# Ribs: Beef, pork, or lamb?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ribs-beef-pork-or-lamb/1024211
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Tags:** food-cooking
**Created:** [October 23, 2025, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ribs-beef-pork-or-lamb/1024211 "2025-10-23T05:40:01Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2025, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ribs-beef-pork-or-lamb/1024211/1 "2025-10-23T05:40:01Z")
The evil genie is once again up to his old tricks. He corners you and says that you can only eat one kind of rib for the rest of your life. Any other kind of rib will make you violently ill but not so much that you would die. They can be prepared an any manner but the source of protein will always be the same.
Which protein are you choosing for your everlasting ribs?
_Poll ([view on site](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ribs-beef-pork-or-lamb/1024211/1))_
---
### Author:  [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2025, 9:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ribs-beef-pork-or-lamb/1024211/2 "2025-10-23T09:05:37Z")
Had to think about this one for a while.
I eliminated lamb right away because I love it but preparations are more limited. I ended up choosing pork because you have more options with the rib meat compared to beef: different ways of cooking, different flavors, etc.
---
### Author:  [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2025, 9:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ribs-beef-pork-or-lamb/1024211/3 "2025-10-23T09:49:56Z")
Postscript as I’ve continued to ponder this: If this is a desert island scenario where I’m alone and my tastes are all that matter, I stick with pork ribs. But if this hypothetical includes preparing and sharing meals with guests, then I go with beef, because pork is unacceptable to billions of people and I need to keep my options open. Lamb ribs still come in third place, though, either way.
---
### Author:  [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2025, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ribs-beef-pork-or-lamb/1024211/4 "2025-10-23T11:59:01Z")
I like pork ribs, but I love beef ribs.
---
### Author:  [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2025, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ribs-beef-pork-or-lamb/1024211/5 "2025-10-23T12:05:11Z")
I love pork ribs and am indifferent to beef ribs. I’m not sure I’ve ever had lamb ribs, so this is a very easy choice for me: pork.
---
### Author:  [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2025, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ribs-beef-pork-or-lamb/1024211/6 "2025-10-23T12:20:06Z")
I love lamb and beef more than pork, however with ribs, assuming ‘rack of’, it’s pork all the way. However if it’s the rib cut such as rib-eye, it would be tough as that is my favorite cut of cow, though its price makes it a rare offering, though the humble porkchop which is the identical cut I have far more often.
---
### Author:  [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2025, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ribs-beef-pork-or-lamb/1024211/7 "2025-10-23T12:31:34Z")
I went with the vast majority and chose pork, though I’ll really miss [kalbi](https://food52.com/recipes/8674-korean-kalbi). Is it just beef and lamb _ **ribs** _ that will make me sick, or any form of beef and lamb-- can I still have [bulgogi](https://damndelicious.net/2019/04/21/korean-beef-bulgogi/)?
> [@Nars\_Glinley](#):
>
> The evil genie is once again up to his old tricks. He corners you and says that you can only eat one kind of rib for the rest of your life. Any other kind of rib will make you violently ill but not so much that you would die.
That’s not an evil genie, that’s a Lone Star tick 😏
> **[Alpha-gal syndrome - Symptoms and causes](https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/alpha-gal-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20428608)**
>
> This allergic reaction to meat-based meals most often results from a tick bite.
---
### Author:  [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2025, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ribs-beef-pork-or-lamb/1024211/8 "2025-10-23T13:10:47Z")
> [@pulykamell](#):
>
> I love pork ribs and am indifferent to beef ribs. I’m not sure I’ve ever had lamb ribs, so this is a very easy choice for me: pork.
As to beef vs pork, you’ve nailed it for me.
Lamb ribs are rarely served as such, but the standard rack of lamb is a smidgen of rib meat plus the lollipop choplet on the end. No doubt you’ve had that. And perhaps enjoyed gnawing the residual meat off the shank of the bones.
Like @Cervaise, I’m really fond of lamb, but the range of preparations is kinda limited to have only that to eat for a lifetime.
---
### Author:  [@LVBoPeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LVBoPeep)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2025, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ribs-beef-pork-or-lamb/1024211/9 "2025-10-23T13:14:11Z")
I love lamb, and lamb ribs are delicious. I’ve only ever had them when I butchered my own.
