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[okie smokie]

I have seen some demos on how to trim spareribs to St. Louis style but some are more generous with the cuts than others.  If you try to get them uniform in length, then you are leaving more cartilages at one end. If on the other hand you cut off those cartilages, you get some very short ribs.  Also, I get ribs at Costco that are labeled St. Louis Style, but they have a lot of non-rib meat at the short rib end, and also have a fat pad on the top at one end.  Should I trim them more or just paint em and throw em on the pit? How about some feedback and pics on the subject? 

[Mudflap]

I have seen some demos on how to trim spareribs to St. Louis style but some are more generous with the cuts than others.  If you try to get them uniform in length, then you are leaving more cartilages at one end. If on the other hand you cut off those cartilages, you get some very short ribs.  Also, I get ribs at Costco that are labeled St. Louis Style, but they have a lot of non-rib meat at the short rib end, and also have a fat pad on the top at one end.  Should I trim them more or just paint em and throw em on the pit? How about some feedback and pics on the subject? 

+1
I made some ST. Louis spareribs the other night and did not trim. Then after thought I need to learn how to trim before cooking.  Photos please.

Mudflap

[Jcorwin818]

Just trim the side flap off and you have St Louis style.  If you think the end flap is too big just trim it up. You can cook the trimmings for nibbling or save to go into beans.  Just go to You Tube and there are several videos showing this procedure.

[Bobitis]

I don't bother anymore. Trim it and cook, or leave it on and cook. It all comes out the same.

[Polekitty]

I just trimmed two racks. After I pulled the membrane off , I cut the flap of meat on the bone side off because it gets done sooner and seems to get a little tough by the time the ribs are done. I also trim the small end enough  to remove the last (small) bone. That bone is about as long as your little finger. I trim the small end because it gets done sooner fits my pan better.

[Bentley]

I always thought the Spare Rib was with the rib tips on and the St Louis cut was not.  The St Louis cut was much more rectangular.

Spare Rib, with Rib Tips.



Rib Tips...



St Louis Cut...

[Polekitty]

I've never seen rib tips before. Those look like they could be tasty. Arron Franklin has a YouTube video on trimming pork ribs (not St. Louis or baby backs) that wants me to try. We actually call them country style ribs down here but they have extra stuff I didn't like to deal with. I trim the St. Louis the same way we did many years ago before baby back ribs were even popular. Back then baby backs were like skirt steak, very cheap and not many messed with them.

[Jcorwin818]

Bentley your correct.

[Bentley]

Every few decades!

A Country Rib where I come from is a Boneless cut from the shoulder!

Bentley your correct.

[Rick]

I trim straight across. My reference point is about 1cm away from the end of the longest bones.  And yes, I do leave some cartilage.

[ICIdaho]

I have seen some demos on how to trim spareribs to St. Louis style but some are more generous with the cuts than others.  If you try to get them uniform in length, then you are leaving more cartilages at one end. If on the other hand you cut off those cartilages, you get some very short ribs.  Also, I get ribs at Costco that are labeled St. Louis Style, but they have a lot of non-rib meat at the short rib end, and also have a fat pad on the top at one end.  Should I trim them more or just paint em and throw em on the pit? How about some feedback and pics on the subject? 

I just throw the Costco ones on without doing anything.  I use to try pulling off the membrane with about a 50% success rate and gave up.  I can honestly say I cannot tell a difference....other than a few choice curse words when trying to pull it off.

[Rick]

I also prefer to buy spares and trim them myself.  I find that I can find more consistency in thickness when I do it that way.  It comes out to be about the same price. 

When I do buy pre trimmed STL cut ribs, I end up trimming them down more so that they look the same width.

[okie smokie]

I always thought the Spare Rib was with the rib tips on and the St Louis cut was not.  The St Louis cut was much more rectangular.

Spare Rib, with Rib Tips.



Rib Tips...




St Louis Cut...

That's how I have done mine.  One rack painted, and one naked.

[ZCZ]

How I trim my spare ribs for competition. Letting them rest a bit with the rib applied before going on the grill.

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Z

[riverrat49]

+1 yep that is the way we do it...

How I trim my spare ribs for competition. Letting them rest a bit with the rib applied before going on the grill.