# Baby back ribs **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 3, 2004, 10:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-back-ribs/277883 "2004-12-03T10:48:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2004, 10:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-back-ribs/277883/1 "2004-12-03T10:48:12Z")
Are baby back ribs a certain cut of “regular” mature piggies, or are they ribs from the back of baby piggies? If they are from baby piggies, what do they do with the rest of the meat from the baby piggies? I’ve never seen any baby hams or baby bacon. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2004, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-back-ribs/277883/2 "2004-12-03T11:18:13Z")
No, they’re not from baby pigs. They are from the back, though. Small ones are considered more desireable, which may be why the “baby” got added. (That part’s a WAG). Spare ribs are from the belly side. Which is “better” depends on what part of the country you’re from and the local restaurant’s marketing capabilities. (Anyone NOT have the Chili’s song stuck in your head now?) ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Lao](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/2bfe46/32.png) [@Dr.Lao](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Lao)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2004, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-back-ribs/277883/3 "2004-12-03T12:32:06Z")
[Here’s a map](http://www.ribman.com/abtribs.html') ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Lao](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/2bfe46/32.png) [@Dr.Lao](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Lao)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2004, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-back-ribs/277883/4 "2004-12-03T12:33:41Z")
[fixed link.](http://www.ribman.com/abtribs.html) ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2004, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-back-ribs/277883/5 "2004-12-03T12:36:02Z")
[Fixed link](http://www.ribman.com/abtribs.html). ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2004, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-back-ribs/277883/6 "2004-12-03T12:37:10Z")
…sorry 'bout that. Should’ve previewed. ---
**Author:** ![mike1dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@mike1dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mike1dog)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2004, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-back-ribs/277883/7 "2004-12-03T13:30:20Z")
What the heck are thos Riblet things at Applebees? ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2004, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-back-ribs/277883/8 "2004-12-03T13:45:35Z")
> [@mike1dog](#): > > What the heck are thos Riblet things at Applebees? Looks like those are the “flat bone - button ribs” shown on the right side of the map linked above. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2004, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-back-ribs/277883/9 "2004-12-03T13:52:34Z")
> [@mike1dog](#): > > What the heck are thos Riblet things at Applebees? I’d always wondered the same thing, but it was pretty clear from the linked chart. I bet those used to be thrown away. So it’s pretty brilliant of Applebee’s to use them (they probably have a heck of a markup), although I personally detest the things. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2004, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-back-ribs/277883/10 "2004-12-03T14:04:01Z")
Haven’t seen them, so I can’t be sure. Are they what we call “rib tips”? Those are little pieces of rib meat that are pretty irregularly shaped, with lots of connective tissue and random bits of bone. They are what is trimmed off ribs to make the rib racks look all pretty and neat. I hadn’t encountered them until I moved into an area with lots of African Americans. Hecky, the guy who owns the AMAZING rib joint in town, said that they were the “castoffs” from the white folks’ barbeques that the black folks learned how to cook and love. (I love them myself - they’re cheaper than ribs and just as yummy.) If so, darm Applebees for marketing them! Now they’re going to get all expansive and stuff! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2004, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-back-ribs/277883/11 "2004-12-03T14:05:04Z")
Um, and “darn” them as well. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2004, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-back-ribs/277883/12 "2004-12-03T14:19:48Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > Haven’t seen them, so I can’t be sure. Are they what we call “rib tips”? Those are little pieces of rib meat that are pretty irregularly shaped, with lots of connective tissue and random bits of bone. They are what is trimmed off ribs to make the rib racks look all pretty and neat. That sounds like it’s them. Lot of work for the meat, IMO. I’ve not seen anyone but Applebees market them so far (they call them “riblets”), but I don’t get to that many of the chain restaurants if I can avoid it. ---
**Author:** ![beltbuckle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3da27b/32.png) [@beltbuckle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beltbuckle)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2004, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-back-ribs/277883/13 "2004-12-03T16:50:56Z")
mmmmmmmmmmmmmm… rrrrriiiibbbbbbsssss… ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2004, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-back-ribs/277883/14 "2004-12-03T16:54:10Z")
Now I know what I’m having for dinner. ---
**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2004, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-back-ribs/277883/15 "2004-12-03T17:47:10Z")
I used to get rib tips at Robinson’s in Chicago’s Union station. [http://www.rib1.com/AboutUs.htm](http://www.rib1.com/AboutUs.htm) In Florida, Sonny’s chain is pretty much my favorite. [http://www.sonnysbbq.com/pages/menu\_text.php?cat=Dine%20In](http://www.sonnysbbq.com/pages/menu_text.php?cat=Dine%20In) MMM … going to have to do me some Wibs this weekend. ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2004, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-back-ribs/277883/16 "2004-12-03T18:00:16Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > Anyone NOT have the Chili’s song stuck in your head now?) I _didn’t_! :mad: –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![dasgupta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e56c9b/32.png) [@dasgupta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasgupta)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2004, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-back-ribs/277883/17 "2004-12-03T18:58:31Z")
Anyone want to get in on my order to Adam’s Ribs? Shipping to Korea should be cheap. ---
**Author:** ![Fox\_Paws](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/85e7bf/32.png) [@Fox\_Paws](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fox_Paws)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2004, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-back-ribs/277883/18 "2004-12-03T20:18:08Z")
> [@dasgupta](#): > > Anyone want to get in on my order to Adam’s Ribs? Shipping to Korea should be cheap. Don’t forget the cole slaw. [aside]Since when was Korea known as “The Big Apple?”[/aside] ---
**Author:** ![ElectricZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/58f4c7/32.png) [@ElectricZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElectricZ)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2004, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-back-ribs/277883/19 "2004-12-03T21:18:23Z")
> [@Fox Paws](#): > > Don’t forget the cole slaw. Best tasting medical supplies you’ll ever find in Chicago! ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2004, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-back-ribs/277883/20 "2004-12-03T21:28:20Z")
What part of the pig is the _ **McRib** _? for some reason I’m thinking ‘snout’ [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-back-ribs/277883.md?page=2)