Beef Back Ribs
(half a strip)
© Denzil Green
Beef Back Ribs come from the rib area of the cow.
If the rib area has been cut to make a rib roast with the bones in, then there won’t be many ribs available for back ribs, but if the rib roast is being sold boneless, then back ribs are available. Usually, a strip of back ribs will include about 7 ribs.
For comparison, short ribs are the ends of these ribs, cut off, that reach down into the chuck and plate areas of the cow. Short ribs will be meatier, but back ribs are more tender.
There is a generous amount of fat on this cut of meat, which is a minus for those looking for lean cuts of meat, but a plus for cooks such as barbequers looking for cuts that won’t dry out during long cooking.
Choose back ribs that have a good amount of meat between the bones; sometimes you may find that it has been cut out to give more meat to a roast.
Cooking Tips
The bone side may have a membrane; remove this with a knife and discard before cooking.
They don’t require boiling before further cooking (that will just take away some of the flavour.)
Tender enough to be barbequed, for about 2 to 2 ½ hours, or roasted in a sauce. Turn and baste while cooking.