General Description: Pork ribs are a sought-after cut that may come from the back, side, or shoulder. There are many different traditional cutting and cookery styles for pork ribs, and each has its fanatics. In America, Carolina style uses whole hog and shoulder and is pit-cooked with a hot-and-sour vinegar-based sauce. Memphis style uses pork ribs and shoulder and features both dry and wet rubs flavored with vinegar, tomato, and mustard. Texas style uses pork ribs but also beef, especially brisket, and is pit-cooked with mesquite or hickory wood, while Kansas City style is known for gooey tomato-based sauces on pork ribs and beef brisket.

Baby back ribs or loin ribs (NAMP 422) are not from a baby pig; they’re simply small. These are wonderful dry-rubbed with spices, then slowly baked till tender and finished under the broiler or on the grill. Baby back ribs are premium-priced and include at least eight ribs–a full slab includes 13. They are cut from either side of the ribs alongside the backbone. The tough “skin” (peritoneum) from the inside surface can be removed if requested. The meat between the ribs is called finger meat.

Country-style ribs or blade end ribs (NAMP 423) are cut from butterflied shoulder blade chops from the shoulder end of the loin. They have more meat than spareribs or back ribs, but they aren’t as easy to eat with the fingers. They come boneless or bone-in and include three to six ribs. Flatbone riblets are the last four to six bones of the backbone.

St. Louis-style ribs (NAMP 416A) are cut from spareribs but are trimmed to make a more uniform, roughly rectangular rack. The brisket bones, or the belly ends of the ribs, and the top portion closer to the back are cut away and end up as riblets.

Spareribs (NAMP 416) are popular at barbecues because they’re easy to eat with your fingers. These ribs are cut from the pork belly and may include the small, hard brisket bone at the smaller pointed end. They contain at least 11 bones and are fattier but also meatier and less expensive than baby backs. The flap of meat found on the inside of the sparerib is the skirt, which has a tendency to dry out during cooking and, if the outside edge is not trimmed off, can be very chewy. Many people remove the skirt and put it into chopped barbecue.

Pork brisket bones, rib tips, or breaks (NAMP 416B) are small, short, tasty pieces that are the trimmings from the loin, spareribs, or baby backs. Kansas City-style, or barbecue cut ribs (NAMP 416C), are spareribs with the hard front bone removed, and, in some cases, the point is squared.

Part of Animal: Ribs may be cut from the belly (spareribs), the shoulder (country-style ribs), and the back (baby back ribs).

Characteristics: Ribs are rather fatty and contain a significant amount of connective tissue that must be tenderized by slow cooking. Both baby back and spareribs have a skin on their interior, which is heaviest at the backbone and thinnest at the belly end. The membrane’s toughness is related to the age and size of the animal and should be trimmed off of ribs from older animals.

How to Choose: Choose ribs by your preference. Look for well-trimmed ribs with an even shape.

Amount to Buy: Allow 1/2 pound of country-style ribs per person. Allow 3/4 pound of pork brisket bones per person. St. Louis-style ribs weigh 1 1/2 to 3 pounds. Spareribs weigh between 2 1/2 and 4 1/2 pounds. Baby backs weigh 1 3/4 pounds or less and will feed a maximum of two people; allow at least 3/4 pound per person.

Storage: Refrigerate pork ribs up to 3 days; vacuum-packed ribs, up to 5 days. Rub spices all over, using about 1/4 cup for each slab. Refrigerate overnight, covered, so the flavors penetrate the ribs.

1. Prepare a covered grill, adding soaked aromatic wood chips, if desired. The temperature should stay at 200 to 250°F.
2. Cook the ribs, covered, for about 2 hours, turning occasionally. The ribs are ready when the meat comes away from the bones and the internal temperature is 165 to 175°F. Or slow roast, wrapped in foil in a 250°F oven for about 2 hours.
3. Remove the ribs and allow them to rest at least 20 minutes, or up to 1 hour, wrapped in foil.
4. Cut into individual or double ribs, and toss in a large bowl with barbecue sauce. Spread onto a baking pan and heat in a 300°F oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the sauce bubbles and makes a glaze.
5. Serve with extra barbecue sauce on the side.

Flavor Affinities: Allspice, brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, garlic, ginger, hoisin sauce, honey, hot sauce, ketchup, lemongrass, molasses, mustard, onions, sesame oil, soy sauce.