Almost Half Of Consumers Believe This Is The Best Type Of Ribs To Barbecue
Anthony Bourdain once famously said, "Barbecue may not be the road to world peace, but it's a start."
Barbecue season has just begun, although true grillmasters know that barbecue season happens all year long. For the evergreen griller, the barbecue calendar isn't measured by the passing of seasons: It's measured by which cut of meat you toss on the grill.
Luckily, there are a handful of types of ribs that add a little selection to grates and plates. But, as with any variety, folks have a favorite. Whether they're cooking out for the Fourth of July or decoding the menu at their favorite BBQ restaurant, consumers have a preference for their slabs of ribs. It's as personal as a hidden grill spot or a secret recipe.
Tasting Table conducted a survey, asking 626 grill fans about their smokey faves to find out once and for all what the most popular type of ribs to barbecue is. Keep reading to see if your favorite "made the cut." (Pun intended).
We want our baby back, baby back, baby back
Coming in with the lowest percentage of the votes is Beef Short Ribs with 14.54%. Beef Short Ribs come from the beef chuck of a cow, the meaty part between the shoulders. Next up is Beef Back Ribs with 16.13% of the vote. Beef Back Ribs come from a cow's back behind the shoulders — the same part a ribeye steak comes from. Pork Spare Ribs clock in with 19.65% of the vote. These ones come from cuts of meat at the ends of the ribs and around the belly, for an extra rich, fatty mouthful.
With a whopping 49.68%, Pork Back Ribs (aka Baby Back Ribs) come barreling in with nearly half the vote. Baby Back Ribs come from a cut where the ribs meet the spine. They're shorter and smaller in size than regular long ribcage bones, which accounts for their namesake tininess. Whether it's Chili's iconic jingle or the delicious fall-off-the-bone bite itself, baby back ribs have kept folks singing since the commercial aired in 1998.