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Spare ribs

Pork · Rib
GrillBraiseSmoke
Raw Spare ribs — Pork Rib cut
Also called
🇲🇽🇪🇸Costillas de cerdo🇦🇷Asado de cerdo🇫🇷Côtes levées🇵🇹Entrecosto🇧🇷Costela de porco🇮🇹Costine di maiale

Spare ribs come from the belly side of the rib cage, below the baby back ribs, and include more bone and cartilage but also more fat and flavor. They are larger and meatier than baby back ribs but require longer cooking to become tender. When trimmed to a rectangular shape they are called St. Louis style ribs. Best slow-smoked or braised and then finished on the grill.

Names by country

CountryNameNotes
🇺🇸United StatesSpare ribsprimary
🇬🇧United KingdomSpare ribs
🇲🇽MexicoCostillas de cerdo
🇦🇷ArgentinaAsado de cerdo
🇫🇷FranceCôtes levées
🇪🇸SpainCostillas de cerdo
🇵🇹PortugalEntrecosto
🇧🇷BrazilCostela de porco
🇮🇹ItalyCostine di maiale
🇩🇪GermanySpare RibsGerman butchers also call these 'Schälrippen' or 'Bauchrippen'; the loanword is more common at retail.

Similar cuts

Pork belly
Pork bellyapproximate

Both come from the belly/underside of the pig and share rich fat content and flavour, but belly is boneless while spare ribs are bone-in from the same general area.

Baby back ribs
Baby back ribsapproximate

Baby backs are leaner, smaller, and more tender while spare ribs are larger, fattier, and more flavourful — spare ribs require longer cooking but reward with more richness.

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Classic recipe

St. Louis-Style Spare Ribs5 hr

St. Louis ribs are a trimmed version of full spare ribs — a wide, flat rack with more fat and connective tissue than bab…

View full recipe →

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