The Pork ribs most commonly used are of three types:
– SPARE RIBS the classic long ribs cut from the belly of the animal once the belly has been removed.
There is a lot of bone and a greater amount of fat. They are the part of the ribcage closest to the sternum.
– ST. LOUIS that is, the cut of spare ribs from which the final part called rib tip (commonly called tips) is removed.
It is cut away from the hard sternum and rubbery cartilage, resulting in a rectangular shape.
Each slab usually weighs 2 lbs. At a temperature of 302°F, they will take between 2 and a half to 3 hours to cook.
– BABY BACK RIBS are the smaller ribs with less meat. They are the part of the ribcage closest to the spine.
They are cut from the point where the rib meets the spine after the loin has been removed.
They are called “baby” as they are shorter than Spare Ribs. They have cooking times of about 1 and a half to 2 hours at 302°F.
In Italy, it is very difficult to obtain the Baby Back cut, because butchers usually tend to leave the loin attached to the spinal ribs.
They can be cooked at high temperature with short cooking times (Hot & Fast method) and flavored with spice mixes (Rub).
They are excellent cuts for smoking, braising, or grilling.
Also cooked in the oven, they lend themselves to being dry marinated with Dry Rubs and then brushed with BBQ Sauces.
When in Italy we talk about pork ribs, we refer to anything that comes from the pig’s ribs, whether separated or not, as you can see, Americans are much more precise…
Below is the recipe for St. Louis Ribs with a rub called “Savory” and a BBQ sauce “Cherry Sauce” (both from a recipe by Marco Agostini taken from his book “Universo Barbecue”) and three cooking methods: smoking, baking, and grilling.
Those in the photo are grilled.
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Grill
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients for the “Savory Rub”:
- 1 St. Louis Ribs
- 1 1/4 oz smoked paprika
- 1 1/2 oz sweet paprika
- 1 1/2 oz muscovado sugar
- 1 1/4 oz sea salt
- 1 oz onion powder
- 1 oz garlic powder
- 1/2 oz pepper
- 1/2 oz cumin
- 1/4 oz Cayenne pepper
- 1/4 oz chipotle pepper
- 1/4 oz coriander powder
- 1/4 oz oregano
- as needed mustard (or vegetable oil)
- 1 3/4 cups ketchup
- 3/8 cup raspberry vinegar
- 3/8 cup raspberry jam
- 2 tbsps cherry syrup
- 4 1/4 oz muscovado sugar
- 1 tbsp chestnut honey
- 3 tbsps balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsps mustard powder
- 1 tsp dehydrated onion
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsps Cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 3/8 cup apple juice (clarified)
- 1 tbsp glucose
Preparation
Preparation of the ribs:
To perfectly cook your Ribs, you must primarily remember to always remove the pleura – trimming – that is, the membrane present on the back of the slab (the whole piece, the ribs are not separated from each other) that becomes very unpleasant to the bite when cooked.
With the help of a curved-tip knife, make your way between the meat and the membrane, gently lift until you can slip in at least one finger.
With a paper towel (the pleura is very slippery) grab the membrane’s edge you previously lifted and slowly pull upwards, detaching more and more of it.
When a good portion of the membrane has detached from the ribs, you should be able to pull it away in one swift motion.
Remember that the ribs are rich in connective tissue and low in meat, so it’s crucial to cook them in a way that doesn’t make them tough and dry.
It is advisable, especially in the first hours of cooking, to use foil (i.e., wrap the ribs in triple layers of aluminum foil) adding water or apple cider vinegar to the packet.
For the rub:
Mix all the ingredients thoroughly.
Apply a very thin layer with the help of a brush after massaging the ribs with a bit of mustard or vegetable oil.
The correct amount is the one that still lets you see the surface.
Gently pass your fingers over the surface
For the BBQ sauce:
Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan except for the glucose and apple juice. Bring to a boil. Using an immersion blender, homogenize and reduce the heat to a minimum.
Continue stirring until the sauce thickens (30/60 minutes).
Mix the apple juice with the glucose separately and, once the heat is turned off, gradually add the mixture to the concoction while continuing to stir.
Let it cool, covering the saucepan with its lid.
For smoking:
Prepare the smoker for barbecue cooking by setting and stabilizing a temperature of 226°F with cherry or apple wood chips for smoking.
Place the whole ribs on the grill with the bone side facing down.
Smoke for about 6 hours, keeping the temperature constant, and spraying the meat side with apple cider vinegar every two hours.
Brush your barbecue sauce on the ribs and return them to cook for another 5 minutes.
For oven cooking:
Cook the ribs, covered with a triple layer of aluminum foil, in a preheated static oven at 392°F for about 2 hours (356°F for a little less than two hours if using a ventilated oven); the ribs will be ready when you see the meat pulling away from the bone.
Remove them from the oven and brush the barbecue sauce on the surface; you can then put them back in the oven for glazing at 392°F for another 5 minutes.
On the grill:
Light your cooking device, and once the temperature reaches 230°F, place the ribs on the grill with the bone side facing down so that the meat does not come into contact with the grill.
Always turn the slab with the bone side up.
After 3 hours, the bark will start to form well.
At this point, transfer the slab to a double layer of aluminum foil and spray some liquid to add moisture: a mix of 50% water and 50% apple juice or even 4 or 5 tablespoons of beer.
Seal the foil packet and return the slab to cook, still ensuring the bones are facing down.
Let cook for 2 hours, raising the temperature between 230°F and 248°F.
Remove the ribs from the packet and return them to cook, still with the bones facing down, at a temperature of 230°F for 40/45 minutes.
After 40/45 minutes, brush a layer of BBQ sauce on the surface with a kitchen brush and cook for another 10/15 minutes at 230°F so that the sugars in the BBQ sauce caramelize.
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You can use the rub and the BBQ sauce you prefer, even buying them ready-made.
