Are Baby Back Ribs Pork Or Beef?

If you've ever ordered ribs at a restaurant, have you paid attention to what type of ribs you're getting? Are they beef short ribs, St. Louis spare ribs, or baby back ribs? There's a difference between all three, but baby back ribs are a popular type of pork rib that are ideal for grilling and smoking.

Baby back ribs have tender rib meat that, when cooked low and slow, falls right off the bone. They come from the pig's upper rib cage, and there are typically around a dozen ribs in one rack. These ribs are leaner than spare ribs or beef ribs, so they cook faster. They're a great option when you want ribs but don't want to spend hours smoking them. They're also a good place to start if you're newer to cooking ribs and need more practice with perfecting your personal prep method and cook time. The faster cook time also makes these ribs ideal if you're preparing them in an oven rather than on a grill or smoker.

The other cut of pork ribs you're likely familiar with are St. Louis spare ribs. Both the spare ribs and baby back ribs are found on the same pig, but they're different parts of the rib cage. Spare ribs are found on the lower part of the rib cage, below the baby back ribs. They contain more marbling and fat than baby back ribs, which actually makes them less expensive. Although they're heavier, that weight isn't all meat, which reduces their price.

Baby back ribs are leaner but have more true meat on them, so they're the more expensive cut between the two. If you want quicker-cooking ribs with milder flavor, opt for baby back pork ribs. If you prefer richer, fattier ribs with a slightly lower price tag and don't mind the longer cooking time, go for spare ribs.