# BBQ Ribs - Beef or Pork?



## Zhizara (May 10, 2011)

The recent thread about BBQ ribs has inspired me to try them in my oven.  I need help deciding whether to get beef or pork so...

Which do you like best and why?


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## Andy M. (May 10, 2011)

I prefer pork ribs by a wide margin.


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## Uncle Bob (May 10, 2011)

Pork rules in My South


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## Selkie (May 10, 2011)

I like both. Beef ribs are larger and carry more flavor on their own than pork - IMHO.

But, pork ribs are less expensive, quicker and easier to bake/cook/grill.


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## pacanis (May 10, 2011)

I like them both, but cook pork ribs 15:1 against beef short ribs.


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## FrankZ (May 10, 2011)

I will eat either but prefer pork ribs.


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## Hoot (May 10, 2011)

They both are good..... "Course deer ribs and bear ribs are good too.


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## CharlieD (May 10, 2011)

It depends on what you like. I for example do not like beef, period, but love lamb.


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## justplainbill (May 10, 2011)

If you can get the lamb at a reasonable price they have a nice flavor (if you like lambchops) and are worth a try.


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## MyCrummyApartment (May 10, 2011)

I prefer pork ribs and they seem to always be more readily available in grocery stores. However, I once worked in a steak restaurant where the chef cut off the prime rib bones from a whole roast, and saved them for staff. 

He often added an amazing rub or sauce to them and add that to the humungous size of these things, made for some rather special moments in my early restaurant days.


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## Zhizara (May 10, 2011)

I love both beef and pork.  I was thinking that the beef would be meatier, and the pork more tender.  Am I right?


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (May 10, 2011)

Beef short ribs can be tough and have substantial silver-skin on them.  They are IMHO best when braised.  Pork ribs are more tender.  But when picking pork ribs, I shy away from baby back ribs as they have less meat on them and more bone.  They are also more expensive than pork spare ribs.  But, they are more heavily advertised and so are in more demand.  I like this as regular pork spare ribs are superior to baby back ribs.  just remember, on the grill, in the oven, or on a spit, ribs are to be cooked low and slow, with smoke.  Sauce during the last 10 minutes or so of cooking time to avoid burning the sugar in the sauce.  Burnt sauce isn't so tasty.

Seeeeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North


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## Zhizara (May 10, 2011)

Goodweed of the North said:


> Beef short ribs can be tough and have substantial silver-skin on them.  They are IMHO best when braised.  Pork ribs are more tender.  But when picking pork ribs, I shy away from baby back ribs as they have less meat on them and more bone.  They are also more expensive than pork spare ribs.  But, they are more heavily advertised and so are in more demand.  I like this as regular pork spare ribs are superior to baby back ribs.  just remember, on the grill, in the oven, or on a spit, ribs are to be cooked low and slow, with smoke.  Sauce during the last 10 minutes or so of cooking time to avoid burning the sugar in the sauce.  Burnt sauce isn't so tasty.
> 
> Seeeeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North




Thanks, GW.  I'd love to be able to cook them outdoors, but I live in a apartment with no balcony, no outside cooking area, and a horrendously loud smoke alarm.

I plan on braising on a rack above a braising liquid including Liquid Smoke, covered with foil until tender, but the BBQ sauce needs to be at least partly blackened sugar to taste right for me.  I hate the flavor of raw BBQ sauce.


Thanks to all of you for the input.  I think I'll go with the pork unless by some miracle I find a rack of beef ribs marked way down.  

I was leaning towards pork because I know how flavorful and tender it can be, but wanted to ask in case I was missing something special.

One more question:  225°, 250°, or 275°?


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## kadesma (May 10, 2011)

I like the pork ribs best, put a nice sweet sauce on them and I could go through a whole rack For me beef ribs are ok but I find them stringy and rather tough. so for this household the preference is PORK.
kadesma


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## pacanis (May 10, 2011)

I hear ya, Z. Some people say burnt, others caramelized 

And don't even be going prime rib ribs, crummy kitchen... YUM!


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## pacanis (May 10, 2011)

oops, I meant crummy apt, lol.


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## roadfix (May 10, 2011)

I love them all but really meaty beef ribs (except short ribs) are not as available around here for some reason.  So I'll do pork ribs more often, mostly spareribs over baby back ribs due to cost.  And once in a great while when I find a meaty rack of beef ribs I'll do that.  
And when I do ribs I smoke them.  I don't cook them any other way.


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## kadesma (May 10, 2011)

Z, 
I should have told you how I do oven ribs. Before cooking I coat both sides with salt,pepper (fresh ground) garlic and onion pepper  bring the foil up and around the ribs in pan put in a 275 or 300 oven for 3 hrs or 4. when uncovered they should be tender if not back in they go covered if they are tender I put on a sweet sauce or you could try Woody's it is great but not sweet. Hope this help. Well back to directions When ready put on the sauce and leave uncovered let the sauce warm up and have a great meal.
kades


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## roadfix (May 10, 2011)

One thing I don't like my ribs to be is 'fall-off-the-bone' tender.   You often get that when you foil them too long.


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## Zhizara (May 10, 2011)

roadfix said:


> One thing I don't like my ribs to be is 'fall-off-the-bone' tender.   You often get that when you foil them too long.



You don't?  Whyever not?


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## roadfix (May 10, 2011)

Zhizara said:


> You don't?  Whyever not?


Well, I like them tender but with a little pull off the bones, if you know what I mean....


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## pacanis (May 10, 2011)

Ditto. Fall of the bone tender is nice for crock pot ribs... ribs that were soaked and cooked in sauce, or oven cooked... Otherwise I like my ribs to eat like wings. As long as the bone is white, it's all good.


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## Zhizara (May 10, 2011)

roadfix said:


> Well, I like them tender but with a little pull off the bones, if you know what I mean....



That sounds better.  Too much would be really, really messy.


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## Bigjim68 (May 10, 2011)

Beef short ribs and port country style ribs can be used interchangeably IMO, both are better braised than smoked.  Beef ribs compare to pork baby back or spare ribs, and are better low and slow smoked or done in the oven.  At least this is the way I use them.


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