"Applebee's riblets are legendary. These saucy, finger-sized "riblets" have attracted a legion of fans thanks to their tender, intensely flavored meat (especially when paired with sauces). Despite them not being a popular cut before, ever since Applebee's came onto the scene, just ask your butcher for some "riblets" to make your copycat version at home. Thing is, sometimes, those aren't really riblets - they're something called button ribs."
"The name "button ribs" is used to refer to the thin bands of meat along a hog's backbone, just past where the rib cage ends. You won't find curved rib bones here. Instead, there'd be small, round nubs about the size of a quarter - those are the titular buttons. Each piece typically runs about six inches long and about an inch wide."
Applebee's popularized casual restaurant riblets and encouraged home cooks to ask butchers for similar cuts. Button ribs are thin bands of meat along a hog's backbone located just past the rib cage, featuring small round bone nubs instead of curved ribs. Each piece is typically about six inches long and one inch wide. Traditional riblets are simply crosswise-trimmed full ribs, making them literal smaller ribs. Button ribs are cheaper, offer extra surface area for sauce, and have less meat. Cooking requires a lighter touch: smoke at 275°F for about 2½ hours, turn after the first hour, and apply sauce only in the last 10–20 minutes.
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