has been proven to be an excellent starting point for fall off the bone ribs. Then once you have a couple smokes under your belt you can tweak it to your liking. I started out with 321 and discovered I didn't like fall off the bone ribs, so I messed around until I came up with a method that delivers what works for me.
 
I also agree about not trimming. The only time I trim is when I'm going for "show" at the dinner table. Otherwise, we go caveman and dig right in. I too am learning the foil method - I have always gone without the foil in the past.

Good luck!
 
Looks like I'm in the minority but I do trim my ribs. Not for appearances sake, necessarily, but because I love making rib tips!
 
 
Looks like I'm in the minority but I do trim my ribs. Not for appearances sake, necessarily, but because I love making rib tips!
I'm with you on this one. The tips cook a bit faster and make great snacks for the pit master......
drool.gif


Brad
 
bgray, hello  I did ribs yesterday along with two briskets, I didn't trim my ribs down because both my grandsons like extra little pieces of meat kind of like burnt ends on ribs. Here are a couple of pictures of how mine turned out. I cook at 225 and did the 3-2-1   actually did 3-2- and about 30-40 min.

Gary








 
 
Looks like I'm in the minority but I do trim my ribs. Not for appearances sake, necessarily, but because I love making rib tips!
Me too but for a completely different reason. I feel like if I trim them the whole things taste less fatty. I do like the way they look, and also like having the tips to snack on or use in recipes too.
 
Probably if I was cooking for company or a group I would trim them down and make St Louis style, But for us ,we like it all, don't care about the looks.

Gary
 
I'm not compeet'n, just eat'n.  No trimming here.  No foiling either unless I'm doing them hot and fast on the gas grill.  I prefer to wet smoke 2-3 racks for 5-6 hours at 225-235 with whatever wood hits my fancy that day.  
 
I trim to get multiple meals. St. Louis ribs and all the rest I remove the thin pieces and bone out the cartilage. All this thin meat makes for a quick 2 hour Smoked Boneless Rib meal or goes into my Chinese Char Siu marinade and is used in Pork fried rice, Pork Egg Rolls or any Chinese Pork dish...JJ

 
I trim, but that's how I was taught...  We did a lot of wild game,fish and pigs growing up and my dad always trimmed any membrane that was close to the gut best he could.. That's the only way I ever knew to do it...
 
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