As a barbecue enthusiast, I’m always looking for the best deals on ribs to fuel my smoking and grilling hobby When buying slabs of pork ribs, one question always comes to mind – how many ribs will I get per pound? Understanding rib yields helps me calculate quantities for serving crowds or just satisfying my own hankering for finger-lickin’ ribs
In this article we’ll break down the numbers on how many pork ribs you can expect per pound. You’ll learn about different rib types ideal portion sizes, and tips for picking the perfect racks for your next cookout. Let’s get ready to demystify ribs and master rib calculations!
The Lowdown on Pork Ribs
First, a quick primer on the most popular pork rib options
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Baby back ribs – Smaller, leaner ribs from the top of the ribcage near the spine. More tender and quicker cooking.
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Spare ribs – Larger ribs from belly area with more fat. Meatier texture and robust pork flavor.
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St. Louis ribs – Trimmed version of spare ribs. Rectangular shape with bone tip removed.
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Country-style ribs – Meatier ribs from shoulder. Not actually ribs but cut from shoulder blade area.
Pork ribs come in a range of sizes depending on type, so yield per pound varies. Let’s break down approximate ribs per pound for each.
Baby Back Rib Breakdown
Baby back ribs are smaller and daintier than other rib types. You can expect:
- 2.5 to 3 pounds per full slab
- 9 to 13 ribs per slab
- 3 to 4 ribs per pound
Since they’re quicker cooking and have less meat, baby backs are perfect for faster grilling. The yield is on the lower end, but the tender texture makes them worth it.
Spare Rib Size Stats
Spare ribs are meatier with more fat and cartilage. Here’s the size stats:
- 5 to 7 pounds per full slab
- 11 to 13 ribs per slab
- 2 to 3 ribs per pound
With a higher meat-to-bone ratio, spare ribs are ideal for low and slow smoking or braising. Get ready for finger-licking, fall-off-the-bone goodness!
St. Louis Cut Rundown
St. Louis ribs are just trimmed spare ribs for a uniform rectangular shape. The yield stats are similar:
- 3 to 5 pounds per slab
- 10 to 13 ribs per slab
- 2 to 3 ribs per pound
This versatile cut handles both quick grilling and slow smoking. With the brisket bone removed, it’s easier to cut into individual portions too.
Country-Style Rib Yield
Country-style ribs aren’t actually ribs – they’re cut from the pork shoulder. Here’s how they size up:
- 2 to 4 pounds per slab
- 8 to 12 ribs per slab
- 3 to 4 ribs per pound
With more meat than true ribs, country-style ribs are flavorful and juicy. They can be prepared similarly to spare ribs.
Dialing in Your Rib Portions
Now that you know approximate rib yields per pound, let’s talk about ideal portion sizes. A typical serving of ribs is:
- 1/2 to 1 pound or
- 2 to 4 ribs
This provides enough meat per person without overdoing it. If ribs are a main dish, aim for 1 pound portions. For a sampler plate, 1/2 pound may be sufficient.
When planning quantities, also consider your guests’ appetites, whether you’ll serve sides, and if ribs are the only meat option. It’s easy to scale up or down once you know ribs per pound.
Picking the Perfect Pork Ribs
When purchasing your ribs, keep an eye out for:
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Meaty racks with plentiful meat between bones
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Flexible bones that bend rather than crack
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White fat streaking through meat for flavor
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Reddish pink color indicating freshness
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Minimal odor – should have mild pork smell
Inspect for moistness and avoid any dried out or cracked ribs. For best results, choose quality over cost when possible.
Prepping Your Ribs Like a Pro
Once you’ve chosen some primo pork ribs, proper prep is key. Be sure to:
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Remove membrane from back of ribs for tenderness
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Season or marinate 6 to 12 hours prior to cooking
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Pat dry before smoking or grilling
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Cook low and slow at 225-250°F
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Rest 5-10 minutes before serving
Follow these steps and you’ll be biting into perfect ribs in no time. Share some slabs at your next cookout and watch them disappear fast!
Salivating Over More Sensational Smoked Meats
While ribs may be the star of many backyard barbecues, there are so many incredible smoked meat options to savor. Here are a few of my other smoking standbys:
Succulent Smoked Chicken
Chicken takes well to smoking, becoming incredibly moist and tender. A simple brine ensures juicy, well-seasoned meat. Rotisserie chickens also benefit from a touch of smoke.
