Let's Talk Ribs: A Summer Guide to Ribs

Let's talk about ribs. Ribs come in many forms from beef to pork to lamb and so on. Today I am going to talk mainly about beef and pork ribs.

First let me tell you about beef ribs. There are two main types of beef ribs. One is called a short rib which comes from the chuck. These are usually very small ribs cut into pieces about 1 ½ inches to 2 inches in length. They do not have very much meat on the bone but a lot of my southern customers love them.

Second is what most stores call beef ribs. These ribs are cut off the ribeye steak in long sections. If you have ever eaten a prime rib with a bone on it then you have eaten these ribs. They are best on the grill with any kind of season: BBQ sauce, Cajun spice, or just plain with salt and pepper anything to help bring out the flavor of the meat.

Moving on to pork ribs. Pork ribs come in many different types as well. The most popular are baby backs, country style, and just plain pork ribs. Baby backs are the most expensive and the most tender. These ribs are the smallest of all the pork ribs. Here is a easy and tasty way to cook them:

1) Put them in a crock pot with a small amount of water on high.

2) Let them simmer for about an hour or until most of the water has dissipated.

3) Next turn it to the lowest setting and dump in a bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce.

4) Let them simmer for a few more hours stirring every 15 minutes or so until they start to fall off the bone.

5) Serve with you favorite side dishes.

Country style ribs are not really ribs at all. They are Boston butt roast cut into 3 to 4 inch long strips which are 1 to 1 ½ inches thick. They come with or without the bone either why is good. The best way to cook these ribs are directly on the grill with lots of BBQ sauce. Just keep flipping them until they are nice and brown.