Trimming Up Pork Spare Ribs St. Louis Style: A Step-by-Step Guide

When it comes to preparing pork spare ribs, one of the most popular methods is to trim them up to resemble baby back ribs, also known as St. Louis style. This technique requires a few simple tools and some basic knowledge of how to handle the meat. In this article, we will walk you through the process of trimming up pork spare ribs St. Louis style.

Where to Find Pork Spare Ribs

Pork spare ribs are often found in cryovac bags, which can make it difficult to determine their size and shape. However, with a little practice, you'll be able to identify them easily. To get started, you'll need to find your pork spare ribs, which typically come in cryovac bags.

Preparation is Key

The first step in trimming up your pork spare ribs is to prepare the meat. This involves removing any excess fat and cartilage that may be present. The goal is to make the ribs look like baby back ribs, so you'll need to cut away some of the larger pieces of flap and excess fat. Some pitmen will choose to leave the fat on the ribs and simply throw it onto the fire, but we'll be taking a more precise approach.

Trimming Off the Flap

To begin trimming off the flap, locate the small piece of meat that is attached to the rib. This flap can vary in size depending on how the butcher prepared the ribs before they were packaged. In this case, the flap is quite small, but you'll still need to remove it to create a more uniform shape. Simply take your sharp knife and trim off the flap, making sure to cut away any excess fat that may be present.

Cutting Alongside the Bone

Next, you'll need to cut alongside the bone to remove any cartilage or excess fat that may be present. This is typically done by cutting along the edge of the rib, just above the joint where the cartilage meets the meat. By removing this cartilage, you'll be able to create a more even surface on your ribs.

Squaring Off the Ribs

Once you've removed the cartilage and excess fat, it's time to square off the ribs. This involves cutting away any remaining pieces of flap or fat that may be present, making sure to leave the rib with a smooth, even surface. By doing so, you'll create a more uniform shape that resembles baby back ribs.

Removing the Membrane

The final step in trimming up your pork spare ribs is to remove the membrane that covers the meat. This membrane can make the ribs feel tough and rubbery, but by removing it, you'll be able to create a more tender and even texture. To do this, simply grab a piece of paper towel and pull the membrane away from the meat. You may need to use a bit of force to remove the membrane completely, but the end result will be worth it.

Tips and Variations

Some pitmen choose to leave the membrane on the ribs and cook them as is, but we believe that removing it creates a more even texture and more tender flavor. Additionally, you can choose to add some extra fat to the ribs if you prefer a heartier texture. By following these simple steps, you'll be able to transform your pork spare ribs into delicious St. Louis-style barbecue.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enwelcome to barbecue web.com today we're going to trim up some pork spare ribs St Louis style it's real easy to do right here this is typically where you find your uh pork spare ribs uh often come in a cryovac bag and uh we're going to we're going to make him look like some loin back really rib baby back ribs so it's real easy to trim it up all you just need yourself is a good sharp knife so the first thing you want to do here is uh trim off this flap now sometimes depending upon how the butcher does it before you get it this flap will be much bigger and this is a very small piece of flap me right there we're just going to trim it off and trim off some of that excess fat now some pit men will just won't bother cutting this fat off they'll just throw it on the fire but we're going to do what we can to get rid of a lot of the fat right now I'm feeling between the cartilage of this right there and and the bone in the top of the ribs there and I'm going to take a sharp knife I'm going to cut right alongside the bone going to remove that cartilage there yeah that's pretty easy to do I don't want to say that cartilage we can cook it on the side of the ribs later if we want all right now uh so I'm will leave this tip on here but you want to square it up make it look like loin back some baby back ribs cut some more of that excess fat off and she's looking mighty pretty already now isn't it and then you want to square off this other uh end here and you can see it's not not difficult now uh last thing we want to do here is pull off that membrane and if you grab a piece of paper towel and get underneath it and just pull that membrane will come right off just make them ribs even more tender again some Pitman I'll just leave that membrane right on there you go a little more fat let's grab that right there there we go so that's how you take some of your spare ribs and turn it into St Louis style trim barbecue web.com forwelcome to barbecue web.com today we're going to trim up some pork spare ribs St Louis style it's real easy to do right here this is typically where you find your uh pork spare ribs uh often come in a cryovac bag and uh we're going to we're going to make him look like some loin back really rib baby back ribs so it's real easy to trim it up all you just need yourself is a good sharp knife so the first thing you want to do here is uh trim off this flap now sometimes depending upon how the butcher does it before you get it this flap will be much bigger and this is a very small piece of flap me right there we're just going to trim it off and trim off some of that excess fat now some pit men will just won't bother cutting this fat off they'll just throw it on the fire but we're going to do what we can to get rid of a lot of the fat right now I'm feeling between the cartilage of this right there and and the bone in the top of the ribs there and I'm going to take a sharp knife I'm going to cut right alongside the bone going to remove that cartilage there yeah that's pretty easy to do I don't want to say that cartilage we can cook it on the side of the ribs later if we want all right now uh so I'm will leave this tip on here but you want to square it up make it look like loin back some baby back ribs cut some more of that excess fat off and she's looking mighty pretty already now isn't it and then you want to square off this other uh end here and you can see it's not not difficult now uh last thing we want to do here is pull off that membrane and if you grab a piece of paper towel and get underneath it and just pull that membrane will come right off just make them ribs even more tender again some Pitman I'll just leave that membrane right on there you go a little more fat let's grab that right there there we go so that's how you take some of your spare ribs and turn it into St Louis style trim barbecue web.com for\n"