Remove Rib Membrane, or Not


 
The membrane always comes off here. I forgot once and will always remember to remove it now.
 
The results are in and it's "membrane off".

Thanks for the input.

After starting this thread, I remembered an incident that occurred earlier this year after I had been Q'ing for only 3 months.

I volunteered to take some spares to a friend's house for a party. As I was packing up the ribs to go, I sampled one and was surprised to find that the ribs were the best that I had done at that point. However, I was also surprised to find that I had forgotten to remove the membrane -- there was a noticeable crunch.

At the party, everyone was lovin' the ribs. Then I made the mistake of mentioning that I had forgotten to remove the membrane. Now, most of the people at the party wouldn't have known what a rib membrane was, but as soon as I mentioned that the ribs still had the "membrane", the consumption of ribs slowed considerably.

Maybe there's something revolting about the word "membrane" that encourages us to remove it. Maybe if it were called a more pleasing name, we might be more inclined to leave it on and even enjoy the crunch when we bite through it.
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It was good enough for my pop so it is good enough for me. I always have pulled the membrane. Oh and I am 58 so I have cooked a slab or two of my own. And I have eaten a slab or two of my pops. Funny how your parents food always tasted better than yours.
 
I do what I'm told. I'm told the membrane makes for a tough eat. I go mem-braneless.
 
I've left it on before as a test and eaten the ribs with the membrane. You have to sort of rip through it as you go, which is somewhat unpleasant.

You could always leave a membrane on one time and even without marking which rack of ribs was which, I guarantee you'd know which it was when you ate it.

I'm sure some people enjoy it. I mean some people eat prairie oysters, too, and I'd probably just dispense with those and stick with the steak.
 
I read the same Texas BBQ email as the rest of you. I was getting ready to cook a couple of racks of ribs so... I didn't take off the skirt, trim the knuckles or remove the membrane. I just rubbed the ribs with worchester sauce and Texas BBQ rub. Straight into the WSM for almost 7 hours. Perfect, slice and eat. The membrane was a total non issue. It was there but it cooked up like all the other connective tissue. It even had a nice flavor from the rub and smoking. Trimming ribs and removing the membrane may be a total waste of time. It all cooks as good in one piece as it ever did all trimed into neat pieces. It also makes each rib slice out into a more meaty portion.
 
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