# What can i do with the extra meat of a pork spare rib?



## bbqu freshman (Jun 22, 2012)

Hi, i was wondering if there was any advice on what to do with the meat you cut off of a spare rib. when i buy my spare ribs it always comes with the extra meat on the sides.After i make the proper cuts to make it (St.Louis style) I always get stuck with this big slab of meat. I'm having trouble identifying it and wondering what i could do with it so i don't waste a perfectly good piece of meat.


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## bruno994 (Jun 22, 2012)

Smoke it and eat it right along side the ribs you are doing.  It won't take as long to cook though, this gives you time to dice it up and put into some beans to serve with your ribs or you can just snack on it while you wait on the ribs to cook.


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## jrod62 (Jun 22, 2012)

Keep it for making sausage ( if you make sausage )
Put in beans or chilli


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## plj (Jun 22, 2012)

smoke it, shred it, put it in the beans!

smoke it, shred it, put it in an omelet!

smoke it, shred it, put it in a taco!

smoke it, shred it, put it in __________!  (fill in the blank with just about any meal that has ever been created.)

Same goes for brisket   :)


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## smokinhusker (Jun 22, 2012)

I smoked and sauced mine last time...oh so good waiting on the ribs!


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## bbqu freshman (Jun 22, 2012)

wow i didn't expect so much great feedback so fast!!!I But the average consensus seems to be to smoke them, and gentleman smoke them i shall!!! So i guess my next question is how ling should they smoke if i keep my smoker at 250?


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## frosty (Jun 22, 2012)

Into the beans for me, or a treat while being patient for the rest of the ribs to finish!

Since they are relatively small pieces, I've had them finish in as little as an hour.  So keep an eye on them, or you can spray them to keep a little moisture on them.

Good luck!


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## brdprey (Jun 22, 2012)

making me drool guys.


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## alelover (Jun 22, 2012)

Sausage for me.


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## tom walker (Jun 22, 2012)

Oh, you don't want that!

Just save it for me and I'll get rid of it for you. :-)


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## bbqu freshman (Jun 22, 2012)

Lol best answer i got so far.


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## rippinntearin (Jun 22, 2012)

Call me crazy...but I followed this recipe and made McRibs out of it while we waited for the ribs.  Yes sir!

http://www.topsecretrecipes.com/McDonalds-McRib-Sandwich-Recipe.html


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## supercenterchef (Jun 23, 2012)

try not trimming them once or twice and see how you like it...


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## chef jimmyj (Jun 23, 2012)

I'll give another option. When I accumulate a few pounds of the big meaty Rib Tips with all the Cartilage, I cook them in my Spagetti Sauce until the meat is ready to fall apart. It adds incredible Flavor and all the Collegen from the Cartilage makes the Sauce so Rich that you can't stop eating the stuff. Tomato Sauce on Spagetti is ok but add them Rib tips and you can keep the Pasta! Give me the Meat with some Wine and Bread and I'm in Heaven! Being from Chicago there is also Polish Spare Ribs and Saurekraut that you may have had. 4 to 5 pounds of the Rib Tips are added to a pot with 2Lbs of Saurekraut, with the Juice, 1Lb of sliced Onions, 2Tbs of fresh minced Garlic, 1tsp of Ground Black Pepper and three Bay leaves. Cover with water and simmer 3-4 hours until the Rib Tips and Saurerkraut is very tender. Serve with Potato Dumplings tossed in Bacon Grease with some crumbled Bacon on top. It ain't Spa food...It is Classic OLD Comfort Food!...JJ


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## rabbithutch (Jun 23, 2012)

Hey!  I LIKE that idea of putting them in the spaghetti sauce!

I've been smoking them along with the ribs.  I also put them in the foil to absorb a little bit of moisture.  I usually do ribs on my mini-WSM.  This requires cutting them in half.  I always put the thicker end on the lower shelf and the thinner on the top and I put the trimmings on the top grill.  I usually wind up over cooking them.

One of the tastiest things I used 'em for was in polenta.


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## bbqu freshman (Jun 29, 2012)

SmokinHusker said:


> I smoked and sauced mine last time...oh so good waiting on the ribs!


so how long did you smoke them for?


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## oldschoolbbq (Jun 29, 2012)

Freshman , you may not get a direct answer on that one 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





  , a lot of us nibble on them while finishing the Ribs ; by the time you have had the Ribs in for about 5 hrs. (3-2-1 method) , your Tips should be done and you can munch for an hour - or - cover them with your sauce and leave them unwrapped the last hour. Man, (I'm drooling here
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





, ) nothing better than getting sticky from head to tail with a plate of saucy Tips. Ummm...just stick your head in the plate and _lick_ it clean.
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





   , I'm sayin' "_PIG OUT" 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





._


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## custom99 (Jun 29, 2012)

I always smoke it and make pork egg rolls and pork fried rice the next day. Smoking some spares this Sunday.


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## lght (Jul 23, 2012)

I like making pork adobo with my trimmings.


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## jarjarchef (Jul 23, 2012)

I smoke mine and they are usually done about an hour before the other ribs. Then i use them as Scooby Snacks to get the kids help Mama set up everything for the feast!


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## bigdan05 (Jul 30, 2012)

I took mine and hung them over my beans so all the fatty goodness dripped into them and then once they cooked through tore them apart and tossed them in the beans.  Added a nice smokey flavor the the beans


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## steven broccolo (Jan 29, 2014)

Spaghetti Sauce. My grandmother and father always referred to this as "gravy" not "sauce". My dad, a butcher, was not a fan of BBQ ribs (his loss, or as he would say - "more for me"). But, of course, many of his customers were. So, he would bring home the trimmings and they would be added to Sunday's dinner spaghetti sauce along with the sausage. Well actually at different times since they cook at different rates. Long pieces need to cut against the grain or you get long strings of pork and check after each hour and remove when they are done but not overdone to the point of shredding apart. Use your favorite recipe, or even canned if you really must, and simmer for about 2 hours or so, covered unless you want specks of sauce all over your kitchen. Return to the pot 15 minutes before serving to warm them.

In my house we LOVE BBQ ribs. Enjoying the rib trimmings in sauce over pasta while the ribs marinate for the next day makes it a weekend rib event.


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## leosmith78 (Feb 13, 2014)

I either eat them for lunch (rib tips) because they get done before the ribs get done. Or I chop them up and use them in baked beans or mac & cheese.


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## mrsbuch (Aug 1, 2015)

We save the cuttings in freezer bags and use for Chinese stir fry and making the barbecue pork strips you get with take out food


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## brian85 (Aug 1, 2015)

I smoke them with the ribs pull them a little early cube it up toss it in rub and BBQ sauce in a pan and back in the smoker for a little while. Then make sandwiches with it.


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## cal1956 (Aug 1, 2015)

after you smoke the trimmings , add them to the beans and smoke the beans too


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## Jcbritta (Jan 15, 2018)

I smoke my trimmings then when I get home I cut the meat off the ones on the bone, then put the trimmings in the crock pot with some water and lots of bbq sauce and let them cook all night. They are wonderful as a sandwich with mayo and bbq sauce or with Cole slaw on top


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