Spareribs

Cut from near the fatty belly of the pig, spareribs include the rib bones, the meat between them, and the brisket bone near the pig’s chest. They can weigh more than 4 pounds per rack. We prefer the slightly smaller St. Louis–style ribs (seen here), which fit better on a backyard grill because the bones and meat from the brisket section have been removed. They cook more quickly and evenly, too.

St. Louis–Style Spareribs: Regular spareribs are cut close to the belly of the pig (which is also where bacon comes from). Because whole spareribs contain the brisket bone and surrounding meat, each rack can weigh upward of 5 pounds. Some racks of spareribs are so big they barely fit on the grill. We prefer this more manageable cut because the brisket bone and surrounding meat are trimmed off to produce a narrower, rectangular rack that usually weighs in at a relatively svelte 3 pounds.