Smoked Turkey Legs
Giant smoked turkey legs make an awesome appetizer or meal. The dark meat stays juicy even with prolonged smoking time. The skin gets crispy and seasoned rind is finger-licking good.
Beefy Smoked Brisket
When done right, smoked brisket is supremely tender and flavorful. Well-marbled cuts stay moist. Just go low and slow and let the beefy goodness shine through.
Smoky Pulled Pork
Pork shoulder transforms into fall-apart deliciousness after a long smoke. Shred into classic pulled pork sandwiches or tacos, or enjoy it on its own in all its juicy glory.
Perfect Smoked Sausage
Homemade smoked sausage kicks things up a notch. Use your favorite blending of meats and spices and enjoy the unmatched flavor.
The possibilities are endless when it comes to incredible smoked meats. Once you’ve mastered ribs, it’s hard not to want to try them all! Happy smoking, friends.
Satisfying Even the Pickiest Eaters at Your Cookout
When prepping your perfect barbecue feast, make sure to consider the tastes and preferences of all your guests. Having options for kids, vegetarians, and those with allergies ensures everyone can join in the fun.
For Little Ones: Chicken tenders, hot dogs, mac and cheese
Vegetarian: Grilled veggies, portobello burgers, veggie skewers
Gluten-Free: Fruit salad, grilled shrimp, potato salad
Nut Allergies: Pulled pork, smoked turkey, baked beans
Dairy-Free: Grilled chicken, BBQ tofu, corn on the cob
Having inclusivity in mind will make your cookout all the more memorable. The key is offering a well-rounded spread with something to satisfy every palate.
Mastering the Art of Ribs for a Sensational Cookout
When done right, a platter of finger-lickin’ smoked ribs can be the star of any cookout. Perfectly prepped, properly smoked, and finished with a tangy sauce – ribs are tough to top for barbecue bliss.
Next time you’re hosting a cookout, use this intel to pick the choicest racks and dial in the right quantities. With the ideal amount of delectable ribs, you’re sure to satisfy family and friends.
Remember – low and slow smoking is key. Keep a close watch to pull ribs at the peak of tender, juicy perfection. Garnish with pickles, slaw, cornbread, baked beans, or your favorite sides.
Above all, embrace the fun and flavors that come with sharing ribs and other smoky meats fresh off the barbecue. The memories made around a grill with good company are what makes the art of barbecue so meaningful and special.
So fire up the smoker, grab some cold brews, and get ready to revel in ribs done right. Let the feasting begin!
Where To Buy Ribs
You can find pork ribs in most supermarkets, butcher shops, and wholesale warehouse stores. You can find brand-name ribs in the grocery store that are neatly trimmed and individually wrapped in Cryovac, as well as no-brand ribs that are cut in half and put on Styrofoam trays. It can be difficult to tell exactly what you’re getting when ribs are packaged using these two methods.
At high-end grocery stores and butcher shops, you’ll find ribs unpackaged in the display case. This makes it easy for you to select the best looking slabs. Of course, you’ll pay a higher price for this privilege.
Buying ribs at a wholesale warehouse store is cheaper and there is more meat on the bone than buying them in slabs at a grocery store or butcher shop. If you like large, meaty slabs of “dinosaur ribs”, you’ll find them here. The bad things about this method are that you can’t usually buy single slabs of ribs, you can’t really see what they look like through the Cryovac, and you might find big chunks of fat on the outside and pieces that look like they were broken up at the ends of the slabs. However, you can easily remove the surface fat and scrappy bits when preparing the ribs before cooking.
If you need a lot of ribs, you can buy them from a nearby meat supplier by the case. Now is the time to use the terms “1-1/4 to 1-1/2” and “3-1/2 and down” because this is how you’ll order your ribs. A meat supplier will offer a variety of sizes, weights, and brands of ribs. You usually have to place your order a few days in advance. You can find wholesale meat suppliers in the Yellow Pages. Most of them will sell to regular people like you and me if you ask nicely, especially if you say you like barbecue.
Like what you might get if you buy a case of ribs? I bought a case of “1-1/4 to 1-1/2” loin back ribs from a meat supplier and cooked them on four WSMs (see Barbecuing With Friends). That case weighed about 35 pounds and contained 21 slabs of ribs.
