Ribs by Cooking Method

If you’re looking for….

….ribs you can smoke:
  • Back Ribs (4-Bone Rack)
  • 3-Bone Short Ribs Rack
….ribs that are great on the grill:
  • Korean Short Ribs
  • 3-Bone Short Ribs Rack
  • Spare Ribs
  • Back Ribs
…. ribs that you braise (oven, crock pot, instant pot):
  • Flanken
  • Plate Flanken/Short Ribs
  • 3-Bone Short Ribs Rack
  • English Short Ribs
  • Spare Ribs
  • Mock Boneless Short Ribs

 

 

 

Rib Description

Most Marbled

3-Bone Short Rib Rack is the base for Spare Ribs, English Short Ribs and Korean Short Ribs.  It’s a rack of three bones with meat in between and on top of the bones.  Good for BBQ ribs on the grill or in a smoker. We recommend cooking first, then adding BBQ sauce or any other thick, sweet or umami glaze to the ribs during the last hour of cooking, or just before serving.  Spare Ribs and Korean Short Ribs are both cut from the 3-Bone Short Rib Rack.

Spare Ribs are made from a three-bone short rib cut into 1 1/2″ slices (parallel to the rib bones) to create uniform pieces.  Spare Ribs will cook a little faster than the Rack, but similar to the Rack, there is meat both on the sides of the bones and on top.  These cook well on the grill. Follow the same marinating suggestions as above.

Korean Short Ribs are a very narrow, well-marbled slice of 3-bone short ribs that can be cooked like a steak.  Cook over high heat. They are great with a marinade.

 

Best for braising

Plate Flanken is a 3-bone short rib cut perpendicular to the bones.  Each piece is about 2″ high by 8-9″ long, and will include 3 bones with meat in between.  These are best braised in liquid an oven or crock pot with aromatics like red wine, herbs, onions, garlic, citrus, soy sauce, porcini mushrooms, etc.

English Short Ribs are perfect 2″ squares that make for a beautiful presentation.  Perfect for braising; can also be seared after braising for a crisp exterior.

Flanken come from the five bones of the Chuck, which is leaner than the Plate.  Because they are less marbled, they are generally cooked in liquid so they stay moist.  While they can be smoked, we don’t recommend it.  Flanken is great for chulent, stew and chili.

We cut our Mock Boneless Short Ribs from the tender and marbled sections of the chuck. If they’re out of stock, you could use a French Brisket or Chuck Pot Roast instead; just cut the roasts into large sections and proceed with the recipe–generally speaking, you’ll sear them first to to build flavor and then braise until tender. Meat will shrink to approximately 2/3 size of the raw pieces as they cook.

 

Tender and marbled

Back Ribs are the same ribs that are on a Bone-In Rib Steak, and are produced when we cut Rib-Eye Steaks or Filet Mignon.  They are longer, and arrive as a rack about 8″ long with long thin strips of meat in between the bones (sometimes called “finger meat”).  The meat is, similar to the steaks, very tender and fairly lean. While these ribs have the least amount of meat on them (compared to the others), the meat is the most tender and can be cooked quickly at high heat. Back Ribs are also excellent when smoked.

Sometimes called “Dinosaur Ribs” because they are so larger, they hold up well with a nice marinade or rub then a quick sear on the grill or under the broiler.  (However you like to season your steaks, you can season these Back Ribs, although avoid fresh garlic if you’re broiling or grilling since it will burn.)

 

 

 

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