The "Bite" of the Spare Ribs

[beecee]

Being new to smoking meat and only really having had either restaurant "fall off the bone" or crock pot ribs (also fall of the bone) previously, I'm not entirely sure what the "bite" of a spare rib should be like.  I do the bend test on my ribs before I know they are ready so I think the "bite" is ok but I figured I try to give a description and see if the consensus would agree the bite is correct.  If not what is the right description?

When you bite through one of my ribs it doesn't melt so much like fall off the bone.  You definitely know you are biting into meat.  However, it is normally a clean bite as in you can bite through the rib without having to use your hands to pull the meat away.  A decent portion of the meat stays on the bone.  You can scrape it with your teeth but you can really never get all the meat off the bone.  I guess if you put the effort in you could but its not going to be done easily. Unlike fall off the bone, when the rib has been eaten there are spots of meat on a good portion of the bone.

So does that sound correct?

I guess I could go to the local bbq places, but after being able to do it on my own paying that much for ribs doesn't seem like a good deal. 

 

[mdboatbum]

Welcome aboard. What you've described pretty much nails what I consider to be the perfect rib. The meat, in my opinion, should be the consistency of perfectly cooked pork loin. Very tender and moist, but not mushy and stringy like pot roast. And yes, when you take a bite it should not just fall away from the bone. A few spots of meat clinging to the bone after eating is a good sign.

Nothing wrong with "fall off the bone" ribs and most folks seem to like them that way, but a little "bite" is my preference.

 

[turnandburn]

i beleve you should be able2 bite into a rib and the meat should gently pull away from the bone leaving that perfect lil horseshoe. lol. ive made ribs with absolutely no bite, where i can pull a rack out and flick each bone out of the back with little to no effort and i cant stand them but the family loves them. not for me. i also have to have a "bite" to my rib.

 

[sqwib]

I'm with Mdboatbum.

I like my ribs to have a steak like texture and I feel once you foil ribs it changes the texture.

I like to chew my ribs from the bone, many folks prefer them to fall off the bone.

My last rib cook I pulled a few ribs off at not quite three hours and tore them up.

I don't care for fall of the bone especially if the ribs were not trimmed properly, biting into a rib and getting a mouthful of unwanted stuff turns me right off.

I like to have control of the bite and not have a huge hunk of rib slap me in the chin and I have to pull pieces out of my mouth.

But that's just me, everyone else I have cooked ribs for want it to fall off the bone completely.

BB Ribs below, with a good tug

20120908318.JPG

• sqwib
• Sep 13, 2013

You can see by this photo that there appears to be a good MEATY texture.

These BB's were done at 450°f for 70 minutes, these have been my favorite to date!

20120721162.JPG

• sqwib
• Sep 13, 2013

Tug off the bone Spares below.

20100731222.jpg

• sqwib
• Sep 13, 2013

Here you see an overcooked Spare rib

20110428361.jpg

• sqwib
• Sep 13, 2013

These are in between, not quite fall off the bone but with a clean tug.

20121214219.JPG

• sqwib
• Sep 13, 2013

 

[kathrynn]

I actually like mine to fall off the bone and melt in my mouth.  BUT....I am trying to learn how to get mine with the bite off the bone.

There are so many opinions and "tastes" out there.  Do what is best for you and your family!  AND...don't forget to have fun in the process each time!

Kat

 

[chef willie]

Agree with the above. I'm not a fan of biting into a rib and having it slide off the bone in one big piece slapping sauce all over my chin....lol. Some chicken wings are like that, everything comes off the bone at once. I do foil ribs, adding a little AJ or Tiger Sauce but have found leaving the foil open allows the steam to escape creating a better bite to them......Willie

 

[erain]

There is no correct answer to this. it all comes down to personal opinion. I will say I do not like fall off the bone, I like them where there is a tug to them but will pull off the bone fairly clean. But that is just my opinion. Make them how you or your family and guests like them best.:grilling_smilie:

 

[Bearcarver]

Like everyone already said, it's a matter of personal preference. Everybody here likes "Fall-Off-The-Bone" Ribs.

I personally like it that way because after working to prep & smoke my Ribs, I don't want to have to work to eat them too.

Same reason I like filleted fish, rather than smoking the whole fish, and then picking bones.

Not too crazy about crab legs either----Too much work for that little bit of meat.

Lazy Bear !!!

 

[seenred]

There is no correct answer to this. it all comes down to personal opinion. I will say I do not like fall off the bone, I like them where there is a tug to them but will pull off the bone fairly clean. But that is just my opinion. Make them how you or your family and guests like them best.

  ...Yep...What he said, X2.

Red

 

[beecee]

Thanks for your responses.  I do like to cook what my family likes (wife likes fall off the bone so I'll do one that way for her), however, I'm more just exploring the different aspects of what is considered a good bite in ribs.  Not that I'm gunning for competition, but in my experience the more knowledge the better.  I'm trying to base how I cooked the ribs, the results, and what modifications I may need to make on the next cook to get a repeatable process for each different kind of result.  Basically being able to get any result I want at will.  Because I don't know what each different level of bite is and how to repeat that, I have to somehow figure out how categorize each result.  It seems with the bend test, it could pass, but each rib could still be different between how the meat bites.

Thanks again for your help.

 

[bama bbq]

I recommend attending a KCBS CBJ class. There you will be served examples of ribs that have bite. You will pick up the rib with two hands, bite thru the meat and pull the rib away from your mouth. You'll see your semi circle bite mark and the bone will look dry.

 

[beecee]

Yes, My friend and I have plans to attend an NC BBQ class.  That isn't going to happen until next year though but I am looking forward to it.

 

[foamheart]

I still love a good stiff bite, but....... my store bought teeth don't like it as much as my old for real ones did.

Ya know though I don't remember ever having a bad rib....... Too tuff, too dry, too rare, no teeth, I can gum that sucker to death!

 

[kathrynn]

beecee......that is what we all are here for....to learn and eat good food!  AND....to learn together!

Kat

 

[beecee]

Foamheart-I could have given you your first bad ribs if you were here for my first batch on my smoker. I would have rather licked a telephone pole than had those in my mouth. Awful.

 

[foamheart]

Everyone has a bad day, if you are lucky you live within the Pizza delivery area......LOL

 

[blacklab]

I love this thread!!!! I now see that i'm not the only one who like's to tug on a bone.  That's perfect in my eyes. Like pulled pork not mush pork. yuck.

 

[miamirick]

Hey blacklab You might want to rephrase that tuggin on a bone comment, just don't sound quite right!

 

[blacklab]

Naw I'm good