In this blog we are going to tell you about Difference Between Baby Back and Spare Ribs, so read this blog carefully to get the complete information.
When we are talking about ribs, most people love to eat the ribs of pigs. But did you know that pigs have two types of ribs that are made of two types of cuts: Baby Back Ribs and Spare ribs. But besides having similarities and coming from the same animal, different ribs offer different flavors, textures, and tenderness. Most people get confused with these two ribs as their style of cooking is often the same but there are a significant number of differences also. Continue reading the article to know what Baby Back rib and Spare rib are and in what aspects they are different from each other.
What is a Baby Back rib?
Baby back ribs are also known as lion or back ribs. It comes from the upper rib cage and is connected to the backbone just under the lion muscle. It is positioned directly above the spare ribs but is shorter than the spare ribs. And this is the reason, it is referred to as a baby and this makes them very easy to identify. Back ribs weigh less as they are more tender and much leaner than spare ribs and thus cook faster also. In recent years, its popularity has increased and now its slab comes with a small amount of lion meat attached to the top of it. Earlier, lion meat was more expensive but as baby back ribs are in demand, butchers also usually leave more lion meat on the ribs than before. However, besides being smaller than spare ribs, it costs more than spare ribs.
What is a Spare Rib?
Spare ribs are also known as side ribs. They are cut from the section of the rib cage which is below the baby’s back ribs. If you take a slab of spare ribs, you may notice that from where it is cut the edge with visible bones and marrow is shown. Spare ribs are larger and flatter than baby back ribs as they weigh an average of around 3 pounds per slab. This meat has more fat marbled through it with extra bones and connective tissues which makes it more flavorsome and richer than other meats. These ribs are cheaper than baby back ribs and this makes them more popular than baby backs.
Main Differences between Baby Back and Spare Ribs
The following are the main differences between a Baby Back and Spare ribs as mentioned below:
- Origin
Both baby back ribs and Spare ribs are part of a pig but come from different regions. Baby Back ribs are situated at the top of the rib cage between the spine and extended till spare ribs begin, below the lion. On the other hand, spare ribs start where the baby back ribs end and extend to the breast bone.
- Size
Baby back ribs are quite shorter than spare ribs. However, this size depends on the size of the pig. But still, spare ribs are substantially larger than baby back ribs. They are flatter and usually contain more bone than meat and they can also have higher fat.
- Quality
Baby back ribs are removed from the lion which means they are necessarily the same texture and consistency as a pork chop. Baby Back clips have less fat than spare ribs and have more meat. On the other hand, spare ribs are mostly bone and thus have higher fat and this makes them tougher than the Baby Back ribs.
- Method of Cooking
There are different ways to prepare ribs. In general, both baby back ribs and spare ribs are cooked at a lower temperature as this provides more benefits. But usually, spare ribs are much tougher than a baby back rib so it takes much longer to cook to get a tender state.
- Price
As the baby back ribs are usually much meatier and tender so their price is usually quite higher than spare ribs. Baby back ribs are usually sold at a price between $3 and $7 per pound while spare ribs are sold at as little as $1.50 per pound and maximum at $3.50 per pound.
Conclusion
Overall, it doesn’t matter which rib you are eating, both are delicious. However, one should know the difference to eat your favorite within your budget. We hope that this article was helpful and now you will try both of them and decide which is much tastier.
I Hope this blog is sufficient enough to provide the information about Difference Between Baby Back and Spare Ribs. Thanks for reading this blog.
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