Description
These come off the belly side of the same Berkshire cross hogs we break in house. We take the sternum and cartilage off and square the rack so it lies flat and cooks evenly, which is what St Louis cut means. The rib tips we cut away go into our sausage trim, nothing is wasted. Membrane is left on unless you ask us to pull it, some people want it for structure on a long cook.
Post oak, 250F, three hours bare, two hours wrapped in foil with a splash of cider, then an hour back on the grate to set the bark. Do not go by the clock alone. The rack is done when a toothpick slides between the bones with no resistance and the meat pulls back about a quarter inch from the ends.
Specification
- Breed: Berkshire cross, Lockhart, Central Texas
- Cut: spare rib squared St Louis, brisket bone off
- Trim: membrane left on, ask for it pulled
- Rack weight: typically 2.5 to 3.5 lb each
- Sold by: the pound, whole racks where possible
Cooking
Smoker at 250F for five to six hours total, wrapped for the middle stretch. Probe tender is the target, around 200F to 203F between the bones.
Storage
Four days in the fridge in the paper we wrap them in. Freeze up to three months, vacuum sealed if you have the machine, otherwise double wrap.
Tomas Beltran (verified owner) –
Asked them to pull the membrane and they did it without any fuss. Five pounds fed six people with leftovers.
Dana R. (verified owner) –
Trimmed properly, flat rack, no ragged edges. Ran them on post oak at 250 and they were probe tender at five and a half hours. Better meat to bone ratio than the grocery racks.
K. Simmons (verified owner) –
Solid ribs. The three pound band came as one rack plus a small piece rather than a clean single rack, which was fine but worth knowing if you are plating for guests.