Lastly, don’t think that a fancy grocery store or butcher shop will have a better slab of ribs. Both big national brands like IBP and Swift and small regional brands sell ribs. You can find them in supermarkets, high-end grocery stores, butcher shops, and wholesale warehouse stores.
A lot of stores don’t say what brand of ribs they sell, and they often switch brands because prices and availability will change. Often, it’s best to just shop for ribs by price. One example is that I saw the same brand and size of Cryovaced loin back ribs being sold at a high-end grocery store during the July 4th holiday in 2000. However, they cost $2 more per pound at the grocery store.
Before you grill the ribs, there are a few easy steps you should take to make them taste their best. You will see the difference in the end result, and it won’t take much time or work.
Prepping ribs consists of three steps:
- Removing the membrane
- Trimming the slab
- Removing excess fat
For more information and pictures on how to cook loin back ribs and spareribs, go to More Pork Rib Links On TVWB.
Removing the membrane from the bone-side of the slab is one of the secrets of tender ribs. Smoke and seasonings will not penetrate the tough membrane, and leaving it intact makes for tough eating. The membrane is thickest toward the backbone of the hog and gets very thin toward the belly. This means that loin back ribs will have a thicker, tougher membrane than spareribs. The density of the membrane is also influenced by the age and size of the hog.
Sometimes you will see recipes that call for rinsing ribs under running water or with vinegar before cooking. Do you think that barbecue places rinse the thousands of slabs of ribs they cook every year? No, they don’t, and you don’t have to.
Spareribs vs. Loin Back Ribs
Spareribs come from the belly of the hog, where bacon comes from. They are very meaty and a little less tender than loin back ribs. They are big (2-4 pounds or more). Spareribs tend to have more fat, more flavor, and cost less per pound than loin back ribs.
Loin back ribs come from the loin of the hog, where pork chops come from. You’ll sometimes see them called baby back ribs or loin ribs in the grocery store. Small (1-1/4 to 2-1/4 pounds or more), they have less meat, less fat, and are more tender than spareribs. Because of their smaller size, loin back ribs cook faster than spareribs. They are one of the most expensive cuts of meat from the hog due to high consumer demand.
People often use the terms “baby back ribs” and “back ribs” interchangeably. But some people in the pork business say that “baby back” should only be used for loin back ribs that weigh less than 1 3/4 pounds per slab.
Figure 1 shows a side view of a hog and the relationship between these two types of ribs. Figure 2 shows a cross-section of the ribcage and the locations of the ribs, backbone, and sternum. Note that the dashed lines indicate where the bones are cut to produce each type of rib.
Photo 1 shows two slabs of whole, untrimmed spareribs. The top slab is facing meat-side up, the bottom slab bone-side up. Photo 2 shows two slabs of loin back ribs. The left slab is facing bone-side up, the right slab meat-side up.
CHEAP CARNIVORE! 1 1/2 pound serving of BABY BACK RIBS – FIVE BUCKS! Easy method. FABULUOUS
FAQ
How many people does 1lb of ribs feed?
How many ribs is 2 lbs?
How many pounds of ribs for 8 people?
How many pounds of pork ribs?
How many ribs are in a rib rack?
A full rack of pork ribs has 13 ribs and weighs around 3 to 4 pounds. Assuming a standard trim, each pound may contain as many as 2-3 ribs. Baby back rib racks usually have 10 to 13 ribs that weigh around 1 ½ to 2 pounds and are about 3 to 6 inches long each. A full rack of beef ribs has about 7 to 9 ribs and weighs around 3 to 4 pounds.
How many pounds of ribs to buy per person?
You’ll want to consider the average serving size when planning how many pounds of ribs to buy per person for your BBQ. The average serving size for ribs is about 1/2 to 1 pound per person. However, this can vary depending on the appetite of your guests and what other dishes you’ll be serving.
Are pork ribs tender?
Usually, this area has less muscle movement and therefore the meat is tender. Beef back ribs relatively have more fat compared to pork ribs. A full rack of pork ribs has 13 ribs and weighs around 3 to 4 pounds. Assuming a standard trim, each pound may contain as many as 2-3 ribs.
How many ribs per person?
For practical planning of any event, professionals would generally recommend 3/4th to 1 pound of ribs per person. The following chart will give you a rough idea for calculating the number of ribs or pounds per person with a generous serving size: Tender and Lean, High-in-demand. Distinctive salty/ umami taste. Can have about 8-13 ribs.