Rib
Ribs are classed as flat bones which usually have a protective role in the body. Humans have 24 ribs, in 12 pairs. All are attached at the back to the thoracic vertebrae, and are numbered from 1–12 according to the vertebrae they attach to. The first rib is attached to thoracic vertebra 1 (T1). At the front of the body most of the ribs are joined by costal cartilages to the sternum. The ribs connect to the vertebrae with two joints, the costovertebral joints.
Spare ribs
The term comes from Low German "ribbesper" (referring to pickled pork ribs, cooked on a spit), the parts of which refer, in order, to rib and spit.
Spare ribs have also become popular in the American South. They are generally cooked on a barbecue or on an open fire, and are served as a slab (bones and all) with a sauce. American butchers prepare two cuts:Spare ribs are usually consumed individually by hand, with the small amount of meat adhering to the bone gnawed off by the eater.