Ribs | What is it?
We all share this memory, whether it’s home, at the restaurant, or in a backyard during a summer party, of having sticky fingers, coated with sauce, syrupy face, and, nonetheless, happiness down the belly!
This memory we’re talking about is the undeniable pleasure of eating succulent BBQ ribs. We know it’s dirty and that we are probably going to need at least twenty napkins to scrub all the sauce off our faces and hands, but this mess is really worth it if we just think of the deliciousness this meal provides.
But if we push a notch, do you really know what are ribs? Where it’s from? What are the different types? How to cook it? Don’t worry; these questions are answered below.
Where are they coming from?
There are mainly two types of ribs; back ribs (or baby back ribs) and spareribs.
Baby back ribs : as its name tells, it comes from the pork’s back, more precisely the loin.
Spareribs : these ribs are from the pork belly.
What’s the difference between back ribs and spareribs?
Apart from where they are from on the animal, what are the main differences between baby back ribs and spareribs? As spareribs come from the belly, it is much fatter than back ribs. Baby back ribs are shorter, which is why it’s called “baby” (not because they are from baby pigs), but they have more meat around the bone, and are generally thicker. Spareribs are longer, but they have a less good meat/bone ratio than the baby back ribs.
Here are both types, to help you distinguish :
Beef also has ribs
When we talk about ribs and when we eat some at the restaurant, we often refer to pork meat. But did you know we can also find ribs in beef meat?
Beef also has two types of ribs. Back ribs, just like pork, and ribs coming from the plate. This region gives us short ribs.
How to cook?
Baste and let marinate with your favorite BBQ sauce. Next, cook them in the oven or on the grill. Some of you might want to slow-cook them, but it’s always interesting to finish them up in the oven to get that delicious and crispy caramelization.
If regular ribs are relatively easy to cook, short ribs require much more time, because they are tougher. You should slow-cook them for a couple of hours, a low heat, in order to get the meat tender and fall-off-the-bone.
At Maillard
You’ll be happy to know that Maillard offers their own baby back ribs. Already fully cooked, you just have to warm them before enjoying captivating smoke notes and irresistible BBQ taste.
