Spare ribs

Spare ribs are a variety of pork , cooked and eaten in various cuisines around the world. They are the most inexpensive cut of pork ribs. They are a long cut from the lower portion of the pig, specifically the belly and breastbone, behind the shoulder, and include 11 to 13 long bones. There is a covering of meat on top of the bones as well as between them.

Terminology

In Western countries such as United States or Canada, spare ribs are generally called either "spare ribs" or "boneless spare ribs" .

Spare ribs are also popular in and American Chinese cuisine, they are generally called ''paigu'' . When removed from the bone and roasted, or when roasted to a red color, they are called ''char siu'' .

In County Cork, Ireland, spare ribs are boiled and eaten with potatoes and turnips. This dish is called ''bodice'' locally.

Preparation

In Chinese and American Chinese cuisines

In Chinese cuisine, spare ribs are generally first cut into 3-4 inch sections, then may be , , or .

In the Cantonese cuisine of southern China, spare ribs are generally red in color and roasted with a sweet and savory sauce. This variety of spare ribs, called ''char siu'', is grouped as one of the most common items of ''siu mei'', or Cantonese roasted meat dishes.

In American Chinese cuisine, spare ribs are generally cooked in ''char siu'' style, and often feature as a part of the appetizer dish called pu pu platter.

In American cuisine

Spare ribs are also popular in some regional cuisines of the United States. They are generally cooked on a barbecue or on an open fire, and are served as a slab with a thick sauce. are trimmed and have the brisket bone removed, while ribs are trimmed even further, and have the hard bone removed.

Consumption

Spare ribs are usually consumed individually by hand, with the small amount of meat adhering to the bone gnawed off by the eater.