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Why don't more local barbecue joints serve spare ribs instead of baby backs? —Jimmy M., St. Louis
Ah, pork spare ribs. The barbecued ribs of my youth. St. Louisans of a certain age can conjure memories of multiple slabs cooked over Kingsford charcoal briquets on the backyard grill and basted with a sweetish red sauce (either Maull's or something Maull's-based) until the meat was fall-off-the-bone tender. For years, my father would slather them with a small cotton baster that that he insisted on calling a "johnny mop."
Then, sometime in the '80s, a smaller, curvier rib (cut from the pig's back) rose in popularity, somewhat supplanting the flat spares (cut from the belly). Many credit the shift to the long-running Chili's promotion, featuring what became arguably the catchiest meat-related jingle of all time. Not long after, Applebee's jumped on the bandwagon. Today's generation will likely equate barbecue ribs to baby backs, not spares, as they seem to proliferate, especially on local menus.
Yet some of us contend that there's nothing better than a properly prepared spare rib. Our city can even lay claim to its own specific cut, known around the country as the St. Louis–style spare rib.
Knowing the divisiveness of the subject matter, we asked a few biggies in the local barbecue business to weigh in:
Salt + Smoke owner Tom Schmidt: "We do St. Louis-cut spares. We like them because they're firmer and meatier and offer an alternative to the baby backs served at a lot of other great places. The baby backs are delicious when smoked, because all that extra fat caramelizes and turns into meat candy that is often accentuated by sugary rubs or glazes. In an attempt to strip out the need for sauce and added sugar, we let the flavor and texture of that porkier, meatier spare rib lead the conversation."
Pappy's Smokehouse founder Mike Emerson: "I find the texture and ratio of meat to bone better with baby backs. You get a larger, flatter cut with St. Louis ribs. I prefer the thicker cut of baby backs."
Sugarfire Smoke House co-owner Mike Johnson: "I actually prefer spares to baby backs, but I learned early on that St. Louis overall is a baby-back town. I think a lot of that stems partly from Pappy's and Bogart's doing baby backs here so good for so long; their ribs are some of the best in the country, and they sell a lot of them. We actually offered both early on, but the baby backs sold way more, and there is an odd perception that spares are cheaper—many times, they are more expensive. The spares are also meatier, while the backs have more fat and a softer mouthfeel."
BEAST Craft BBQ Co. owner David Sandusky: "I think most sell backs because 1.) They are more consistent from the butcher and on the plate. On a spare, there's a more noticeable difference in thickness from one end to the other, which is one of the reasons that I sell them by the pound. 2.) Butchers make more money from the belly, where they cut the spare ribs, so many tend to cut the spare ribs down very low, even exposing bones (shiners) in some cases. 3.) They don't want to contend with the rib tip and extra trimming on a spare. Personally, I sell spares, because I prefer ribs from the belly over the back. If I wanted something that tastes like a pork chop, I would order a pork chop. Spares are basically belly wrapped around a bone. If done right, their profile is much better, in my opinion."
Dan Bippen, owner of Kuna Foodservice, which supplies ribs to dozens of local restaurants: "St. Louis ribs are cut from the spare rib. They are very meaty and more consistent in cost. The loin rib (baby back) has a more appealing name, and because the meat is from the loin area, some pitmasters feel that it’s more tender. But most of the ribs sold in the St. Louis market are from butcher-type hogs, so they are all tender and flavorful."
Former A Fine Swine BBQ owner and BBQ circuit competitor David Stidham: "I have only done spares. It’s what wins competitions. They are meatier and retain their moisture better as a result. I truly believe baby backs are an economic choice, as they are less expensive to the operator and have a marketing 'mystique' to them through a lot of chain-restaurant branding. The flavor, tenderness, and bite that my guests get from our Duroc spares, which average more than 3 pounds per rack, is second to none. They are harder to cook right and take a little longer due to the fact that they're heavier, but it’s worth it."
Doc's Smokehouse owner Doc Richardson: "One reason is that baby backs are more Memphis-style as far as competition goes. There are several local places that specialize in baby backs, such as Pappy's. The rest of us that do Kansas City style barbecue prefer spares. One reason is that spares have more fat and will last 3 times longer in a warmer."
Heavy Smoke BBQ co-owner Chris Schafer: "From my experience it seems like baby back ribs are more of a backyard cut and spares are thought of as a competition cut. Most people grow up eating baby backs and restaurants try to serve what people are familiar with. My second thought is a lot of the places in St. Louis cut their teeth with Memphis-style BBQ which almost always uses baby back ribs."
Editor's Note: This article has been updated from an earlier version.
If you have a question for George, email him at gmahe@stlmag.com. You can also follow him on Twitter @stlmag_dining. For more from SLM, subscribe or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
