Rib tips might not get the same attention as baby back ribs or perfectly trimmed St. Louis racks, but in Chicago BBQ joints, they’ve long been one of the best things coming off the smoker.
Rich, smoky, chewy, and packed with flavor, rib tips are cut from spare ribs during the trimming process and are a staple of classic South Side Chicago BBQ. They cook faster than a full rack, develop incredible bark, and soak up smoke beautifully.
In this guide, we’ll cover what rib tips are, how to trim them from spare ribs, seasoning ideas, smoking tips, and a few lessons learned from years of eating—and cooking—Chicago-style barbecue.
Why Chicago-Style Rib Tips Are Worth Smoking
Most of my first 36 years on this planet were spent living on the Northside of Chicago. On my 37th birthday, Janet and I left Chicago and headed west to Denver where, later that same year, we opened our first Savory Spice down on Platte Street. We both love Denver and it is our home, but Chicago will always be a big part of who we are.
One of the things I love most about Chicago is the food. Not the fancy food, but the joints, the dives, and the hidden gems.
One of my favorite stories to tell is about a barbecue joint on the South Side of Chicago called Lem’s.
It’s still there today, operating in a very tough neighborhood on East 75th Street. When I say tough, I mean it. When you order at Lem’s, you don’t hand your money to the cashier—you lay it in a small opening in the thick bulletproof glass, and a few minutes later your food rotates back out.
And despite all that, people still line up for the barbecue.
"My good friend Tony and I used to stop at Lem’s after golf whenever we played in the south suburbs. Tony always ordered ribs. I always ordered rib tips with a side of fried gizzards.
For years, that was just the way it was. I kept telling him he was missing out. The ribs were good, but rib tips were meatier, smokier, and—in my opinion—the better bite. But typical Tony, he was set in his ways."
Then one day I accidentally got his order and ended up going home with ribs instead of rib tips. I called him immediately and before I could even say hello he said, “Don’t you even think about coming back.”
He’s been a rib tip guy ever since.
What Are Rib Tips?
Rib tips come from the lower section of a spare rib rack after it’s trimmed into a St. Louis-style cut. This section contains cartilage, connective tissue, and smaller pieces of meat that become incredibly flavorful when cooked low and slow.
While they’re sometimes overlooked at the grocery store, rib tips are a staple in Chicago-style barbecue, especially at old-school South Side BBQ joints where they’re often served chopped, sauced, and piled next to fries and white bread.
Compared to a traditional rib rack, rib tips tend to have:
More bark and smoke flavor
Richer, meatier bites
Faster cook times
A slightly chewier texture that BBQ fans love
If you’re already smoking spare ribs, rib tips are basically a bonus barbecue meal hiding in plain sight.
Spare Ribs vs. St. Louis-Cut Ribs
Technically, spare ribs and St. Louis cut ribs start out as the same thing. The difference is that St. Louis-style ribs have the rib tips (sternum) and flap meat removed for a cleaner, more uniform rack.
A recent price comparison showed St. Louis cut ribs priced more than a dollar per pound higher than full spare ribs. Considering it only takes a few minutes to trim them yourself, buying pre-trimmed ribs can feel like letting somebody walk away with part of your barbecue dinner.
And in my opinion, rib tips are too good to give away.
How to Trim Rib Tips from Spare Ribs
Turning a full spare rib rack into a St. Louis cut is surprisingly easy.
Step 1: Remove the Flap
First, slice off the flap. To do that, locate the last rib bone, which is the smallest on the rack. Make a parallel cut about ½ inch away from that bone to remove the flap meat.
Step 2: Remove the Rib Tips
Next, locate the edge of the rib bones and make a perpendicular cut following the natural curve of the rack. This removes the sternum and rib tip section.
Once finished, you’ll have:
A trimmed St. Louis-style rack
Rib tips ready for the smoker
Extra flap meat for snacking or pitmaster rewards
Optionally, you can remove the membrane from the back of the ribs or clean up the edges a bit more, but I usually move straight to seasoning.
Best Seasonings for Smoked Rib Tips
Rib tips can handle bold flavor, smoke, and sauce better than almost any cut on the pig.
If you want something with a little more island-inspired flavor, try seasoning rib tips with Caribbean Green Jerk Seasoning and finishing them with Sweet Jerk Barbecue Sauce. It’s not a traditional Chicago combination, but the sweet heat works incredibly well with the smoky bark from the smoker.
When smoking ribs and rib tips together, remember that the rib tips will finish much faster than the full rack.
Smoking Temperature
Cook at 225–250 degrees Fahrenheit for steady smoke and tender texture.
How Long to Smoke Rib Tips
Rib tips typically take:
60–90 minutes at 225–250°F
Smaller flap pieces may finish even sooner
You’re looking for:
Deep mahogany color
Rendered fat
Bark formation
An internal temperature around 170°F
How Long to Smoke Spare Ribs
A full spare rib rack will usually take 6–7 hours depending on size and smoker temperature.
I use the flex test to know when ribs are done. Pick the rack up from the center using tongs. If the rack bends downward and the surface meat just begins to split slightly, they’re ready.
That’s when you know you’ve nailed it.
How to Serve Chicago-Style Rib Tips
Classic Chicago rib tips are usually served chopped into bite-sized pieces and finished with sauce.
For the full South Side BBQ experience, serve them with:
Fries
White bread
Baked beans
Coleslaw
Hot sauce
Extra sauce on the side
They may not look as polished as competition ribs, but what they lack in presentation they make up for in smoke, bark, and flavor.
Rib Tips FAQ
What are rib tips?
Rib tips are the cartilage-rich lower section trimmed from spare ribs when creating a St. Louis-style rack.
How long do rib tips take to smoke?
At 225–250°F, rib tips usually finish in about 60–90 minutes depending on size.
What temperature are rib tips done?
Rib tips are typically ready around 170°F when the fat has rendered and the meat has developed good bark.
Are rib tips the same as ribs?
No. Rib tips come from the sternum section attached to spare ribs and contain more cartilage and connective tissue than traditional ribs.
Should you sauce rib tips before or after smoking?
Most pitmasters sauce rib tips near the end of cooking or after smoking to preserve bark and prevent burning.
