Dear Eric: Can you tell me the difference between pork back ribs and spare ribs?
Patricia
In supermarkets, you’ll see two main types of pork ribs for sale, back ribs and side ribs, also called spare ribs.
Back ribs are cut from the pork loin, the same area of the pig that pork loin chops and roasts come from. Because of the location, these ribs are fairly lean and have a generous amount of meat between the bones. That fact helps explain why they’re more costly than side ribs.
If you’ve ever wondered why pork back ribs are sometimes call baby back ribs, it’s not because they come from younger animals, it’s simply because the bones are shorter than those found on side ribs.
Side ribs are taken from the side (belly) of the animal. They contain more bone than meat and, because they are taken from the belly area, are more fatty than back ribs.
Some cooks prefer side ribs because they know that those bones and fat will richly enhance the flavour of the meat as it cooks.
That’s why side ribs are a popular choice for southern-style barbecue, where the extra fat will keep the ribs moist when slowly cooked for many hours with wood smoke. Side ribs are also the preferred choice for Chinese-style dishes, such as sweet and sour spare ribs and black-bean spare ribs.
Since the bones in side ribs are longer than those in back ribs, they are most often cut crosswise into shorter 10- to 12-centimetre lengths. Pork riblets are made by cutting the ribs into even shorter lengths, about five centimetres.
St. Louis-style ribs are pork side ribs with the brisket bone removed, creating a long, even rack of side ribs.
If you’ve ever wondered why side ribs are also called spare ribs, it’s not because they are thin or contain something extra.
Several sources suggest it’s because spare rib is the modern English version of the original word spear-rib, which came from the Middle German word “ribbespêr.” It’s a reference to how the ribs were once cooked, by spearing the meat and cooking it over an open fire.
Today’s recipe can be made using either pork back ribs or side ribs, depending on your budget or preference.
Pork Ribs with Blackberry Rum Barbecue Sauce
These ribs are richly flavoured with a rum-spiked sauce flavoured with in-season blackberries.
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: About 2 hours 45 minutes
Makes: four to six servings
For the sauce
1 cup fresh blackberries
1/3 cup unsweetened apple juice
1/4 cup dark rum
3 Tbsp cooking molasses
1 tsp finely grated lime zest
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup blackberry or red currant jam or jelly
2 Tbsp cider vinegar
3 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp ground allspice
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tsp cornstarch
3 Tbsp water
Combine all ingredients in a small to medium pot, except cornstarch and water. Bring to a gentle simmer (small bubbles should just break on the surface), and simmer 10 minutes. Purée the mixture in the pot with an immersion blender, or in a blender or food processor.
Set a fine sieve over a second pot. Strain the blackberry mixture through the sieve, using a whisk to push out the liquid, leaving just the blackberry seeds behind.
Bring strained blackberry mixture to a simmer. Place cornstarch and water in a small bowl and whisk together.
Now mix cornstarch mixture into the blackberry mixture. Bring sauce to a simmer and cook until lightly thickened, about two minutes.
Remove sauce from heat and set aside until needed. (Sauce can be made a day or two in advance. Once cooled to room temperature, transfer to a tight sealing jar and keep refrigerated until ready to use.)
For the ribs and finish
3 full racks pork back ribs (each rack about 750 grams), or 2.25 kg pork side ribs
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups unsweetened apple juice
Preheat your oven to 325 F. Cut ribs between the bones into two- to three-rib pieces.
Set the ribs meaty side up in a single layer in a large shallow-sided roasting or baking pan.
Season the ribs with salt and black pepper. Pour the apple juice into the pan. Cover and bake the ribs for two to two and a half hours, or until tender, but still holding together. Remove ribs from the oven and uncover.
Heat your barbecue to medium, medium-high heat. Set on the ribs and cook on both sides until a nice colour is achieved, about five minutes per side. Set the ribs meaty side up and brush with the blackberry barbecue sauce, to taste. Let sauce heat though a few minutes, and then serve. If you have any leftover blackberry barbecue sauce, warm it up and serve it alongside the ribs for drizzling on top.
Eric Akis is the author of eight cookbooks. His latest is The Great Rotisserie Chicken Cookbook (Appetite by Random House). His columns appear in the Life section Wednesday and Sunday.
