CarneAtlas

Spare ribs

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

Thogru, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons — Spareribs mit Groessenvergleich.jpg

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
🇫🇷FranceTravers de porcCôtes levées is the Québec term.
🇪🇸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.
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Spare ribs

Amazon · The cut itself

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Pork spare ribs

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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…

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Rack Attack Rib Kit from Grill Masters Club

$109.99 · Ships free in the US · Grill Masters Club

Cook a full rack without crowding the grate

  • Reversible nonstick rib rack and roaster
  • Voodoo Child BBQ sauce and Sweet Heat seasoning
  • Silicone mop brush and spray bottle
  • Acacia cutting board with a juice groove

Rack Attack Rib Kit

Affiliate link — CarneAtlas may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Price checked 31 Aug 2026.

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Sources