Ribs are ribs, right? Well… not exactly. It turns out there are some differences between beef and pork ribs, and not just in where they come from.
What’s the Difference Between Beef and Pork Ribs?
{This post was sponsored by Indiana’s Family of Farmers. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Referral links are used in this post.}
Well, beef ribs come from cattle and pork ribs come from pigs. That’s the super-basic explanation. But that’s not the only difference. The way you cook beef and pork ribs is also different. Let’s dig in!
Pork Ribs
Pork ribs come in three different cuts – back ribs (also called “baby back ribs”), spare ribs, and St. Louis ribs.
The back ribs come from the “loin” section of the pig. The back ribs are what is left when the loin meat is cut away (the loin meat can be used as a loin roast, tenderloin, or pork chops). The spare ribs come from the “belly.” This is basically the bottom half of the ribs. These ribs are a long triangle shape. To get Saint Louis Ribs, the spare ribs are trimmed to be a rectangle instead of a triangle. This makes them easier to handle and cut into individual ribs at home, but it also means that you lose some of the good meat.
Pork ribs are pretty versatile. You can roast them in the oven, barbecue them on the grill (low and slow), smoke them, or cook them in a slow cooker. Pork ribs will usually cook in 1-2 hours. As they cook, they continue to get more tender. But if you cook them too long, they’ll get dry and tough.
Check out these two recipes for pork spare ribs:
Honey-BBQ Oven-Baked Ribs
Garlic-Herb Slow Cooked Pork Ribs
Beef Ribs
Beef ribs also come in two different cuts – back ribs and short ribs. Back ribs come from the “rib” section of the cow. These are similar to pork back ribs. The beef back ribs are what is left when the boneless ribeye steaks and boneless ribeye roasts are taken off. Because most of the meat is kept with the ribeye steaks and roasts, the back ribs don’t have quite as much meat as the short ribs.
Short ribs come from the “plate” part of the cow. These ribs are lower down on the chest and have more meat than back ribs. When they are cooked right, short ribs are very tender and flavorful. The full rack of beef ribs weighs about 30 pounds. Out of that 30 pounds, only 4 pounds is considered short ribs. Because the short ribs are such a small part, this cut tends to be priced higher than most other beef cuts.
Beef back ribs are similar to pork ribs – in terms of cooking techniques. Beef back ribs can be barbecued on the grill (low and slow) or smoked. They will need to cook for 1-2 hours. You can also roast back ribs in the oven, braise them in a Dutch oven, or cook them in a slow cooker. If you cook beef back ribs on the grill or roast them in the oven, they will probably not be quite as tender as pork ribs prepared the same way.
Short ribs need to be handled differently. Cooking short ribs like you would cook pork ribs or beef back ribs will give you a very tough piece of meat. It will be chewy and not very flavorful. You will wonder why you spent so much money! Short ribs need to be cooked over low heat for a very long time. Braising (cooking in water, in low temperatures, for long times) is the best method for cooking short ribs. They can be cooked in your oven using a Dutch oven, or in a slow cooker (my favorite method). If they are cooked right, short ribs could easily become your new favorite cut of beef!
Give these two recipes for beef ribs a try:
Sweet Onion-Teriyaki Beef Ribs
Slow Cooked Short Ribs
So… beef ribs or pork ribs? That’s up to you! They do taste different. Pork ribs taste like… well… pork. So if you like pork chops, this is the one for you. Beef ribs taste more like steak. If you’re in the mood for red meat, this will be more up your alley.
Do you cook ribs at home? I used to be afraid that I would mess up ribs, and not have anything tasty for dinner. A little research, and a little practice, and now ribs (both pork and beef) are one of my favorite things to cook! How will you try to cook ribs?
A big thanks goes out to the folks at Dewig Meats. The owners and staff there went out of their way to answer all my questions about ribs. They did not sponsor this post. I just love the people and their products.
Pin all the recipes and tips with this button:
Kitchen Printable for What’s the Difference Between Beef Ribs & Pork Ribs?
Download and print your free copy of this kitchen printable. Keep it handy for when you need to know what the different types of ribs are called in the grocery store, or when you’re trying to decide on how to cook your ribs!
3 Ways to Take the Fear Out of Your Kitchen
- Is It Done Yet? – free printable!
- How to Convert Oven Times to Slow Cooker Times – free printable!
- What’s the Best Seasoning for Pork? – free printable!
3 More Recipes to Try
Shared on:
couldn’t pin it?
Maureen, if you click the “pin it” button below the collage images, you should be able to pin this article. If you click the “pin it” button below the recipe photos, you’ll pin the recipes. It worked for me today, try it again and let me know!