Rib tips

Rib tips (a.k.a. brisket, a.k.a. coastal cartilages, a.k.a. breaks). Many people think rib tips and riblets are the same thing. In fact, many websites will tell you they are. They are not. Rib tips are small, meaty pieces that have been cut from the lower ends of the spare ribs when making St. Louis cut ribs. Tips come from near the sternum, breast, and belly. Eating rib tips takes a bit more work than other cuts because the small bone-like cartiladge goes every which way, so there's some gnawing to be done. In addition, tips can be chewy, so many butchers will remove them and chop them for stir-fry or grind them for sausage. In some regions, tips are actually preferred to other cuts, and in other places nobody want them. Go figure. A dozen tips, or one section trimmed from a slab of spares, will fill a normal person. The picture here shows a spare rib and the cartilage from th tips attached. When butchered, the tips are cut at this junction.

Membrane of Ribs

Membrane. Each slab has a meat side and a bone side. The meat side is convex (curving towards you), and the bone side is concave (curving away from you). The bone side has a membrane called the pleura covering it. It can be leathery and almost unchewable when cooked, and it can prevent flavorings and smoke from penetrating. Many butchers remove the skin. If the membrane has not been removed when you bring home a slab, you should remove it yourself.

Spare ribs cut

Spare ribs (a.k.a. spares, a.k.a. side ribs). Spare ribs are not like spare tires. They are not extras, leftovers, or an inferior cut. Nor are they so named because the meat is scanty. They contain excellent meat. Many chefs prefer spares to baby back ribs.

Spares come from further down the side than baby back ribs and there is more bone than meat in a slab of them. USDA says a slab must have at least 11 bones. They are also straighter and flatter than baby backs. The bones, connective tissue, and the fat make them very flavorful.

Look at a slab of spare ribs and you will notice that along one edge the ends of bones are showing and you can see marrow (the left side in the photo at right). This is where they were cut from the baby backs. The other end, with no bones sticking out, is a gristly flap from the sternum to the belly side, called rib tips. In the photo you can see the place where the tips join the ribs on the underside of a slab of spares. The bone side of spare ribs usually has a meaty flap that is part of the diaphragm called the flap meat. It has been removed in the photo.

So how did spareribs get their name? According to Charles Perry of the Los Angeles Times, "In 17th century England, spareribs were also called spear-ribs or even ribspare, a clear tipoff that this wasn't a native English word. It was borrowed from the German rippespeer, which is smoked pork loin."

Spares are a little less expensive than baby back ribs because they have more bone. The price difference is also because demand for baby backs has grown significantly since a chain restaurant began promoting them (sing along with me now "I want my baby back baby back baby back ribs"). Spareribs are typically $2-6 per pound, they generally run 4-5 pounds and can usually feed two people. Top chefs prefer spares from smaller, younger hogs, 3 1/2 & down, or less than 3 1/2 pounds.

Baby Back BBQ Ribs

Baby back ribs (a.k.a. back ribs, a.k.a. baby backs, a.k.a. loin back ribs, a.k.a. loin ribs, a.k.a. Canadian back ribs). Baby backs do not come from baby pigs! They are called "babies" because they are shorter than spare ribs. Back ribs are attached to the spine on one end and to the spare ribs on the other. They contain 8-14 bones per slab, and are less fatty than spares. A typical full slab has 11-13 bones. The slab is tapered at one end, with the shortest bones only about 3" and the longest about 6". Because they weigh less than spare ribs, they cook faster. They are usually curved like a hockey stick at the end where they meet the spine, (called the chine side). Depending on how the butcher removes the loin meat that is on the convex side of the baby backs, some can have up to 1/2" of delicate, lean loin meat on the top. Most hungry adults can eat a whole slab of baby backs. Typically $4-8 per pound, and usually about 1.5 to 2 pounds per slab. A single serving is usually half a slab for a lightweight, and a full slab for a hungry person.

Nutrition information

Nutrition information

Here is the nutritional breakdown of ribs, per ounce, according to the North American Meat Processors Association (NAMP) in their superb book "The Meat Buyers Guide: Meat, Lamb, Veal, Pork and Poultry".

Total calories: 108
Calories from total fat: 76
Total fat: 8.5 grams
Saturated fatty acids: 3.1 grams
Monounsaturated fatty acids: 3.8 grams
Polyunsaturated fatty acids: 0.7 grams
Cholesterol: 33 milligrams
Protein: 7.5 grams
Calcium: 13 milligrams
Iron: 0.46 milligrams
Sodium: 27 milligrams
Zinc: 1.2 milligrams
Riboflavin: 0.8 milligrams
Thiamin: 0.12 milligrams

Let's face it. This is not health food. But ribs tastes soooooo good. The best advice: Eat ribs in moderation. Don't eat ribs every day. Just every other day (grin). And just a half slab. Treat ribs like a treat. Like dessert.

