Expert Ribs Tips for Your Memorial Day BBQ
As we approach Memorial Day, we talked to the Queen of Grilling, Teena Anderson. Teena is the owner of MN Butcher Shop, Anoka Meats, and holiday cookbook author.
Teena says, “When it comes to classic BBQ cooking, ribs are the king of the grill. There are many types of ribs and a variety of factors when choosing what will grace your grill.” Teens continues, “Most people think baby back ribs are the end-all & be-all, but beef ribs are a lovely alternative!”
Below are Teena’s Tips in choosing which rib is right for your next barbeque!
Teena’s Tips for Choosing Your Ribs!
Pork Ribs!
· Baby back ribs & Loin back ribs — These classic ribs are best with a rub and either grilled or smoked. This type of rib is taken from the area where the ribs meet the spine, hence why they are known as back ribs. When prepared right they are finger-licking good. There isn’t a difference between pork loin back ribs and baby back ribs. The only real difference between these two types of ribs is the name given to them, but in terms of the area of pork they come from, it is the same for both cuts.
· Spare Ribs — Once trimmed, apply your favorite rub and toss them into the oven or onto a smoker. Spare ribs make up the bulk of the rib section along the side and into the belly of the animal. Being large and meaty, with a lavish amount of fat, spareribs are broadly considered to be the most flavorful because they are slightly less expensive, and a standard go-to for barbecues.
· Country style — Country-style pork ribs aren’t ribs at all. You want to cook them at low temperatures for long periods. These ribs are ideal for an oven or a slow cooker. They’re cuts of pork shoulder, which is the same meat you use to make pulled pork and carnitas. If you get bone-in “ribs,” you’ll recognize the distinctive y-shaped bone you get when you buy a bone-in pork shoulder roast.
Beef Ribs!
· Back ribs — These ribs come from underneath the cow’s chuck area and are usually made up of the first four or five ribs on the rib cage. These are often the most common types of beef ribs you can buy & they contain a virtuous amount of meat and fat on them, making them delicious to eat off the bone. Cut from a rib roast, these are served as single ribs. Apply a rub and cook with a smoker or on a gas grill.
· Short ribs — These ribs are very flavorful and fatty/chewy. They can be tough if not prepared in a satisfactory manner. They need to be cooked at low temperatures for hours, so a smoker is ideal. Grilled beef short ribs will see the collagen melt away, but I like them best when braised in a Dutch oven for 3 hours and then finished on the gas grill to ensure tenderness.
Anoka Meats is located at 478 W Main Street in Anoka, MN. You can read more at https://www.anokameats.com/, on Facebook, and on Instagram.
