# The Difference Between Spareribs, St. Louis Ribs, and Baby Back Ribs



## pops6927

ARTICLES 
INSTRUCTIONALS
*Differences Between Spareribs, St. Louis Ribs, Babyback Ribs*

Author

 pops6927

Publish dateFeb 2, 2017
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The best way to differentiate between these is to look at the animal and see where they come from:







*pigroast3.jpg*



 pops6927

Feb 2, 2017
This is a whole pig with the backbone split down the center, but not separated.

Let's split it:






*pork hog halfa.jpg*



 pops6927

Feb 2, 2017
Now, let's draw cut lines to separate out the parts'n'pieces:






*pork hog halfb.jpg*



 pops6927

Feb 2, 2017
and label them:






*pork hog halfc.jpg*



 pops6927

Feb 2, 2017
First, let's take the Pork Belly Spare Ribs: these also have the pork belly attached, so we have to separate them into:

Pork Belly:






*pork whole belly.jpg*



 pops6927

Feb 2, 2017
and Pork Spareribs:(front and back views):






*pork whole sparerib.jpg*



 pops6927

Feb 2, 2017
Now, from the whole sparerib comes the St. Louis Style sparerib:






*pork st louis style spareribs.jpg*



 pops6927

Feb 2, 2017
where the Rib Tips are separated from the ribs, and the

skirt is removed from the rack along with the membrane:






*pork sparerib skirt.jpg*



 pops6927

Feb 2, 2017






*pork sparerib back mem.jpg*



 pops6927

Feb 2, 2017
The Finished St. Louis Style Ribs:






*pork St. Louis style.jpg*



 pops6927

Feb 2, 2017
Then, there is the Carolina Sparerib:






*pork Carolina Style spareribs.jpg*



 pops6927

Feb 2, 2017
with only the brisket section removed, giving easier carving into individual ribs.

Now, above the sparerib/belly section is the Loin:






*pork whole loin.jpg*



 pops6927

Feb 2, 2017
If you bone out the loin, you end up with a boneless pork loin:






*pork loin bones.jpg*



 pops6927

Feb 2, 2017
with the bones separated.

Cut the rib bones from the back bone:






*pork loin bones b.jpg*



 pops6927

Feb 2, 2017
And that is where baby back spareribs come from!

How much meat is left on from the loin is the choice of the meat cutter.


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