SD Texas Mustard Potato Salad

Texas Mustard Potato Salad

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 large potatoes - peeled
• 3 eggs
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 3 teaspoons sweet or dill pickle relish(whichever you like)
• 1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 2 tablespoons prepared mustard
• 3 tablespoons creamy salad dressing or mayo
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

DIRECTIONS:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain, and roughly cut potatoes into chunks. Place in a large mixing bowl.
Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil; cover, remove from heat, and let eggs stand in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from hot water, cool, peel and chop.
In a mixing bowl, combine the potatoes, eggs, onion, celery, relish and bell pepper. Blend together the mustard, salad dressing, salt and pepper and add to salad and mix well. Sprinkle with paprika and refrigerate until chilled.

This is a classic good potato salad recipe.

SD Texas Grilled Garlic Toast

Texas Grilled Garlic Toast

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 stick soft butter
• 4 cloves crushed garlic
• Salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1 loaf white bread, sliced 1" thick

DIRECTIONS:
Mix together the butter and garlic in a bowl and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Brush both sides of the bread with the butter and place on the grill. Grill the bread for 1 to 2 minutes per side until lightly golden brown but not burned. Serve on the side of your barbeque plate.

SD Smokey-Hot Texas Pinto Beans

Smokey-Hot Texas Pinto Beans

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pounds dried pinto beans, rinsed and soaked overnight
• 6 cups cold water
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon sage
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 3 cloves finely chopped garlic
• 1 chipotle, chopped, from a small can
• 1 tablespoon chipotle sauce from same can

DIRECTIONS:
Place beans in large saucepan with cold water, bay leaf, and sage.

Heat oil in large skillet; add onion, salt, bell pepper, and cumin. Saute until tender. Add garlic and saute 1-2 minutes more.

Add water, beans, chipotle pepper and chipotle sauce. Simmer slowly for about 4 hours, making sure beans are always covered with water. When beans are soft but not mushy, they're done!

SD Quick Texas Cowboy Pinto Beans

Quick Texas Cowboy Pinto Beans

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 slices bacon
• 1 cup onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup green bell pepper, finely chopped 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 2 cans (15 to 16 oz. each) pinto beans, rinsed, drained
• 3/4 cup barbecue sauce
• 1 Tbsp. packed brown sugar

DIRECTIONS:
In large skillet, cook bacon over low heat until crisp, turning occasionally. Remove from skillet; drain on paper towels.

Remove all except 2 tablespoons of drippings from skillet. Add onion, bell pepper and garlic.

Cook and stir over medium heat 3-5 minutes or until tender. Stir in remaining ingredients.

Crumble bacon. Return to skillet. Cover, cooking 5 minutes or until heated through, and stirring often.

SD Grilled Vegetable Mixture

Grilled Vegetable Mixture

INGREDIENTS
*1 medium-yellow Squash sliced into thick (3/4 in.)
*1 medium-zucchini squash sliced 3/4" thick and cubed
*8 ounces medium
*Fresh Mushrooms
*1 large-Sweet Onion cut into quarters
*1/2 lb-peeled baby carrots, cut in halves*1 medium-green bell pepper cut into large (1 in.) chunks
*1 medium-red bell pepper cut into large (1 in.) square chunks

In a small bowl mix together:

*2 tablespoons-olive Oil
*1/2 teaspoon-salt
*1/2 teaspoon-ground black pepper
*2 cloves-fresh crushed garlic
*2 tablespoons-fresh and finely chopped oregano and/or basil

INSTRUCTIONS
Place vegetables in a grill basket and sprinkle with the vegetable oil mixture

Grill with the lid closed over medium flames, stirring occasionally until vegetables are tender (approx. 15 minutes)

Enough for 4-6 servings (double or triple everything if you have more people to feed)

Fresh Grilled Asparagus Spears

One of the quickest and simplest grilled vegetable recipes is to take a lb. of fresh asparagus(medium-sized) and snap off the tough trunks(the thick end) and discard. Sprinkle some olive oil and same salt onto the asparagus and wrap it in aluminum foil.

Place on the hot grill and cook for 10-15 minutes. Serves 4 happy eaters.

SD Basic & Easy Cole Slaw

Basic & Easy Cole Slaw

INGREDIENTS:
* 1/2 head cabbage
* 1 large carrot
* 1 medium onion
* 1 1/2 cup mayonnaise
* 3 tablespoons sugar
* 3 tablespoons vinegar
* 1/2 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS:
Finely shred the cabbage, carrot and onion. combine well. Mix together the mayonnaise, sugar, vinegar, and salt. Add to shredded cabbage mixture and chill.

SD Barbecue Beans Recipe

Barbecue Beans Recipe
INGREDIENTS:

• 2 large cans of pork and beans
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 1 large bell pepper, chopped
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 pound of bacon, cooked, drained and chopped
• 1 bottle of your favorite barbeque sauce

DIRECTIONS:
Add all ingredients to a large pot or crockpot and cook on low for 3-5 hours.

Texas BBQ Mop Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 2 teaspoons black pepper
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1 tablespoon of butter *
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 cup Lone Star beer (or any other lager). Drink any that is left over.
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 3 tablespoons steak sauce
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• Hot sauce to taste (start with 2 teaspoons of Tabasco sauce for mild heat)
• 2 cups beef, veal, or chicken stock

Note about the oil. Butter or margarine work fine, but to make it authentic, use rendered beef fat from the fatback of a brisket or use bacon fat.

