Rib ID Question

[gadawgsr1]

I sent the wife to Sam's yesterday to pick up some ribs for the weekend. They had their ribs for $1.97/lb

. The wife calls and says they were $2.98/lb

now and that was all she could find. When I arrived home from work, I found she had purchased ribs that were labeled "Pork Loin Back Ribs Bone In Cov". They look like baby back ribs to me (based on the pictures at this link provided by Debi in another post: http://mcraigweaver.com/ribcuts.htm) The ones that were $1.97/lb looked more like the ones label spare ribs at this link. Am I correct in making this assumption?

 

[gypsyseagod]

purty much

 

[jmedic25]

Baby backs are typically more expensive than spare ribs. Does that answer your question?

 

[gadawgsr1]

Got it thanks! They will hit the smoker at 6:00 am tomorrow morning. 2-2-1 method--first attempt. I hope they turn out so good they make your tounge slap your brain silly

! I am making them for a friend of mine and his wife as they have just had their 3rd baby boy! Oh my!

So for now, it is off to rub a rib and then to bed.

Thanks for the help.

 

[jmedic25]

Good luck bro,
You can't go wrong with 2-2-1 i just cooked 8 racks yesterday at the station. Everyone said they were the best rib's they have ever had!

Take some pic's

 

[jamesb]

FYI: "Baby Back" ribs are just loin back ribs that typically weight 1.75lbs per rack or less.

James.

 

[jmedic25]

Are you sure? I just smoked 8 racks all over 2.5 lbs. All baby backs.

 

[fatback joe]

Much of what gets labeled as baby back ribs are not "true" babybacks depending on what you use as your reference source. I have always heard the same as what was posted 1.75 lbs and down are the "real" baby backs, the rest are just loinbacks.

All baby backs are loinbacks, but not all loinbacks are baby backs.

The vast majority of people don't know the difference, and a lot of the ones that do, don't care.

If you decide to refer to a 2.5 lb rack of loinbacks as baby backs, I won't try to stop you. LOL

Here is one "reference" that I found doing a quick search.

http://virtualweberbullet.com/ribselect.html

People often use the terms "baby back ribs" and "back ribs" interchangeably. However, some in the pork industry suggest that only loin back ribs weighing less than 1-3/4 pounds per slab should be called "baby back".

 

[jamesb]

That is my understanding as well.

James.

 

[jmedic25]

I stand humbly corrected.

They both taste real good though...Right?

 

[fatback joe]

My guess is you would not be able to tell them apart since the only difference is the size.

 

[foozer]

Joe
Thanks for the link. I went and watched the video about trimming spareribs down to St Louis style ribs. I found it to be an excellent example on rib preparation.
I wish I would have seen the video before last weekend when I did my spare ribs on the smoker. They would have been easier to eat if I would have known to remove the sternum and cartilage. They still tasted great.

I have been a member of this forum for about 2 or 3 weeks and can not believe how much I have learned.

Thanks again.

 

[Dutch]

The standard weight for BB ribs is 1.75 lbs. and under, but if the BB's are cut "in-store" rather than a processing plant, they be a little heavyer.

 

[dr butcher]

Check out this link, Alton Brown describes the differences between pork ribs.

Disregard his cooking methods as it's not BBQ, I thought it was pretty interesting anyway...