No membrane?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Guest
  • Start date Start date

 
Status
Not open for further replies.
G

Guest

Guest
Hello,

Prior to today, the ribs I purchased have been from Sam's. When I removed the membrane from them, it came off relatively easy in one or 2 pieces. Today I bought some baby back ribs from a local meat market for a cook tomorrow, and I'm trying to get the membrane off now. Unlike the Sam's ribs, the membrane does not pull easily at all. If I get a little piece of membrane going and try to pull it, it doesn't want to go any further than the nearest bone. I'm starting to think that the meat market removed them for me, and the membrane I see on the ribs are the secondary membrane that I'm supposed to leave on there. Does this sound right?
 
I also buy my ribs from Sam's and every so often I will get a rack that does not appear to have a membrane attached. After I smoke the rack, it is obvious that the rack did not have a membrane on it.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Bob McMahon:
[qb]I'm starting to think that the meat market removed them for me, and the membrane I see on the ribs are the secondary membrane that I'm supposed to leave on there. Does this sound right? [/qb] <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>Yup, that happens from time to time, even from the same source, unfortunately. It takes a little (fortunately very little) experience to tell if the membrane has already been removed or not. There is a membrane of sorts, under the one you want to remove, that needs to remain intact. I've purchased some baby backs on occasion that have the membrane scored, as if to say, "I'm still here, better remove me". If in doubt, you can score what's there with your knife in a cross-hatch pattern until you are comfortable knowing if the membrane that's there is what you want to remove or not.
 
My butcher has told me the fresher the pork is the harder it is to remove the membrane. Same is true with eggs it is much easier to peel a two week out hard boil egg than one just out of the chicken.
 
You have chickens that lay hard-boiled eggs? /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif

(Sorry, couldn't resist.)
 
For what it is worth, there was a membrane on there. It was very different than the ribs I've used the couple of times before where they came off pretty easy. After reading some stuff on this website, I pulled out a flat head screw driver this morning and was able to very slowly and very carefully wiggle some space and get them off without constantly ripping. You live you learn - but this place accelerates things.

Thanks!
Bob
 
If you lift a corner of the membrane that needs to be removed with a butter knife, and the grasp it with a dry paper towel to give you some grip-tion (I made that word up), it should come off in one piece, or reasonably large pieces that span several bones. If not, the membrane you want to remove has already been removed and you should stop and proceed with your rub.
 
I had the same problem this past weekend Bob... I had two racks of back ribs... The membrane came off the first one without any problem... The second one I worked and worked trying to remove it...I was having the same problem you were having... I got my catfish skinners and worked on it until I finely said to H*** with this... I smoked that sucker with the membrane on it ... Both racks were delicious and I couldn't tell one from the other... I'll never worry with trying to remove another membrane that want cooperate.. It definitely wasn't worth the trouble... Lol ...

Cheers!!

bugg /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

 

Back
Top