How do you tell the difference between pork and beef ribs?
Chef's answer
It varies from cut to cut, but generally speaking, pork ribs are reasonably lean, at least when compared to beef ribs. The lower on the rib cage you go, the more the meat-to-fat ratio slides over to the fatty side, and the rib tips are mostly fat.
Frequently asked Questions 🎓
✔
The meat in the center should be white and there should be no pink juices. Remember, if you have cooked with smoke, there will probably be pink meat near the surface, but the meat in the center should be white or tan. Click here to see a perfect rib.
✔
How We Cook Ribs in the OvenRemove the membrane (remember, this ensures fall-off-the-bone ribs). Generously season both sides with salt and pepper. ... Cover the ribs with aluminum foil. Bake the ribs at a low temperature (275F) for 3 to 4 hours or until they are tender. More items....
✔
A Little Pink Is OK: USDA Revises Cooking Temperature For Pork : The Two-Way The U.S. Department of Agriculture lowered the recommended cooking temperature of pork to 145 degrees Fahrenheit. That, it says, may leave some pork looking pink, but the meat is still safe to eat.
✔
To keep ribs moist, it's a good idea to hydrate the ribs while they cook. The only ribs that fall off the bone are those boiled or steamed. When you grill ribs, they won't fall off the bone. ... The longer you cook them, the more tender they will be.
✔
Ribs benefit greatly from a low-and-slow cooking method. For cook times longer than two hours, most meat will benefit from being wrapped in foil. For example, baby back ribs will take roughly four hours to cook while spare ribs will take closer to five but both should be wrapped after two and a half hours.
✔
Eating raw or undercooked pork is usually not be a good idea due to Trichinella Spiralis, a worm parasite that can exist in humans. If pigs eat scraps of meat containing the larval cysts, its meat will be infected as a result. ... This is why the tradition has it that pork must be eaten cooked or overcooked even.
✔
Leaving the membrane attached to your ribs will result in less-flavorful ribs and a tough texture. ... Unlike the cartilage and other connective tissue between and around the ribs, this membrane does not soften when it's cooked. It just comes out tough and chewy, like a sheet of plastic.
A few more cooking questions 📍