How to grill ribs?

[Steve]

Did you speak to the work experience lad or something?

You are asking for the right thing. I've never had to use another term for them with a British butcher. You'll struggle to find good ones in the UK though unfortunately.

[swebbo]

Loin Ribs are what the butchers ive been to know them as. but they are rare to find. Waitrose/ocado do them online, dunno how good they are.

[Steve]

Costco also do them if that's any help.

[Swindon_Ed]

I've had many a butcher not know what i was asking for when looking for babyback ribs, i've since found the correct term in the UK is loin ribs. Spare ribs are known as belly ribs.

I'll agree with Steve on the fact that it's impossible to get decent babybacks over here as the butchers cut the pork loin back as much as they can as this is what back bacon is made from.

[bigcheese]

I think I must of got the wrong number!!!
So the general feel of what everyone Is saying is that I don't need to go to a top quility butchers to get ribs because they are pretty much crap everywhere, so I might as well just go somewhere local?
This butchers I phoned claim to be "voted best butchers in Kent". But would of taken me nearly an hour to get there

[keith157]

The problem is, as Steve & Ed mention, the butcher will cut the bones as close as possible as more people will buy a loin of pork either whole or as cutlets (i.e. off the bone) or broken down into chops. If you think about it there are so few people in the UK who even know about low n slow & US style BBQ it's not surprising the majority of butchers don't know what you are on about. It's not really their fault it's just new to them, have a chat with the butcher find out a time when you have his undiveded attention and chat to him. Show him pictures, direct him to websites and a lot of them will be happy to oblige you. BUT bear in mind they are a business and the occasional purchase of a rib rack probably won't offset their loss of regular custom with pork chops. As to spare-ribs in the UK they are traditionally cut from the end of the belly into the shoulder, and even through the blade-bone. Most butchers will happily strip the belly ribs off in a sheet as it is an easy moneymaker for them.

[bigcheese]

Steve, have you had the ones from Costco? Are they any good? I might go there a least I can buy bulk that way

[RobinC]

Several butchers I've used know Baby Backs as Top Loin ribs. Re Costco: I've used their ribs several times, just visually inspect the pack to get the meatiest. The packs contain 4 racks for circa £10. There is normally one rack in the pack that isn't as good as the others (but maybe that's just my local). It's definitely worth putting the effort into getting to know your local butcher.

[keith157]

Unless you travel up to Watford to shop it's a common fault. I've bought pre-packed ribs from Waitrose but they were very cheeky and cut the ribs in half diagonally giving two racks from one. Morrisons also sell them but they tend to be bitty (cut in bits) and in common with the rest, can also have little meat on them.

[keith157]

I don't know how they did it but on an episode of Tailgate Warriors last year a team cooked a full rack of baby backs in 36 minutes and the judge Dr BBQ announced his gob had been well and truly smacked, I think he may have been more eloquant then that though...