Exactly what are Pork Back Ribs?

[THW]

Well, I headed to the store today because the single digit temperatures are ending in Indiana and it was in the mid 30's today. Got a brand new MES 30" setting here staring at me with that one big eye and I want to attempt my first smoke. At the Grocery store (Kroger) they had four racks of ribs that were labeled "Pork Back Ribs" They were priced at $4.99 a pound but I want to see if I have learned anything with all the reading I have been doing so the price was not going to be an obstacle. The only other ribs available were packaged and sealed with either a rub or BBQ sauce already added. I wanted to do my own all the way through because of the learning benefit.

Anyway, I asked the person at the meat counter and she said Pork Back Ribs were Baby Back Ribs.

Can anyone verify for me that I was given the correct information. I noticed that in Jeff's 5 day course, the 5th lesson has a list with both "back ribs" and "baby back ribs" listed with slightly different instructions for internal temperature when smoking.

Any information would be appreciated.
Tom

 

[bdskelly]

It appears what you have there is baby back ribs with a bit of extra pork loin on the top. Called pork loin ribs down south. They are an awesome cut. I’ve always been a St. Louis fan but those are gaining on me! Please post the smoke!
I smoke them like a regular baby back with great success . At 225 smoker temp 2 hours on the rack. Then Wrap in foil and back on the rack for 2 more hours. Then unwrap and back in the smoker for 1 more hour. Total cook time is 5 hours and a smoker temoof 225. B

 

[THW]

Thanks for the quick reply. I did notice the thicker meat section at the slim end. And I plan to add some pictures. I have taken several of the rack it rinsed and dried, with the skin membrane removed and laying beside it, with the yellow mustard applied and then with the rib added.

I notice most folks add the thumbnail pictures and not the full sized. Is there a special reason for that?

Again, thanks for the help.

 

[bdskelly]

Thanks for the quick reply. I did notice the thicker meat section at the slim end. And I plan to add some pictures. I have taken several of the rack it rinsed and dried, with the skin membrane removed and laying beside it, with the yellow mustard applied and then with the rib added.

I notice most folks add the thumbnail pictures and not the full sized. Is there a special reason for that?

Again, thanks for the help.

Add the photos in the way you like. I prefer full view. But that’s me. I’ll be watching for the smoke!

 

[mosparky]

Yes Baby Backs are often labeled as Back Ribs. They are from the upper part of the pig. They are whats left when they pull the boneless loin (back strap)off. Spare ribs are the lower (chest) section of the same rib bones. St. Louis style are spare ribs with the breast bone cut off. The term baby back has nothing to do with the age of the animal, but refers to the relatively demunitive size as compared to Spares.

 

[greatfx1959]

and those sons of guns will be good, hard to screw those up!.........good luck.........

 

[THW]

Thanks Sparky. The only thing that made me wonder is I just took the 5 Day Course. Todays lesson has a list of meats with their smoking temperature and IT meat temperature when done..

It lists:
"back ribs"- - - - - smoke at 225 - 240 degrees for 4-5 hrs - Done when IT = 185-190 degrees

"baby back ribs" - smoke at 225 - 240 degrees for 5 hrs - - -Done when IT = 180 degrees

These slight differences in internal temperature when done made me question what they were.

Thanks for the response.

 

[bdskelly]

First of all. Relax. Cook those ribs to an IT of around 185 and they will be awesome. Just enough tug off the bone without being mushy fall off the bone. Don’t over think it. Enjoy the cook.

 

[THW]

Thanks. I wasn't to worried but being at the very beginning of the learning stage I just have a lot of questions. I had figured on a 185 or 190 IT temp anyway. While following the 2-2-1 method. But still awaiting the correct internal temperature.

Should be a good day.

 

[mosparky]

What chapter was todays lesson ? I by-passed all the e-mail stuff, due to so many people saying they are missing this lesson or that and downloaded the whole thing to read all at once. The temps you mention are in chapter 5 or my copy and there is only spare ribs and baby backs listed. It is possible the course was edited and the former info was not deleted after the new was entered.
The temps are really close and may represent the difference between "bite off the bone" and Fall off the bone"

 

[THW]

It is in Chapter 5 and there is a list of 39 items with Smoke temps, smoke times and IT when ready. Just got the 5th lesson today. I don't know it they have been edited or not but I only know what I just read and it got my curiosity up. I am aware of the tender stage and fall off the bone stage but did not think that was the intent.

 

[mosparky]

Clear as mud now. My pdf version only has a list of 17 items.

 

[THW]

Then go to the 5 Day lesson thread, sign up and on the 5th day you will have the new version.

