Pork spares or baby backs

[jake0531]

I’m sure the answer to this is personal preference, but some insight would be great.
I’m wanting to smoke some ribs again this weekend. Every time I’ve done ribs I’ve used spare ribs and although they have been decent, I haven’t felt they have been good. I’ve never cooked baby backs before and was wondering do people mostly use baby backs, spares, or whatever is available? And what’s the personal preference of using your choice?

 

[indaswamp]

Baby backs are higher up on the hog, just under the loin next to the backbone. butchers are starting to leave more loin meat on the baby backs because they can get a better price selling loin as rib meat. Loin meat can be dry. Baby backs are leaner than spare ribs and will only need 3~4 hours of cooking. I love ribs and won't turn any down, but I prefer st. Louis cut spare ribs.

 

[bregent]

Every time I’ve done ribs I’ve used spare ribs and although they have been decent, I haven’t felt they have been good.

I go back and forth between BB and St Louis spares, lately I'm preferring spares due to higher fat content. But you can make fantastic ribs from either. Tell us why you don't feel your spares were up to par and we can try to help you improve them.

 

[ravenclan]

I do both but i prefer Baby Backs. I think better flavor and better/more meat on the bone. and just like you said "preference"

 

[smokerjim]

I personally like the st. louis better, but you cant go wrong with either, as mentioned above I would cut back on the cook time for babybacks

 

[smokinq13]

Spare ribs cut st. Louis style... take the rib ends that you trim off and smoke also. i like to take them and when they're done, toss it in some wing hot sauce

 

[RickNessly]

Spare...fattier...thinner...easier to get right every time.

 

[Bearcarver]

It's an easy decision for me, because around here the Spares can be had for around the $2.50 to $3 range.
Whereas Baby Backs are usually up around $5.49 or better.

Other than the price, I'd have to still say Spares, because they're easier to keep nice & juicy, especially if you don't trim them to St Louis first.

Bear

 

[tbrtt1]

I go back and forth depending on what’s on sale and how they look. I am looking for even-ness, er... same thickness from end to end and making sure there are no shiners (where you can see the bone viewed from the top). So to translate all that, if I’m at the store looking at ribs and the selection of spares don’t look so hot but the BBS look great I’ll go with that. Or vice Versa.

The only way you will find out which you prefer is to do some BBs. Heck do some BBs and spares in the same smoke and do a side by side.

 

[tbrtt1]

And for the record I ain’t met a rib I didn’t like; BBs Spares, beef, lamb, kangaroo (OK I did eat kangaroo but not the ribs).

 

[TomKnollRFV]

St Louis spares for me. I used to adhere to Baby back because it was the 'fancy' option. But St Louis has more flavour, always seems to have a better bite to it, and is alot cheaper.

Also doesn't require the finnicky mother henning Baby backs do...

 

[chef jimmyj]

I prefer Spare Ribs. Bonus, they are always cheaper and with two racks we get two meals. St Louis Ribs one day then the Tips and meaty small bone end, is saved to be made into Char Siu, Chinese BBQ Pork. I remove the cartilage and they either get cut in strips for Boneless Chinese Ribs or diced for any number of Pork Stir Fry meals, Pork Fried Rice or Pork Egg Rolls...JJ

 

[zwiller]

Prefer spare ribs but strangely BB are cheaper. They cut them real thick here and take more time than spares.

 

[tallbm]

I prefer baby backs but its not like I think they are far superior to spare ribs.

For me if you can find a big fatty rack of baby backs you get the best of both worlds of plenty of meat and nice juicy fatty goodness. HOWEVER, finding that big fatty baby back rack is the hardest part of the whole ordeal!

Lately they both have been going on sale for the same price so I just get 1 rack of each and I get the best of both worlds :D

 

[tbrtt1]

I prefer baby backs but its not like I think they are far superior to spare ribs.

For me if you can find a big fatty rack of baby backs you get the best of both worlds of plenty of meat and nice juicy fatty goodness. HOWEVER, finding that big fatty baby back rack is the hardest part of the whole ordeal!

Lately they both have been going on sale for the same price so I just get 1 rack of each and I get the best of both worlds :D

That’s what I’m talking about. Who says ya gotta choose? It’s good to be in a free country.

