# Kansas City vs. St Louis



## adb551 (May 4, 2009)

I have watched all of the videos. I know how to trim ribs. Will someone tell me if there is a difference between KC and StL ribs? I have lived in KC my whole life and have never been to a BBQ joint that cut them down at all. Most leave on the membrane.

Is this just a comp. thing?


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## ohm (May 4, 2009)

Not always the best place but here is some info:

Saint Louis:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Louis-style_barbecue

Kansas City:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kansas_City-style_barbecue

To sum it up it is the way you cook them and use the BBQ.


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## suprfast (May 4, 2009)

I was under the impression St Louis is how you trim it and KC is how you cook it.  

Ohm, what kind of electrical work do you do?  I used to do a lot of 12v car stereo/alarm installation.  MECP certified.  Ohms law is good stuff.


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## ohm (May 4, 2009)

Oh ya, hehe that also.

I know this has been discussed before and I tried to find the post but could not locate it.  Someone will stop along and give a good technical description.  I was just going by what the wiki said.  I cook ribs in no particular style but my own...They may be one or the other but either way they are good.


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## geek with fire (May 5, 2009)

Both refer to Pork Spare Ribs.  St Louis is a mostly square trimmed rib with the brisket removed.  KC is the same rib with the brisket left intact.  
Both basically taste the same, but a St louis is easier to cook because of the even thicknesses of the meat.

In either event, if you trim your ribs, keep the brisket and cook it on the side.  It has a lot of connective tissue, but chopped it is great for beans.


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## bishop916 (May 8, 2009)

Yeah I usually cook the brisket section on the side smoked and added to Dutch's beans! 



Good stuff right tharr....


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## hog warden (May 8, 2009)

I don't know styles, but from the perspective of a guy who lives halfway between KC and St. Louis, if I want BBQ, I'd head for KC.

No hog or steer is safe anywhere near KC.


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## pinkmeat (May 8, 2009)

You sure about that? Ribs get pretty hard to pull apart with the membrane not removed. I have never seen a rib with it on except one that I forgot one time, and it was hard to chew through.


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## meat hunter (May 9, 2009)

I believe Geek is correct. I just did some spares 2 weeks ago for the first time, and by all means, remove the membrane. Here is a post that I was turned on to, very informative.


http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/for...t=65108&page=3


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## alx (May 9, 2009)

In the comp world ribs have membrane removed and are st. louis cut for reasons like uniformity of cooking-the size of the turn in boxes being a big factor.Never helped in my opinion- leaving membrane on ribs.However,I too have also had mighty fine full spares with membrane on.K.C. style is a technique to me-style of cooking the ribs.Not sure.....


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## geek with fire (May 9, 2009)

For the longest time I was a St Louis style guy because you can cook several at the same time and they will for the most part all cook up the same.  However, after I had ribs at Oklahoma Joes in KC, and they are very much KC style, I now only do a mild trim when I'm cooking spares.  You have to baby sit each rib a bit more, but the results are well worth it;


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