Pork ribs are hit or miss for me; when they are good, they are great, but sometimes they are chewy, not smoky enough, or whatever.
But, the best rib I’ve ever eaten and one of the best of ANYTHING I’ve ever eaten was a giant, beefy rib smoked for a wedding. The bone, the fat, the flavorful beef is a food memory that I’ll probably never replicate. If I could have THAT rib, it would be the only one I would need.
---
### Author:  [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2025, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ribs-beef-pork-or-lamb/1024211/10 "2025-10-23T13:22:20Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#):
>
> lollipop choplet on the end. No doubt you’ve had that.
Never had rack of lamb. I’ve had plenty of lamb shoulder, breast, lamb loin chops, leg, but never rack of lamb. I mostly use lamb for stews or ground for Middle Eastern kofte type recipes.
---
### Author:  [@dorvann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorvann)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2025, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ribs-beef-pork-or-lamb/1024211/11 "2025-10-23T13:57:56Z")
I picked OTHER.
For pork.
NOT pig pork though.
**Long** Pork.
---
### Author:  [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2025, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ribs-beef-pork-or-lamb/1024211/12 "2025-10-23T16:04:24Z")
So we only get to pick ONE critter we can eat from, and both/all others are banned by the genie?
I trust not the Jinn, and have a Chaotic Good Barbarian friend I’d like to introduce quite soon…
So when the Evil genie speaks of ribs, is it primarily rib-based dishes, or anything based on the rib section, because rib chops are a whole 'nother story than picking between some variant of “traditional” smoked/BBQ rib styles. I refuse to answer unless the Genie comes clean.
[NSF (language, cartoon violence) link to the [Chaotic Good Barbarian vs. Genie](https://youtu.be/n07-DfFWdrk?si=77lgdvNVqqlXO_Er) ]
---
### Author:  [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2025, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ribs-beef-pork-or-lamb/1024211/13 "2025-10-23T16:06:04Z")
All threads of this type simply make me hungry. I voted Pork, but would be fine with any of the choices.
---
### Author:  [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2025, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ribs-beef-pork-or-lamb/1024211/14 "2025-10-23T16:07:21Z")
> [@dorvann](#):
>
> NOT pig pork though.
>
> Long Pork.
But, has to be _ **American** _ Long Pork ribs. Otherwise the meat on dem bones is way too lean.
---
### Author:  [@Two\_Many\_Cats2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats2)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2025, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ribs-beef-pork-or-lamb/1024211/15 "2025-10-23T16:13:56Z")
I voted pork ribs, but that’s just for BBQ. If we’re talking prime rib of beef, I’ll take that over pork.
---
### Author:  [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2025, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ribs-beef-pork-or-lamb/1024211/16 "2025-10-23T16:17:53Z")
Generally I will choose lamb over any other meat, but the ribs are not the best cut, so I’ll choose beef ribs. When they are done well they are the absolute best cut of BBQ meat by far, I just wouldn’t order them at BBQ place I didn’t know did them well, as plenty of places don’t cook them well.
---
### Author:  [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2025, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ribs-beef-pork-or-lamb/1024211/17 "2025-10-23T16:43:50Z")
Fortunately for you, the evil genie is going to overlook your impertinence and clarify that they are only referring to traditional BBQ style ribs.
---
### Author:  [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2025, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ribs-beef-pork-or-lamb/1024211/18 "2025-10-23T16:46:41Z")
Like any good descendent of countless generations of debating Talmudic scholars then, I get it in writing, reviewed by a half dozen scholarly and litigious fellow-travellers with an eye for loopholes, and finally abandon all of the historical precedent above and choose pork. 😉
---
### Author:  [@Kron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kron)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2025, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ribs-beef-pork-or-lamb/1024211/19 "2025-10-24T12:41:11Z")
I picked chicken.
Not a fan of ribs, really.
---
### Author:  [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2025, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ribs-beef-pork-or-lamb/1024211/20 "2025-10-24T13:04:34Z")
Chicken ribs are especially disappointing. Seems like nothing but some membrane between them. And you need to eat a whole flock to get a meal’s worth.
[Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ribs-beef-pork-or-lamb/1024211.md?page=2)