Spares vs. Baby Backs

[Buckeye]

In compatishuns.....ever wunder which one haz won tha most? I noe its a crapshoot...but..... how many judges that day will there be that like spares a lil more than bb's?... or vice versa?. :roll: Almost don't seem fair if u cook spares that comp an terns out you got a majoritee room fulla bb lovers judge'n (or vise versa). Are tha judges honestlee judge'n each rib..or r they lean'n more towards tha rib of their like'n? Sorta like havin' a sweet sauce vs. a vinigar taste'n sauce. Guess ya jus hope ya cook tha rite slab that day, huh? :roll:

[TAR RIVER RAT]

Baby Backs :!: :!: :!: I love them, nothing like them. Cooking 2 racks in AM.
Tarrib

[gordo]

Buckeye- it depends on if your cooking IBCA (pork spare ribs only, keeps all teams on the same page) KCBS can cook either babybacks or spares.
I just cook spares all the time, and have hit, doing them at KCBS cookoffs.
Now if I cook a IBCA cookoff and they have a open category, sometimes I will do babybacks for it ( and spares for the pork rib category). You can trim them spares down to get close to the size of babybacks,. spares straight bones, babyback or loinbacks have curved bones. now if cooking in the backyard I do spares without any triming..... I cant see spending the extra money just to serve babybacks...
gordo

[txpgapro]

Buckeye- it depends on if your cooking IBCA (pork spare ribs only, keeps all teams on the same page) KCBS can cook either babybacks or spares.
I just cook spares all the time, and have hit, doing them at KCBS cookoffs.
Now if I cook a IBCA cookoff and they have a open category, sometimes I will do babybacks for it ( and spares for the pork rib category). You can trim them spares down to get close to the size of babybacks,. spares straight bones, babyback or loinbacks have curved bones. now if cooking in the backyard I do spares without any triming..... I cant see spending the extra money just to serve babybacks...
gordo

Well put Gordo. Me, I'll grill baby backs, and smoke spares.

[BBQ101]

Loin back and spares for me baby backs just dont have enough meat for me.

[Woodman]

I do "Hotel Cut" spares! Kinda a cross betwixt the two!

[BBQ101]

Taint never heared of no Hotel Cut. Is that kinda like a St. Louis cut.

[TAR RIVER RAT]

Loin back and spares for me baby backs just dont have enough meat for me.

Depends on how many you cook The 2 racks I'm cooking now, they are for ME.
Tarrib :lol:

[Buckeye]

Buckeye- it depends on if your cooking IBCA (pork spare ribs only, keeps all teams on the same page) KCBS can cook either babybacks or spares.
I just cook spares all the time, and have hit, doing them at KCBS cookoffs.
Now if I cook a IBCA cookoff and they have a open category, sometimes I will do babybacks for it ( and spares for the pork rib category). You can trim them spares down to get close to the size of babybacks,. spares straight bones, babyback or loinbacks have curved bones. now if cooking in the backyard I do spares without any triming..... I cant see spending the extra money just to serve babybacks...
gordo

Thanx Gordo....I guess that's whut I wuz try'n ta say/ax :roll: ......everbodee bein' on "tha same page"........ 8)
IBCA seem more fair with tha "level playin' field"...Whereaz KCBS kin be
more of a crapshoot in tha rib catogoree.

[Big Neal]

Nothing is better than IBP spares :wink:

[Mic]

Hey Buckeye! Great talkin to ya today on the phone! 8) Good question ya got there cause it made me look at the FBA rules ta see if they allow both or not. Turns out they do:

10. MEAT CATEGORIES – the following categories are sanctioned by the FBA:
a. Chicken: The team may cook chicken whole, halved, or individual pieces.
b. Pork Ribs: Loin back (baby back) or spare ribs only. No country style ribs.
c. Pork: Whole shoulder, Boston butt or Picnic only. Must be cooked as a single piece of meat.
d. Beef Brisket: Packer trimmed or flats. Must be cooked as a single piece of meat.

Can't say I know of any teams turnin in BB's, though. I'll havta ask Joby his opinion on the matter next time I see him.

Mic

[Grumpy Gator]

Mic,

At the Fun Cook over Labor Day, most of the entries I saw at the judgin' table was Baby Backs...

[Mic]

Mic,

At the Fun Cook over Labor Day, most of the entries I saw at the judgin' table was Baby Backs...

Well thanks for that insight into the hallowed judges chambers, BBQiF! :shock: We always do the spares. Do ya think it makes a difference, as Buckeye suggests, as to which cut of ribs might have an advantage? :wink:

Mic

[Grumpy Gator]

Well, that was my first time judgin'... so it's hard to say.

To my mind, they get judged the same... Presentation, Tenderness/Texture, and Taste. When I'm cookin' I prefer Baby Backs. I just have better luck with them.

But when judgin' I just score for the best... could be BB or could be Spares...

[Smoke Daddy]

Is it just me or are baby backs WAY more expensive? I got a case of IBP spares today (9 slabs) for $60. How does that compare to baby backs?

[Zeeman]

That's right....mo money - less eating, go figure.
$60. just what I paid today for a case at Sam's, (9 slabs).
z