St Louis Cut

[Patio Cook#1]

I usually purchase the large spare rib sections (brisket bone off) and proceed to pretty much hack them up from there.

I cut the flap off and remove the membrane. Then I flop the ribs over and from there I'm never quite certain where to cut for St.Louis cut.
Let's say I locate the longest rib and beging cutting the rack that length. Because the ribs get shorter as I go across, I would be cutting througe the rib tips. Or, I can work the knife along, cutting the ribs at the ends of the bone, removing all of the rib tips. EH? And winding up with a wide-to-narrow rack.
What do competition cook do as they prepare their ribs? Keep them more even in length, with partial rib tips on the ends of some of the bone?
As usual, I hope this makes some sense.

[CDN Smoker]

Good question, will be watching this very closely as I am having the same problems.

[Rummm]

I usually purchase the large spare rib sections (brisket bone off) and proceed to pretty much hack them up from there.

I cut the flap off and remove the membrane. Then I flop the ribs over and from there I'm never quite certain where to cut for St.Louis cut.
Let's say I locate the longest rib and beging cutting the rack that length. Because the ribs get shorter as I go across, I would be cutting througe the rib tips. Or, I can work the knife along, cutting the ribs at the ends of the bone, removing all of the rib tips. EH? And winding up with a wide-to-narrow rack.
What do competition cook do as they prepare their ribs? Keep them more even in length, with partial rib tips on the ends of some of the bone?
As usual, I hope this makes some sense.

OK, I did have a video on this, but per the explanation in the sticky, it's GONE

I start at the short end of the ribs, bend them with your hands and you'll see where you have to go. Even with a dull knife you'll make it from one end to the other. They will end up somewhat even. You are basically removing the brisket bones.  After that, you can trim them to your specs. Keep the trimmings for "cooks tasting".

Competition ribs??? To each their own......seems like every KCBS judge has his own standards.

[Rummm]

At one time I had a tutorial on St. Louis Ribs at the old Primo web site

www.primogrill.com/food/st-louisribs.html

But, as you can see, it's now a dead link and I'm going thru my stack of CD's and DVD's to try and recover the photo's. It may take a while 

[Rummm]

Not mine, but a good TUTORIAL on cutting St. Louis Spares

[deestafford]

Rummm, Thanks for that post.  Is it not sort of a rule of thumb that outside fat is ungood and inside fat is good?  Dee

[drholly]

Thanks Rummm - I am sure your video was better, but this helps a bunch!

[Rummm]

Rummm, Thanks for that post.  Is it not sort of a rule of thumb that outside fat is ungood and inside fat is good?  Dee

Dee, I'm not sure I understand your question, sorry.