Babybacks or Saint Louis cut of ribs--which do you prefer?

[KUfan]

Another thread got my feeble mind wondering what others feel about the Holy Grail of barbecue--pork ribs. I enjoy both baby back and St. Louis ribs, prefer the latter. What says the rest of you?

 

[global_dev]

As much as i keep hearing SL are go to standard, i like baby backs much better. I dont dislike SL by any means though.

 

[It's Hedley]

Being from St. Louis, I still would pick up baby backs if I had a choice. Baby backs are a far simpler cut to smoke (3lb slab for four hours at 225 and you have perfect ribs). Far more meat on the St. Louis cut, but baby backs are the standard amongst the best BBQ establishments for a reason.

 

[Ad Astra]

Both, but peel that icky membrane off the bottom first.

Buddy smoked some ribs on the Fourth, had to peel that plasticky bit off.


AA

 

[Mustard Seed]

I buy full spares and cut them into a St. Louis cut. I put the rib tips in the freezer for use in cooking beans, etc or collect enough and have a rib tip dinner. The baby backs/loin backs you get today are way too big in my opinion. When sliced, some of the BB ribs taste more like a small pork chop. Plus I prefer the more fat found on the full spares. But..... both are great! Pork rules!

 

[fast shaver]

I lived in St. Louis for years & have never heard of the St. Louis Cut ribs. My folks always BBQ'd the baby backs.

 

[DoctorShavegood]

I prefer the fattiness of the full sized spare but most of the time I smoke the St. Louis for convenience.

 

[BigFoot]

Short Ends are by far the best. IMO.

 

[shavefan]

St. Louis.

 

[MrSpeedy]

...the Holy Grail of barbecue--pork ribs.

Them's fighting words. Brisket.

 

[TexLaw]

Untrimmed spares (i.e., tips on) are my favorite by far. Shoot, to be honest, rib tips are my very favorite.

But, yeah, you gotta take that membrane off any pork ribs. It only takes a moment, and it makes all the difference.

 

[GR5233]

St. Louis are my favorite. They have to be dry (no sauce) though. That way I can control the amount and type of sauce (if any) that goes on them

 

[GeronimoWSB]

Either and i like the membrane on to get crispy. here is a fantastic sauce Columbia Gold, A South Carolina Mustard BBQ Sauce Recipe - https://amazingribs.com/tested-recipes/barbecue-sauce-recipes/columbia-gold-south-carolina-mustard-bbq-sauce-recipe

 

[DoctorShavegood]

 

[Tannhauser]

Full spares for me, because that's how I buy them at Sam's and I'm too lazy to trim them down to St. Louis style.

 

[kelbro]

I've never met a pork rib that I didn't like!

 

[Sabre]

Baby Backs. If not Chinese Spare Ribs

 

[ackvil]

Ribs: don't care what they are. I just love ribs.

 

[oc_in_fw]

Them's fighting words. Brisket.

Brisket can’t compare to ribs.

 

[kelbro]

Brisket can’t compare to ribs.

You need to expand your brisket repertoire!