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.