Ok, here's how I cut my St. Looie ribs. Remember that I trim mine to "competition" style, removing end bones and meat many leave on.
A smallish rack of full spares here. The knife is a good quality thin blade boning knife, and yes, it's SHARP!
First off, I trim off the small end bone/meat flaps at both ends of the rack:
Then trim off the skirt meat. I save all this and the tips for sausage making, or other uses.
Next, grasp the slab at the breastbone end, and locate the cartilage/rib bone connection point. You will feel the "bend" starting in the hunk there.
Once located HERE:
Lift the slab and 2 bones down make a cut thru the rack as shown. Make the cut thru the next cartilage joint down, and long enough to allow your finger thru the cut and the knife blade to be inserted below it.
Firmly pull the knife blade straight down, cutting thru the cartilage tips.
Lay the rack down- here's what they should look like:
Then make the cut severing the tips from the rack.
Next, the membrane is removed from the back side of the rib. Use a clean, dry paper towl to do this. "tease" and edge of the membrane up and work the flap across the whole width of the membrane.
Then, using a smooth, firm motion, pull the membrane from the slab.
Next, trim off any fatty spots/pockets
And there you have a nice slab of St. Looie style ribs!
Now- just a few words on how to prep for smoking:
I use a mustard slather. Any old mustard is fine...the idea is to allow the rub to adhere better and more to stick to the meat. Then SHAKE the rub on in a solid, even coat. DO NOT RUB! It's just a noun, not a verb...LOL!
Flip the slab and treat the bone side the same. You can go a bit lighter on the rub on this side, as most of the meat is on the other. Wrap and chill if possible for a couple hours before hittin' the smoke!
A smallish rack of full spares here. The knife is a good quality thin blade boning knife, and yes, it's SHARP!
First off, I trim off the small end bone/meat flaps at both ends of the rack:
Then trim off the skirt meat. I save all this and the tips for sausage making, or other uses.
Next, grasp the slab at the breastbone end, and locate the cartilage/rib bone connection point. You will feel the "bend" starting in the hunk there.
Once located HERE:
Lift the slab and 2 bones down make a cut thru the rack as shown. Make the cut thru the next cartilage joint down, and long enough to allow your finger thru the cut and the knife blade to be inserted below it.
Firmly pull the knife blade straight down, cutting thru the cartilage tips.
Lay the rack down- here's what they should look like:
Then make the cut severing the tips from the rack.
Next, the membrane is removed from the back side of the rib. Use a clean, dry paper towl to do this. "tease" and edge of the membrane up and work the flap across the whole width of the membrane.
Then, using a smooth, firm motion, pull the membrane from the slab.
Next, trim off any fatty spots/pockets
And there you have a nice slab of St. Looie style ribs!
Now- just a few words on how to prep for smoking:
I use a mustard slather. Any old mustard is fine...the idea is to allow the rub to adhere better and more to stick to the meat. Then SHAKE the rub on in a solid, even coat. DO NOT RUB! It's just a noun, not a verb...LOL!
Flip the slab and treat the bone side the same. You can go a bit lighter on the rub on this side, as most of the meat is on the other. Wrap and chill if possible for a couple hours before hittin' the smoke!
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