# Spare rib trimming



## lemans (Jul 11, 2017)

So I have two racks of spare ribs that I am going to trim to St. Louis ribs.. what am I doing with the part I cut off with the cartilage.. to good to  throw out


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## pc farmer (Jul 11, 2017)

Thems rib tips.   Cook them, they are the cooks to eat.


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## marctrees (Jul 11, 2017)

I usually buy "spare ribs" due to being a sales price often feature in our rural area.

As low often to $1.29.

But I really dislike that relatively tough weird not good for me muscle layer on top of parts of it.

Sometimes eat it, not happily, sometimes give to the Pups.

But I buy it because overall by far best deal all considered.

That not good part is only like 15% or so.

I really prefer Baby backs, but really wish they were not so lean.

Ya, I know that's weird, but I prefer the Pig of my childhood with some obvious fat, not this current "Lean" bred variety.    Marc


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## marctrees (Jul 11, 2017)

Do what cfarmer said - Although I would love them, some newfangled millennial types wont touch them.

They will get drippings on their $140 tailored shirts, ....   or their twice daily scrubbed then Designer oiled beards.

Personally, I am ""WHO" ? am wearing""  Walmart $4.88 (or less) T shirts, so I'm OK.

Most have washed in memories of previous dinners.

Some have those stylish holes in them also, (when left on back of couch and pups got to them overnight) when I feel I want to be fashionable.

Those are the ones who you feed the white breast meat "boneless wings" to to make them say they had "Q".

They can even eat them with the proper fork and knife.  

No roll of paper towels needed for them.

The evening Wine has set in.          Marc


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## chef jimmyj (Jul 11, 2017)

A boning knife can remove the meat from the cartilage. You get 3/8" thin 2" wide by 6" long strips that can be smoked as a treat in 2 hours at 225, or I save then up 'til l have a meals worth and marinate for Char Siu...JJ

See the boneless strips, skirt and small bone end meat to the left of the SL rack they came off of...













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__ chef jimmyj
__ Mar 27, 2013


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## SmokinAl (Jul 12, 2017)

Personally I like BB's, but if your doing spares that you have trimmed.

Then I do like JJ, I put them in the smoker all together & the trimmings will be done in 2-3 hours.

They make a nice snack while your drinking a beer & waiting for the ribs.

Al


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## cksteele (Jul 12, 2017)

the store i get most of my ribs from cuts the rib tips partially to fit into their  butcher packaging. i just cook the rib tips and the breast bone as i smoke the spares tons of great meat on them


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## noboundaries (Jul 12, 2017)

Smoke the trimmings until they fall apart, let them cool, pull out the cartiledge, then freeze them.  Next time you make BBQ beans, whether on the stove or in the smoker, add them to the beans.  Nothing better!


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## lancep (Jul 12, 2017)

Lots of good options. One of my faves is to smoke them on the bottom grate for a couple hours the foil them together. I just leave them on there until the ribs are done. After I've filled my face with ribs I'll pull them like a butt, get cartilage and excess fat out and into the fridge for pork sammiches the next day. The last time I did spares, though, I removed the cartilage and breastbone, then smoked, cubed, rubbed and sauced and back into the smoker burnt end style.


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## browneyesvictim (Jul 12, 2017)

I will save the trimmings for adding to sausage mix later sometimes, so they just go in a bag in the freezer. But most of the time I cook them when I have the space in the smoker. When they are done, I pull 'em and eat 'em. IF any are left, they go with my breakfast the next morning.


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## buffalobbqpete (Jul 12, 2017)

I like to use them in chili once in a while. Throw them on with the ribs for a bit to get some smoke, them take them off, chop them up and into the slow cooker with the rest of the chili.


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## bbqcle (Jul 12, 2017)

I love trimming them. It is always good practice for using the knife on bigger cuts.

I smoke the rib tips up with my ribs and ended up usually eating those while the ribs cook.

The big shoulder blade or I think collar bone I keep and use for greens or flavoring up a stock.

Here is a recent trim I did I was proud of! 
 













