Whenever anyone says ribs, the usual image conjured is one of a slab of baby back or spare ribs, cut from a pig and slow cooked in a barbecue pit. While this is certainly traditional in many parts of the United States, the unsung hero of the rib world will always be the beef rib. Beef ribs are completely different in almost every way to pork ribs, and have a culinary life of their own. Where they are popular, where they come from and how they're made is a fascinating journey all over the globe. Add this to my Recipe Box.
Types
Although the rib cut can come from anywhere on (or even around) the rib cage of the cow, there are names for each of the cuts, and functions for each as well. The most popular beef rib cut is the short rib. The short ribs of a cow come from the underside of the cow where the ribs are meatier and more flavorful. This is widely considered not only the most flavorful rib cut, but also one of the most flavorful cuts of meat, bar none. On the other side of the rib cage, toward the top back part of the cow is where the spareribs come from. These are sometimes also called back ribs. These ribs are right next to the cut of beef that is used for prime rib, and while there is not as much meat on these, it is considered very tasty. The "chuck" cut of beef is also taken from the rib section, and while this cut usually has no bones, it is used in lieu of short ribs when they cannot be found.
Geography
Depending on where you are in the world, you will look at the different types of beef ribs in varying ways. In France, a staple of Brasserie cuisine is braised short ribs. This is, to many people, the definitive way to prepare this cut. Because a short rib is highly marbled and has a lot of fat, it is very tasty, but can be extremely tough if prepared the wrong way. The only way to make it tender enough to enjoy is by cooking it for a long period of time. The French will sear the ribs to seal in their juices, then combine them with vegetables and stock (or wine) and will simmer this for many hours, sometimes even an entire day. The resulting dish is a piece of beef that is so tender it falls off the bone, literally. In Texas, and many other areas of the U.S. where slow cooking over a smoke pit is the cooking, the spare ribs are favored. The traditional way of preparing these is by removing the membrane, dousing them with a rub (this can be a combination of the chef's choice of spices) and placing them in a smoker at a low temperature for at least half a day. The resulting ribs are tender and smoky, and are usually served with a barbecue sauce.
Size
The first thing that people usually notice about beef ribs as opposed to their porky cousins is the difference in size. Beef ribs are markedly bigger, but that doesn't mean that they necessarily have much more meat on them. Beef spare ribs are definitely spare on the meat. The bones are twice as big, if not bigger, than pork spare rib bones. This gives them the skewed look of being meatier and heartier. The meat around the ribs, however, is much more plentiful in a cow. There are a number of cuts that come from the general area of the beef rib that are used for stews and braises, that a pig doesn't have due to sheer size.
Considerations
As mentioned before, beef ribs are a flavorful cut of meat, but under the wrong circumstances, they can be chewy and inedible. The first thing to consider, before you even buy them at your local butcher, is how you plan to prepare them. They must be prepared in a way that will allow them to cook for a very long amount of time, in order for the tough membrane of the beef to break down. This means that the cooking temperature can't be too high, or the beef ribs will finish quickly. The best way to solve this problem is by cooking with indirect heat. In the barbecue model, the indirect heat comes from the smoke. The ambient smoke and heat slowly cooks the ribs for a long period of time, and the membrane breaks down in the meantime. In the braising model, A pot is started on the stove top, then transferred to a low temperature oven to cook in the indirect heat surrounding the covered pot for many hours. In both models, the beef ribs become tender over a long period of time, but do not overcook in the process.
Benefits
Beef ribs were, until recently, considered food of the working class. This cut of beef was overlooked when most people went shopping for beef fillet or strip steak, and only those in the know would pick up this flavorful cut and prepare amazing meals with it. The price point has remained, even though the cut has gained popularity. One of the greatest benefits of this cut of meat is that it remains a bargain, even when it becomes more fashionable to eat it. Another great benefit to cooking beef ribs or beef rib meat is that it is a long cooking meat that you can start at the beginning of the day with very little added to it, and by the time supper rolls around, you and your family are ready to dine like royalty. This, plus the fact that it is packed with protein and just feels good on a cold winter day, makes beef ribs a great alternative to any other more expensive and labor intensive cut of beef out there today!
Tags: beef ribs, come from, beef that, indirect heat, long period
