What to Do With Spare Rib Skirt (Complete Guide)

The spare rib skirt is the flap that sits in the middle of the rack on the back side and before you throw them away, you should know there are so many things you can make with it. This part comes from the lowest section of the animal’s rib cage, and after going through all that effort to get the rack presentation ready, you should have this spare rib skirt as usable meat.

The ability to trim the spare rib perfectly is a skill that is often underrated. Trimming the flap away is essential, if you don’t do this before cooking, it will burn and cause the ribs to cook unevenly. Once you familiarize yourself with trimming the skirt of spare ribs, you can smoke or grill delicious barbecue without any issue.

The spare rib skirt can be used in creating lots of complementary dishes. Complementary dishes like chili, stew, or homemade sausage and meatballs can taste even better with this spare rib skirt. Other tasty alternatives include using it to make pork cutlets, or you can barbecue and smoke those rib tips, then shred them and use them as toppings on nachos or pizza.

It’s not easy to cook spare ribs without first trimming them, and, indeed, a good piece of barbecued meat can only be as good as your preparation.

So, it’s only necessary to put extra effort into the trimming, and you don’t have to waste those spare rib skirts anymore; find out the many things you can do with them in this article.

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How to Trim Spare Ribs

Knowing the different types of trimming available will enable you to learn the best ways to trim your spare rims and remove those unwanted trims.

It is not easy to cook spare trims if they are not trimmed first, the flesh will not be as soft as it should be, and also you can end up with un-even cooked ribs. Trimming your spare ribs into an excellent St Loius style is not difficult.

If you are going to trim spare ribs using the St Louis style, it requires some patience and as well as paying attention to details.

Items needed for trimming ribs:

• Sharp knife
• Cutting board
• Paper towels.

Directions:

• The first step is to cut away one end of the rack that is narrow and somewhat pointy. Cutting this away should give the rack a roughly rectangular shape.
• Next, turn the rack over so that the side of the bones are facing up, the back contains all the side that needs trimming so place it on a large clean cutting board. The back is where you perform all the tasks of trimming.
• There is a thin strip of meat or flap that runs along the membrane, it’s located around the middle of the rack, this is known as the skirt so removing this is your next step.
• Lay a knife along the rack of ribs to cut the skirt away and have that saved for later when we learn what to do with it. Trim away any large piece of fat and gristle, you can save the fat too if you plan on using it.
• Use your fingers or a dull knife to remove the membrane which is a dull white film over the rib section of the rack, you can discard this after removing it.
• Lastly, locate the area where the sternum meets the rib; you will want to cut along the division between the main rack and the sternum to remove the rib tips, watch carefully so it does not split.
• Your trimmed spare ribs are now ready to be grilled or smoked. This should leave you with a leftover skirt that can also be enjoyed.

What to Do With Spare Rib Skirt

You have worked hard to get your spare ribs properly trimmed, the skirt can serve as extra meat for all of that effort. The rib tips are, without a doubt, extraordinary, but so are the skirt trimmings you can use in a recipe for the spare ribs.

The skirt is also called flap meat, and although chefs do not believe this part of the meat is worth saving if treated properly, it can be quite delicious as well. Below is the list of ways you can enjoy the spare rib skirt.

1. Grind to Make Sausages or Meatballs

One easy and perfect option for using your spare rib skirt is to grind and use them in making meatballs or sausages. Simply take the spare rib skirt and cuts it into small chunks then put it into the grinder to get grind meats.

Make sure you ground the flap meats properly to make the perfect sausages or meatballs, you can also mix it with venison when grinding, this is said to make it juicier and meatier.

2. Put It in Bean Soup

You will be surprised how delicious and healthy putting a spare rib skirt into bean soup is. Bean soup is a common supper meal so to make it tastier and meatier, add some flap meat to it. You can use the spare rib skirt or rip tips.

3. BBQ or Smoke The Trimmings

Another interesting and delicious way you can enjoy those spare rib skirts is to smoke or BBQ them. The rib skirts do look like the actual rib, so there is no reason not to grill them, they have got cartilage but when grilled to perfection, this will fall off. Although you can’t grill them the same way as the rack, this should be cooked at 225-250 degrees Fahrenheit and wait for 60–80 minutes.

4. Use it To Make Pork Cutlets

You can use the flap meat to create pork cutlets, another amazing dish that prevents trimmings from wasting. Also, you don’t have to cut the flap meat; you can use it as it is and add seasonings. Dip it into the flour and tempura.

5. Make Chili Stew

Spare rib skirts are perfect for making chili stew; you can either use the rind version or cut it into small pieces. Add them to your chili stew, and you will be surprised how tasty this is.

6. Place it On Your Pizza

The next amazing way you can use those spare rib skirts and enjoy them is to place them on your pizza. These trimmings are amazing toppings, you should have them grilled properly before using or it will be difficult to shred the meat. You can also fry them with salt and pepper to save time.

7. Stir Fry The Trimmings

Stir fry with spare rib skirts has been described as delicious; it’s a great way to enjoy your meal. To add these trimmings to stir fry, cut it into bite-sized chunks and cut some of your favorite veggies as well, fry the spare rib skirts first then add the veggies after 10–15 minutes.

Then add your seasoning, pepper, and soy sauce, leave for another 30 minutes, and it’s ready to be enjoyed.

The Bottom Line

The Spare rib skirt is part of the trimming that most chefs quickly discard, but as it can see from the lists of what to do with it above, it is quite useful so you shouldn’t even consider throwing them away.

They can also be stored in the fridge or freezer for a few days until you decide what to do with them.

Many people often get puzzled about what to do with spare rib skirts, but It’s never too late to put these trimmings to good use, and you will be surprised how they can be used to make many complimentary dishes. So, above are all the creative and delicious ways you can use that spare rib skirt.