Pork "rib" nomenclature definitions?

[Chasdev]

I'm having difficulty wrapping my brain around which of these is what..AND which do I want?
I'm making Charro beans and will be low simmering the pork after browing, for max tenderness and flavor.
So here's where my brain has a flat tire.
Are any of these really "ribs" or are they just called that?
Bone-in Country-style Boston Butt ribs.
Boneless Country-style Boston Butt ribs.
Boneless Texas-style pork loin ribs.

 

[BigDave11]

I'm having difficulty wrapping my brain around which of these is what..AND which do I want?
I'm making Charro beans and will be low simmering the pork after browing, for max tenderness and flavor.
So here's where my brain has a flat tire.
Are any of these really "ribs" or are they just called that?
Bone-in Country-style Boston Butt ribs.
Boneless Country-style Boston Butt ribs.
Boneless Texas-style pork loin ribs.

none are ribs. country style ribs refer to a part of meat where the shoulder meets the loin. mostly cuts sold are more towards the shoulder and will be fattier. will be sold as bone in or boneless. sometimes you may find cuts for sale that are leaner those will be from more of the loin side. the walmart near me actually labels the kinds as such when they have both.

 

[Chasdev]

What's your take on which is best eating, all variables aside?

 

[bmudd14474]

My fav are st louis ribs and then country style next.

 

[tallbm]

I'm having difficulty wrapping my brain around which of these is what..AND which do I want?
I'm making Charro beans and will be low simmering the pork after browing, for max tenderness and flavor.
So here's where my brain has a flat tire.
Are any of these really "ribs" or are they just called that?
Bone-in Country-style Boston Butt ribs.
Boneless Country-style Boston Butt ribs.
Boneless Texas-style pork loin ribs.

When you see "Country Style" it's not actually ribs. Around here they just cut up a Pork Butt/Pork Shoulder/Boston Butt (all the same thing lol), and they call it country style ribs. Some can be boneless or bone in. It just depends on whether they were slicing through the bone of th epork butt or not .

Now with all that said, any of those would be good in your beans. Especially if they have a little fat to them.

Final thing. I LOVE taking a pork butt and removing the bone. Then kind of "unrolling" it while cutting it I get like 2-3 flat slabs of meat.
I then smoke these up like ribs and WOW are they amazing. Like pork ribs without the bones! I call them boneless ribs :D

 

[voyager 663rd]

Butt has one BONE (called aitch bone IIRC) and it's a son of a gun to try to cut out BEFORE cooking. Once a bone-in butt is cooked, that bone just pulls out by hand.

Pork LOIN ribs are back ribs as we know it BUT:

IF the rack is 2 to 2.5lb or less--->baby back ribs
IF the rack is 3 lb or more--loin back ribs

Depends on the size of the pig that donated them

 

[Chasdev]

Thanks for that but I know a rib when I see it.
It's the so called mystery "ribs" that have my attention.
My take is that they just chose a random pig part name for sliced butt and sliced upper tenderloin, with or without bone.
I think I'm going to buy some of each and cook them before I know which ones does what best.
I hate having to re-invent the wheel to find out but so be it.
Next payday I'll be in a better position to buy extra meat for testing.

 

[chopsaw]

My take is that they just chose a random pig part name for sliced butt and sliced upper tenderloin, with or without bone.

Exactly . Doesn't even need to be from the butt or loin , or even pork . They cut strips of beef and call them " country style " Low labor , and people pay a higher price for them .
What you list above aren't from the ribs , you already know that .
However ,
There is a legit country style pork rib .
Comes from the last four ribs closets to the shoulder .
It will have a short section of the bone , and contain sections from both the shoulder and the loin . Photos from the internet .
Like this ,

Another couple of ways they are cut .

 

[BigDave11]

What's your take on which is best eating, all variables aside?

I'm a spare rib guy. baby backs just have too much loin meat nowadays. i dont mind some fatty bone-in "country style" ribs though. usually when i cook spares i will trim them to st louis style then cut them up individually, do a roughly 2-2.5 hours smoke to desired color then pile them up in a covered foil pan with butter, bbq sauce, more rub and brown sugar to get them all tender. same can be done with any country style ribs

 

[Chasdev]

No, I'm sorry but which (if any) of the fake "ribs' are best eating?

 

[Brokenhandle]

No, I'm sorry but which (if any) of the fake "ribs' are best eating?

I think that can only be based on personal preference. We don't get CSR very often but are darn tasty when we do. And usually cooked over an open fire... maybe that's why we like them.

Ryan

 

[chopsaw]

which (if any) of the fake "ribs' are best eating?

My choice would be the bone in Boston butt .

 

[tallbm]

No, I'm sorry but which (if any) of the fake "ribs' are best eating?

I think the pork butt ones will be best eating (all CSR's here are from that cut).

Honestly, you can save money per pound by just buying a pork butt and cutting your own. IF, you want that much meat. There are pork butt sales here about every 2-3 weeks at least at one of the various grocery chains around so buying $0.87-$0.99/lb pork butts and cutting and vac sealing is a no brainer. For 10 bucks you get over 10 pounds of meat that can be done any which way.

I do CSRs, pork steaks, stir fry, pulled pork, and many many other dishes with it.
It's by far the most flexible and tasty piece of pork at the best price around :D

Just keep this in mind if you are really wanting to experiment with CSRs. You could do it better yourself for cheaper than the grocery store does for you :D

 

[chopsaw]

(all CSR's here are from that cut).

Even the beef ?

 

[tallbm]

Even the beef ?

Hahhaha probably :P

The beef ribs that are like this are always just called "Boneless Beef Ribs" in my area. I never see them labeled as Country Style Beef Ribs. They just take a chuck and cut it into strips. :D

 

[Chasdev]

I recently bought two boneless butts from costco and cut them into 2 inch chunks for a tomato based pork stew, (which was great BTW) but cutting out the fat, membranes and connective tissues took an hour of intricate knife work.

 

[chopsaw]

They just take a chuck and cut it into strips.

That's the point . Anything cut into a strip from any part of the animal can be labeled as " CSR " .
Same with " London Broil "

Country-Style Ribs

Meaty, boneless ribs that work best in a slow-cooker or slow-cooked and finished on the grill.

www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com

If you ever see the legit Country style like posted in post 8 , they're worth a try .

 

[voyager 663rd]

Abut

... but cutting out the fat, membranes and connective tissues took an hour of intricate knife work.

And that's why I only buy butt for grinding into sausage (and also it has to be boneless).

 

[Gonna Smoke]

Butt has one BONE (called aitch bone IIRC)

This is incorrect. The bone in a butt is the shoulder blade. The aitch bone comes from the ham and is actually part of the hip bone...

 

[Brokenhandle]

Needed some warm, happy thoughts... this helps!

Ryan