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__ bbqcle
__ May 30, 2017


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## lemans (Jul 12, 2017)

I was thinking of putting the trimmings in a Dutch Oven with 16 oz of BBQ sauce ,a. Bottle of Guinness and some chopped green onion on my Weber for about three hours.. what do ya think?


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## lancep (Jul 12, 2017)

Lemans said:


> I was thinking of putting the trimmings in a Dutch Oven with 16 oz of BBQ sauce ,a. Bottle of Guinness and some chopped green onion on my Weber for about three hours.. what do ya think?


Sounds great!!


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## pc farmer (Jul 12, 2017)

Lemans said:


> I was thinking of putting the trimmings in a Dutch Oven with 16 oz of BBQ sauce ,a. Bottle of Guinness and some chopped green onion on my Weber for about three hours.. what do ya think?


Sounds great.


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## lemans (Jul 12, 2017)

My wife doesn't like the cartlige in the rib brisket I hope I can cut it out


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## lancep (Jul 12, 2017)

Yeah I hate the cartilage! That's why I pull them after smoking, cause I can just pick it out.


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## wimpy69 (Jul 12, 2017)

20140502-291811-how-to-trim-st-louis-ribs-longest-



__ wimpy69
__ Jul 12, 2017





The next step is making a horizontal cut to severe the breastbone and cartilage. To find the sweet spot for this cut, first locate the longest rib, usually the fourth bone in on the wider end of the rack. Feel along that rib until you detect a softer spot: That's a cartilaginous section where the rib connects to the sternum (breastbone). All the other ribs connect to the breastbone in the same way. Make the cut by inserting the knife into the soft spot, then slicing perpendicular to the ribs, cutting through all of the soft spots where each rib meets the breastbone. Once the breastbone is removed, you should have a clean, rectangular rack of St. Louis style ribs.













20140502-291811-how-to-trim-st-louis-ribs-cut.jpg



__ wimpy69
__ Jul 12, 2017





really easy to break spares down. Years ago I found this to be helpful (from a butcher's process manual)--


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## marctrees (Jul 12, 2017)

Ya, that whole breastbone or "Pork Brisket" as my grocer calls is filled w schizophrenic all over the place like chunks of scrap everywhere, and alot of tough dryish meat.

In my opinion anyway.

I cant see really enjoying it alot, burnt ends chopped up better than nothing though if budget demands.  

If you know your way around it like Wimpy above, it helps alot. 

I have not bothered to learn, to me it's a mishmash.

   Marc


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## lemans (Jul 15, 2017)

So .. this is what I did with the trimmings.. ready???













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__ lemans
__ Jul 15, 2017





Applied SPG ( thank you bar b cue pit boys)


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## lemans (Jul 15, 2017)

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__ lemans
__ Jul 15, 2017





Assembled the usual suspects


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## lemans (Jul 15, 2017)

And the secret ingredients













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__ lemans
__ Jul 15, 2017


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## lemans (Jul 15, 2017)

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__ lemans
__ Jul 15, 2017





DO directly on the coals like 500 degrees


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## lemans (Jul 15, 2017)

A little EVOO and 2 mins later













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__ lemans
__ Jul 15, 2017


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## lemans (Jul 15, 2017)

Now. Put on the top grate and throw in the garlic and the rest of the gang.  Simmer 90mins at 300 degrees













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__ lemans
__ Jul 15, 2017


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## lemans (Jul 15, 2017)

I also added like 16 oz of water


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## lemans (Jul 15, 2017)

Yes I could have used my bar b cue sauce(aka jeff's) 
But the kraft is good enough with all the extras thrown in!!!


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## lancep (Jul 15, 2017)

Can't wait to see this! And as far as sauce, who cares...


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## lemans (Jul 15, 2017)

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__ lemans
__ Jul 15, 2017





It was Awesome .  You gotta try it.. Tomarrow I will smell le the ribs.  Stay tuned...


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## lemans (Jul 15, 2017)

Smoked the ribs( stupidity auto correct)


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## sauced (Jul 17, 2017)

Just did some ribs on Sunday.....trimmed the spares and smoked the tips. I have some family, me included, like to nibble on them with a drink of choice, while waiting for the ribs to be done.


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