 

[illini40]

Personally, I prefer baby backs. However, I think that is because the first couple racks of spare ribs that I smoked were not the greatest. Then, I started going baby backs, learned more, and they have been turning out great.

I should try spare ribs again, with some of the things I now know.

In my opinion, it is all about how well they are cooked and getting them to the internal temp that best suits you. I have found out that we like our ribs more done (tender), so need to take them a little higher.

 

[noboundaries]

I'm solidly in the spare rib camp. Like Bear said, price is a big factor. BB's in my neck of the woods are rarely less than $2.99 / lb, and are usually in the $3.99 to $5.99/lb range. Sorry, I ain't paying that for a pig rib. Beef? Oh yeah, but not pig.

I can get untrimmed spare ribs for $.78 cents to $1.78 / lb year round. Two racks and I've got 4 meals for me and my wife, plus trimmings for beans.

Also, spares are VERY forgiving. The trick is to recognize when they are ready. Bend test, probe for tenderness, IT, or all three together. I don't wrap so it is easy to bend, probe, and check the IT.

 

[jake0531]

Thanks for all the input, it’s greatly appreciated!
I think I’m going to take people’s advice and do a side by side cook with the same seasonings and pellets and such, and see which turns out better for me, if there is one.
I’m not sure why I haven’t liked them so much. Maybe I need to take them to a different temperature. I usually follow @SmokinAl way and take them to 195. I don’t like fall off the but I don’t want to have to gnaw for 10 minutes each rib.
The first rack of ribs I ever did turned out perfect to me, and I have yet to replicate that

 

[jake0531]

What’s everyone’s favorite rub to put on ribs that you can get from Wally World or Kroger? I like sweet with some heat if that helps

 

[tallbm]

What’s everyone’s favorite rub to put on ribs that you can get from Wally World or Kroger? I like sweet with some heat if that helps

This is a horrible answer to your question because I don't buy any pre-made "rubs" or meat seasonings, but if I had a gun put to my head I think I would walk in and buy this:

In TX it seems that adding sugar to rubs or meat seasonings is not a common thing. I've never seen anyone around here do it unless they were going after some kind of Asian flavor that has sweetness (Bulgogi, Char Sui, etc.).

Sugar seems to burn way too/more easily and get bitter where other seasonings don't seem to have the same issue. That coupled with the point where regionally I've never seen sugar used in rubs,... I simply add all the sweet I'm looking for at the end with a sauce. I usually add bbq sauce that has some sweetness to it when it's on the plate rather than while still cooking. This way everyone gets the ribs the way they like it (sauce/no sauce, sweet/no sweet, dry/wet, etc.).

My usual rib seasoning is just black Pepper, Onion (deydrated/minced/granulated), Garlic (granulated), Paprika, in even parts and then Salt in like 1/2 or less a part. Ribs are probably the easiest meat to over salt that you will smoke!!!!
It is nice to be able to control the salt by adding it separately.

Finally, I personally like a bit of heat on my ribs like you do and I will add a little Cayenne (almost equal to the amount of salt, maybe less). Cayenne will give great flavor even before it imparts heat so it is a good spice you can sprinkle a good pinch of on to any smoked or grilled meat to get the flavor and you can fine tune the amount to add basically no heat/all flavor or as much heat as you want.
When I'm making ribs for myself I have this wonderful Kashmiri Red Pepper powder which is like a combo of Paprika and Cayenne when it come to flavor and heat. I replace the Paprika and Cayenne with the Kashmiri and I'm in rib heaven!

If you get interested in getting more bang for your buck and making simple yet amazing rib rubs and seasonings really look into just buying Salt, Pepper, Onion, Garlic, Paprika, and Cayenne and shaking them on yourself. You will be amazed at the flavor they provide even when buying the $0.50 - $1 spices (5th Season) at Walmart and giving it a go. I buy those when I go on trips or when someone who doesn't cook wants to "cook/grill" for an event and I know they don't have crap for seasonings hahaha. They are a nice gift to leave behind for them to learn a play around and cost very little in the way of spices.

I hop all this info and rambling helps! :)