INSTRUCTIONS :
1) Mix the paprika, black pepper, chili powder, and cumin in a small bowl.

2) In a one quart saucepan, melt the butter or bacon fat and gently cook the onion over medium heat until translucent.

3) Add the garlic, bell pepper, and the spice mix you made in step (1). Stir, and cook for two minutes to extract the flavors.

4) Add the stock and the rest of the ingredients. Stir until well blended. Simmer on medium for 15 minutes.

This page revised 5/18/2008

South Carolina BBQ Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules or 1 cube crushed with a mortar and pestle
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves, crushed with a mortar and pestle
• 2 teaspoons powdered mustard
• 1 teaspoon powdered onion
• 1 teaspoon powdered garlic
• 1 teaspoon celery salt
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon chipotle pepper flakes for mild sauce, 1/2 teaspoon for medium, 1 teaspoon for hot
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 cups prepared yellow mustard
• 2/3 cup cider vinegar
• 3/4 cup sugar

INSTRUCTIONS :
1) Dissolve the bouillon in an ounce of water. Set aside.

2) Crush the rosemary leaves in a mortar and pestle and add to a nonreactive one quart bowl. Add the rest of the dry ingredients and mix.

3) Add the bouillon and the rest of the ingredients and whisk until they are mixed together thoroughly. Let it sit for a an hour in the refrigerator for the flavors to meld. No cooking necessary.

4) Do not use a rub. Mop with Carolina Mop-sauce if you wish. Cook them until ready. Add sauce. Serve extra sauce on the side.

Memphis BBQ Magic Dust

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup paprika
• 1/4 cup kosher salt *
• 4 tablespoons garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons ground ginger
• 2 tablespoons onion powder
• 2 tablespoons ground rosemary

Optional. Add up to 2 tablespoons crushed dried chipotle, cayenne, chili powder, or other hot pepper. Be careful with this ingredient. Not everybody likes it as hot as you do! You can leave it out if you are serving to a large crowd that is bound to contain a few wimps, and serve pepper flakes on the side.

Substitution. Try substituting some smoked paprika for regular paprika. Beware, it is usually a bit hot.

Lexington BBQ Dip Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 cup distilled vinegar (do not use cider vinegar)
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup apple juice
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce
• 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1/2 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 teaspoon finely ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS :
1) Whisk together all the ingredients and let them sit for at least three hours to allow the flavors to meld. Overnight is better. A week is best. Mop it on the meat with a basting brush once every hour while cooking. A good silicon brush is best. It holds lots of fluid and is easy to clean. A lot of places still use mini string mops, but I think these are to hard to clean and potential cources of food poisoning.

2) Before serving, take the remaining mop and boil it to sterilize it. With a clean brush, to prevent contamination by a brush used on uncooked meat, mop the meat one last time. Serve the sauce in a cruet on the side so your guests can drizzle on more if they wish.

KANSAS BBQ SAUCE

KANSAS BBQ SAUCE

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons chili powder*
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon table salt
• 2 cups ketchup
• 1/2 cup yellow ballpark-style mustard
• 1/2 cup cider vinegar
• 1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup steak sauce
• 1/4 cup dark molasses
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce such as Tabasco
• 3 tablespoons cooking oil or butter
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic, crushed or minced
• 1 cup dark brown sugar (you can use light brown sugar if that's all you have)

INSTRUCTIONS :
1) In a small bowl, mix the chili powder, black pepper, and salt. In a large bowl, mix the ketchup, mustard, vinegar, Worcestershire, lemon juice, steak sauce, molasses, honey, and hot sauce.

2) Over a medium heat, warm the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onions and saute until limp and translucent. Crush the garlic, add it, and cook for another minute. Add the dry spices and stir and cook for about 2 minutes to extract their oil-soluble flavors. Add the remaining wet ingredients and then the brown sugar. Simmer over a medium heat for 15 minutes with the lid on.

2) Taste and adjust. Add more of anything that you wish a little bit at a time. It may taste a bit vinegary at first, but that will be less obvious when you use it. Strain it if you don't want the chunks of onion and garlic. I like them in. Gives the sauce a home-made feel. You can use it immediately, but I think it's better if aged overnight. You can pour it into clean bottles and refrigerate for a month.

East Carolina BBQ Vinegar Sauce

East Carolina BBQ Vinegar Sauce
Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups of distilled vinegar (do not use cider vinegar)
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce
• 2 tablespoons sugar (white, light brown, or dark brown)
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
• 2 teaspoons finely ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS
1) Pour all the ingredients into a jar and shake. Let it sit for at least 12 hours to allow the flavors to meld. A week is better. Mop it on the meat with this sauce with basting brush once every hour while cooking.

2) Take the remaining mop and boil it to sterilize it and give the meat one last splash before serving. To prevent contamination by uncooked meat, make sure to use a clean brush. Serve the sauce in a cruet on the side so your guests can drizzle more on if they wish.