I tried cooking a 5.8 pound slab of spares the other day. Never tried one that big. I cooked and cooked it and it was still like trying to eat a shoe. Is that typical of larger spares like that ?
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How long did you cook them and at what temperature? If I cooked them in my Amerique at 225 degrees, I would expect them to take about 8 hours.Sometimes they just take a long time to cook.I look for the meat to pull back on the bone about 1/2 inch for spareribs and test them with a toothpick. When the tookpick passes through the meat with little resistance, they are done! Good Luck!!
That's pretty heavy for a rack of spares. Sounds like your butcher might have sold you something he cut off a big ol' brood sow.
Yep,TaktEZ, knows stuff.
Them ol' non bearin' ,farm sows,around 700 lbs,are pounded out and sold for sausage.
The unscrupulous packers may strip the rib slabs out,freeze and peddle to the grocery chains.
They'll peddle for $0.99/lb.
Very commom,that you get what you pay for.
Best bet is to cook them up with some sauerkraut,beer,potatoes,and plenty of hot peppers.
They can be cooked in a CS for 8 hrs plus and with enough sauce you can get them down.
Them ol' non bearin' ,farm sows,around 700 lbs,are pounded out and sold for sausage.
The unscrupulous packers may strip the rib slabs out,freeze and peddle to the grocery chains.
They'll peddle for $0.99/lb.
Very commom,that you get what you pay for.
Best bet is to cook them up with some sauerkraut,beer,potatoes,and plenty of hot peppers.
They can be cooked in a CS for 8 hrs plus and with enough sauce you can get them down.
8 hours in the AQ @ 225* and then the next day for another hour in kitchen oven in foil @ 240*. Still could retread my car tires with those ribs.
One thing people sometimes forget is how much does each rack of ribs weigh?
It matters.
Those ribs sound like they were in the 4 or 5 lb range.
Given trimmed spares (less than 3lbs) will take 4 to 6, the big ones take a lot longer.
I haven't worked out a chart, but I say that on average, it can be 30 to 45 min for each 1/2 pound of rib added weight.
And it matters for next time. If one rack was 4 lbs and one was 5 1/2 (heavens no) then you could have a 3 hour difference.
It matters.
Those ribs sound like they were in the 4 or 5 lb range.
Given trimmed spares (less than 3lbs) will take 4 to 6, the big ones take a lot longer.
I haven't worked out a chart, but I say that on average, it can be 30 to 45 min for each 1/2 pound of rib added weight.
And it matters for next time. If one rack was 4 lbs and one was 5 1/2 (heavens no) then you could have a 3 hour difference.
Hey smokin, do you count 3 and unders before or after trimming?
I've always counted them before.
I've always counted them before.
Market hogs had been running about 220-240 lbs and the untrimmed slabs had been running around 2.75 lbs.
That has been 3-4 years ago.
The market hogs seem to be more like 260-280 lbs,and the slabs are running more like 3.5 lbs.
For comps,Ribdog seems to like the largest 3 pk of IBP,slightly trimmed slabs,that run over 12 lbs,close to 13.
They are then trimmed down to look somewhat like loinbacks,and the trimmin's are cooked up the night before for cooks' snacks,or saved and thrown in the bean pot.
John could give you a better cook weight for his comp slabs.
That has been 3-4 years ago.
The market hogs seem to be more like 260-280 lbs,and the slabs are running more like 3.5 lbs.
For comps,Ribdog seems to like the largest 3 pk of IBP,slightly trimmed slabs,that run over 12 lbs,close to 13.
They are then trimmed down to look somewhat like loinbacks,and the trimmin's are cooked up the night before for cooks' snacks,or saved and thrown in the bean pot.
John could give you a better cook weight for his comp slabs.
quote:Originally posted by Lantern:
Hey smokin, do you count 3 and unders before or after trimming?
I've always counted them before.
Cooking weight.
When they sell them, it's sold weight, but for my comments above, you need to keep in mind the weight as you put it on the smoker, before cooking.