# Buffalo ribs

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{{Short description|American dish made from fish ribs}}
{{Redirect|Fish ribs|ribs as a part of the fish skeleton|Fish anatomy#Skeleton}}
{{Infobox food|name=Buffalo ribs|type=[Fried fish](/source/Fried_fish)|course=Main course|region=[Arkansas](/source/Arkansas)|associated_cuisine=[Soul food](/source/Soul_food)|main_ingredient=Buffalo fish|served=Hot}}

'''Buffalo ribs''' is an American dish from the state of [Arkansas](/source/Arkansas). It is made from the fried ribs of the [bigmouth buffalo](/source/bigmouth_buffalo) fish.

== History ==
thumb|Buffalo fish
The dish has historically been served at the [Lassis Inn](/source/Lassis_Inn) in [Little Rock, Arkansas](/source/Little_Rock%2C_Arkansas), which opened at an unknown date in the early 20th century.<ref name=":3">{{Cite book |last=Edge |first=John T. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JjKbAbcTfAYC&dq=buffalo+fish+ribs&pg=PA40 |title=Southern Belly: The Ultimate Food Lover's Companion to the South |date=2007-01-01 |publisher=Algonquin Books |isbn=978-1-56512-547-6 |pages=40–41 |language=en}}</ref> It is served at restaurants and food trucks throughout Arkansas.<ref name=":4" /> The dish is also served in parts of Mississippi<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Ownby |first1=Ted |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HWolDwAAQBAJ&dq=buffalo+fish+ribs&pg=PA445 |title=The Mississippi Encyclopedia |last2=Wilson |first2=Charles Reagan |last3=Abadie |first3=Ann J. |last4=Lindsey |first4=Odie |last5=Jr |first5=James G. Thomas |date=2017-05-25 |publisher=Univ. Press of Mississippi |isbn=978-1-4968-1159-2 |pages=445 |language=en}}</ref> and Louisiana. They are considered to be a delicacy of [southern cuisine](/source/Cuisine_of_the_Southern_United_States).<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Horst |first1=Jerald |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3-dmKmxCtKcC&q=buffalo+fish+ribs |title=Louisiana Seafood Bible, The: Fish Volume 2 |last2=Horst |first2=Glenda |date=2013-08-16 |publisher=Pelican Publishing Company, Inc. |isbn=978-1-4556-1692-3 |pages=109 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last1=Nickens |first1=T. Edward |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zvHkDwAAQBAJ&dq=buffalo+fish+ribs&pg=PT403 |title=The Total Redneck Manual: 221 Ways to Live Large |last2=Brantley |first2=Will |date=2017-10-03 |publisher=Weldon Owen International |isbn=978-1-68188-344-1 |language=en}}</ref> [Buffalo fish](/source/Ictiobus) are sometimes looked down upon because of their boniness and their reputation as bottom feeders.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":3" /> They have historically been more widely eaten by minority groups such as African-Americans,<ref name=":2" /> and are considered [soul food](/source/soul_food).<ref name=":1" /> ''[Southern Living](/source/Southern_Living)'' included Lassis' buffalo ribs on its list of "The South's Best Soul Food".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Miller |first=Adrian |date=July 23, 2022 |title=The South's Best Soul Food |url=https://www.southernliving.com/travel/soul-food-restaurants |access-date=2023-06-19 |website=Southern Living |language=en}}</ref> In the 21st century, the popularity of buffalo ribs has declined to modernizing diet patterns.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Hamada |first1=Shingo |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=z3tqDwAAQBAJ&dq=buffalo+fish+ribs&pg=PT60 |title=Seafood: Ocean to the Plate |last2=Wilk |first2=Richard |date=2018-09-03 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-317-27645-6 |language=en}}</ref>

== Description ==
[Bigmouth buffalo](/source/Bigmouth_buffalo) fish have gamey white meat with a flaky texture that is streaked with fat.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |date=2010-03-14 |title=Chasing Arkansas buffalos |url=https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2010/mar/14/outdoors-chasing-arkansas-buffalos-20100314-0-0/ |access-date=2023-06-18 |website=Arkansas Online |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Buffalo Ribs |url=https://www.atlasobscura.com/foods/buffalo-fish-ribs |access-date=2023-06-18 |website=Atlas Obscura |language=en}}</ref> With the exception of the meat around its ribs near the head,<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Miller |first=Adrian |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Od8VAAAAQBAJ&dq=buffalo+fish+ribs&pg=PA77 |title=Soul Food: The Surprising Story of an American Cuisine, One Plate at a Time |date=2013-08-15 |publisher=UNC Press Books |isbn=978-1-4696-0763-4 |pages=77 |language=en}}</ref> the fish's flesh contains small, free-floating bones. The ribs, along with the boneless meat surrounding them, are typically removed as fillets or "slabs".<ref name=":5" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Horst |first=Jerald |date=2013-01-01 |title=Buffalo fish once were important freshwater food source |url=https://www.louisianasportsman.com/fishing/freshwater-fishing/yes-buffalo-are-fish/ |access-date=2023-06-18 |website=Louisiana Sportsman |language=en-US}}</ref> The ribs are prepared by breading them in an egg and [cornmeal](/source/cornmeal) mixture,<ref>{{Cite book |last=Lund |first=Jens |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QksoEAAAQBAJ&dq=buffalo+fish+ribs&pg=PT191 |title=Flatheads and Spooneys: Fishing for a Living in the Ohio River Valley |date=2021-10-21 |publisher=University Press of Kentucky |isbn=978-0-8131-8477-7 |language=en}}</ref> before deep-frying them in a manner similar to [catfish](/source/catfish).<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-08-18 |title=The Fish Ribs You've Probably Never Eaten |url=https://www.tastingtable.com/970809/the-fish-ribs-youve-probably-never-eaten/ |access-date=2023-06-18 |website=Tasting Table |language=en-US}}</ref> They are traditionally served with a side of [french fries](/source/french_fries) or [hushpuppies](/source/hushpuppies).<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":4">{{Cite web |date=2023-06-16 |title=In Arkansas, Buffalo Ribs Are Actually Made Of Fish |url=https://www.mashed.com/1311888/arkansas-buffalo-ribs-actually-made-fish/ |access-date=2023-06-18 |website=Mashed |language=en-US}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==

* [https://www.southernfoodways.org/film/fish-ribs-a-film-bite/ FISH RIBS IN LITTLE ROCK (video)]

Category:Ictiobus
Category:Soul food
Category:American fish dishes
Category:Food and drink in Arkansas
Category:Fried fish
Category:Native American cuisine

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Buffalo ribs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffalo_ribs) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffalo_ribs?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.