Why pork spares over back ribs?

Tricky

Tricky

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For you spare rib fans, what do you prefer about them to loin back ribs?

I've done many, many racks of loin backs, but only ever tried spares ONCE. I didn't do them justice, because no one at my house wants to try the spares again. They prefer the meaty Costco back ribs that have plenty of loin meat on them.

I'm interested in what y'all like about spares that would give me reason to try a few more racks. Heck, I don't actually need a reason beyond mere curiosity, but I'd love to know what y'all love about your spares (whether full spares or STL cut)
 
I always BBQ St. Louis cut. If I get full spares, I trim them myself and smoke the trimmings to add to beans, etc.

For me when I think ribs I think spare/st.louis cut. They are (to me) meatier, fattier, and more "ribbie". The overall flavor is much better, to me.

Loin backs, to me, should have left the rest of the loin on the and just cooked as pork chops. I love loin chops, but to me that meat doesn't have enough fat/connective tissue to enjoy slowly cooked. I want my loin cooked medium/medium-rare, and obviously don't do that with slow smoked ribs.

To each their own, but once I got the hang on cooking spares, I have no desire to ever cook a rack of loinbacks again.
 
Here's my reasoning.

I prefer the flavor to that of babybacks/loinbacks. There's that bit more pork flavor akin to comparing flavor of beef filet and ribeye or ny strip. There's also the fact that I get rib tips and trimmings to play with when I cook spares.

Now, if I had to appeal to a group consisting of a high percentage of women I'd go baby back all day long. In my experience women don't care about the nuances of flavors between cuts as much as they do tenderness, easiness to eat and whatever flavor is on the outside of the ribs.



Ohhhhh.... I left out one big thing. Spares are cheaper. You'll find that the driving force in a lot of BBQ decisions is the ability to buy a lot for a relative little.:mrgreen:
 
lantern said:
You'll find that the driving force in a lot of BBQ decisions is the ability to buy a lot for a relative little.:mrgreen:
Click to expand...

Agree. Although more and more, the operative word is "relative" . . . maybe its just that I'm getting old, but nothing seems to be cheap anymore :shock:
 
hammb said:
I always BBQ St. Louis cut. If I get full spares, I trim them myself and smoke the trimmings to add to beans, etc.

For me when I think ribs I think spare/st.louis cut. They are (to me) meatier, fattier, and more "ribbie". The overall flavor is much better, to me.

Loin backs, to me, should have left the rest of the loin on the and just cooked as pork chops. I love loin chops, but to me that meat doesn't have enough fat/connective tissue to enjoy slowly cooked. I want my loin cooked medium/medium-rare, and obviously don't do that with slow smoked ribs.

To each their own, but once I got the hang on cooking spares, I have no desire to ever cook a rack of loinbacks again.
Click to expand...


Well said, they're just pork chop bones...not not my preference.
 
Closer the bone the better the meat. IMHO.
I would rather have a savory thin pork chop than a big meaty loin back rib. I still cook baby backs but I cook them till they are fall off the bone tender- on purpose OR I grab the smallest 2-4 bones for me.

I cook them, but prefer spares
 
I like them all and usually let appearance followed by price dictate what I will buy. If I buy spares I cook them as spares and don't trim. I cook them and eat them. Personally I have always been able to negotiate the bits of cartilage that others find annoying. Even if it is just my wife and I, I cook several racks so there may be some leftovers. In the old days 2 full racks for me and one for everyone else.
 
In the past I only cooked loin backs. I did some spares and my family and I like the flavor and texture better. Plus they are less expensive. I am a convert.
 
Pork spares = meatier, fattier, more pork flavor, bigger, etc

And at least a buck cheaper per pound than St. Louis style.

Just rub them down and then put them on at 250* for 5 hours. Done.

No wrapping needed unless you want them to cooker faster or addd some extra flavor stuff to the foil.
 
hammb said:
I always BBQ St. Louis cut. If I get full spares, I trim them myself and smoke the trimmings to add to beans, etc.

For me when I think ribs I think spare/st.louis cut. They are (to me) meatier, fattier, and more "ribbie". The overall flavor is much better, to me.

Loin backs, to me, should have left the rest of the loin on the and just cooked as pork chops. I love loin chops, but to me that meat doesn't have enough fat/connective tissue to enjoy slowly cooked. I want my loin cooked medium/medium-rare, and obviously don't do that with slow smoked ribs.

To each their own, but once I got the hang on cooking spares, I have no desire to ever cook a rack of loinbacks again.
Click to expand...

You eat Pork Medium Rare? Why in the world would you do that?
 
I prefer both.. lol They both have their advantages.. If it is a huge cook I prefer babybacks.. less prep time.. and easier for the masses to eat without eating around the
Cartilage. If I'm cooking for myself it is whatever is cheapest.. The spares are fattier but I like the flavor of baby backs also.. I bath them in smoke for hours and they both are delicious..
 
I prefer to buy Spares and trim them into a St Louis cut, it's a better tasting rib than a Loin Back imo. I cook Ribs dry so you can really tell the difference between the two cuts and yes I've cooked them side by side, if I put a glaze or slathered them with sauce then I don't know how much of a difference I could tell (I'm not a big sauce person). I cook the tips too and prep/cook them different ways or save the meat to add to other things.
 
My friends and family like my baby loin backs so much that I'm afraid to try them on spares. I have served baby backs for so many years and that's just what we prefer. I will admit that I have never done a side by side. Next time everything is on sale, I promise that I will try that. If y'all see me eating my hat, you will know that I've switched.....or that there's a rib eye in my hat.
 
Cook a few more STLs before you give up. It took me a while before I really liked them. Cook both so they can try and still have the BBs.
 
I've done both...I tend to prefer Baby Backs (not because of Fat Basta**d in Austin Powers...) did a batch of Baby Backs a few hours ago following Frankins method...salt/pepper + extras rub, temp around 275 in an offset with oak. 3.5 hours, wrapped at 2.25 hrs...tasted like pork candy��
Cheers
Terry
 
Fat equals flavor. Loinbacks vs spareribs is like pork loin vs pork butt. Loinbacks and pork loin are leaner and blander, needing more flavoring, and either brining or fat added. I know of no one who doesn't sauce loinbacks, while many people, like me, cook spares without.
Cook loinbacks and spareribs with minimal seasoning side by side and the difference shines through.
 
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