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Spare ribs (also called spareribs) are a variety of pork ribs, cooked and eaten in various cuisines around the world. They are the most inexpensive cut of pork ribs. They are a long cut from the lower portion of the pig, specifically the belly and breastbone, behind the shoulder, and include 11 to 13 long bones. There is a covering of meat on top of the bones as well as between them.
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Terminology
- The origin of the term "spare ribs" is not known although several folk definitions exist.
- Spare ribs are also popular in Chinese and American Chinese cuisine, they are generally called paigu (Chinese: 排骨; pinyin: páigǔ; Cantonese: paai4 gwat1; literally "row of bones"). When removed from the bone and roasted, or when roasted to a red color, they are called char siu (叉燒).
- In County Cork, Ireland, spare ribs are boiled and eaten with potatoes and turnips. This dish is called bodice locally.
Preparation
In Chinese and American Chinese cuisines
- In Chinese cuisine, spare ribs are generally first cut into 3-4 inch sections, then may be fried, steamed, or braised.
- In the Cantonese cuisine of southern China, spare ribs are generally red in color and roasted with a sweet and savory sauce. This variety of spare ribs, called char siu, is grouped as one of the most common items of siu mei, or Cantonese roasted meat dishes.
- In American Chinese cuisine, spare ribs are generally cooked in char siu style, and often feature as a part of the appetizer dish called pu pu platter.
In American cuisine
Spare ribs are also popular in the United States. They are generally cooked on a barbecue or on an open fire, and are served as a slab (bones and all) with a sauce. American butchers prepare two cuts:
- Spare ribs are taken from the belly side of the rib cage above the sternum (breast bone) and below the back ribs which extend about 6" down from the spine. Spare ribs are flatter than the curved back ribs and contain more bone than meat. There is also quite a bit of fat which can make the ribs more tender than back ribs.
- St. Louis Cut ribs are spare ribs where the sternum bone, cartilage, and the surrounding meat known as the rib tips have been removed. St. Louis Cut rib racks are almost rectangular.
Consumption
Spare ribs are usually consumed individually by hand, with the small amount of meat adhering to the bone gnawed off by the eater.
See also
References
External links
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