 

[pops6927]

The back ribs come off the pork loin: pork loin blade, pork loin center and pork loin sirloin. Most are pork loin blade and pork loin center. The pork loin sirloin has the tenderloin strip removed and some flap meat on the end. The chine bone is cut off after boning out the loin meat, resulting in the back ribs. The 'baby' is more near the front of the hog; smaller, more tender; but all are back ribs.

 

[THW]

Thanks Pops. The picture is worth a thousand words. I had a pretty good understanding from just hearing the upper section compared to more under belly section but this helps.

Thanks

 

[SonnyE]

Great buy! Enjoy!
I'm somewhat infamous for my Baby Back Ribs. Quite by accident, actually. I got to fixin them the way I liked them. Danged if they didn't draw a crowd... :eek:

Thumbnail Vs: Full Picture
The thumbnail will load faster, important for some folks. They can see the picture, then decide on click or pass.
I use the thumbnail to be courteous to those who have a more limited Internet download speed. It let's them choose if they want to see the big picture.
Back in the day, when I had a 14.4 baud rate modem, it was important. Even at a 56K baud rate it was.
But since AT&T got enough competition that they were forced to improve their system, well, let's just say things have improved in the last 30 odd years. But the shaudy state of Ma Bell was the reason for the World Wide Wait in general.
The Internet caught them unawares.
What's that? Oh, you thought the www meant something else....
Bottom line: Use whichever you'd like. Speeds are improving all along... ;)

 

[SmokinAl]

What you have is Pork loin back ribs, which are Babybacks with more of the loin meat on them.
These are what I always buy, I take them to an IT of 195. If you want fall off the bone ribs, then take them to 200-205.
Here is a tutorial on smoking them.
https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/perfect-ribs-every-time-this-really-works.240916/
Hope this helps!
Al

 

[THW]

Thanks Sonny, I tend to plug in the full picture and wish most others would. Now don't get me started on the way companies like AT&T drag their feet on getting the system into the 21st century. I live 5 miles outside a small town and 13 miles from the county seat. I have been prodding and asking and sometime pleading for the past 15 years for AT&T to bring fiber optics to people in the country. As I am very familiar with them I can tell everyone that they could care less about country folks. I was on dial up for years and now have the privilege of paying three times what access should cost that shuts down every time a dark cloud comes over. Where I am allowed to down load a whole 10 GiG per month before I an dropped back to dialup speed. Then I am offered a chance to pay an additional 10 dollars for every additional GIG of data after that until the start of the next month. It will eventually go the same as the telephone did where the Government tells the monopolies to provide equal access or out of business. Then they will be given another twenty years to comply. Yah I am very familiar with the setup.

Ok, got that off my chest for at least today.

Now, Yes, I am very happy with my purchase but thought $4.99 was probably top dollar. I saw the extra meat and thought it might be from the tenderloin area but having been able to spell smoker for only about the past two weeks, I wanted to ask about it.

I have the rack resting in the frig., under a layer of rub, awaiting the smokers initial seasoning, and the arrival of my new meat thermometer. I am hoping it will arrive today but feel I should wait until I can do this right before I start this all important first smoke.

Thanks for all the assistance guys and gals.

 

[THW]

Thanks Al for your informative posts. I have read several of them around the forum and appreciate the time you spend trying to assist others. I pretty much have my plan down as far as the 2-2-1 method. The only think I have not settled on yet is whether to add a spritz of apple juice inside the foil wrap and what the ending IT of the meat will be. I am leaning toward almost FOB but maybe night quite.

I tend to be a perfectionist and that was necessary in my life long job but it also tends to tie my thoughts for extended periods of time. At least I have learned to only (really) worry about things I have control over and if Mother Nature is involved, to just let her do what she wants to.

Tom

 

[SmokinAl]

Thanks Al for your informative posts. I have read several of them around the forum and appreciate the time you spend trying to assist others. I pretty much have my plan down as far as the 2-2-1 method. The only think I have not settled on yet is whether to add a spritz of apple juice inside the foil wrap and what the ending IT of the meat will be. I am leaning toward almost FOB but maybe night quite.

I tend to be a perfectionist and that was necessary in my life long job but it also tends to tie my thoughts for extended periods of time. At least I have learned to only (really) worry about things I have control over and if Mother Nature is involved, to just let her do what she wants to.

Tom

Hi Tom,
I am a perfectionist as well, which is why I would get so frustrated over my rib results. I took meticulous notes & when I would get that perfect rack & try to do it exactly the same the next time, it would upset me that the result wasn't the same. It wasn't until I figured out that to get ribs the same each time the IT had to be the same. It doesn't matter what method you use to get there, if the IT is the same, the ribs will be the same.
Al