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Baby Back Rib membrane question

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    Baby Back Rib membrane question

    When making baby back ribs perhaps 50% of the time the membrane comes off relatively easily (nearly 1 whole piece) and the other 50% the membrane can be easily pried up and stripped off the bone portion but is so firmly attached to the meat it either tears at the edge of the bone or tears meat away before tearing off in a little hunk. My general solution is to perforate the remaining membrane with a fork as best I can to allow smoke or rub penetration. First off is this common for others and does anyone have a better option?

    #2
    Quite a few leave it on and just remove it after the cook. They say it comes off much easier. I've yet to try it. Back home my dad doesn't take it off at all, ever. He cooks them pretty hot and fast.

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      #3
      that membrane, i am learning, seems like a few layers of membrane. i've noticed that sometimes i can get the whole thing off but then notice that there is still a very thin membrane still on there and i can get that off the bone and not off of the meat. sometimes i have pulled the membrane off like 3 times (more on beef than pork) and on the last time i can't get it off the meat. i think it's just luck up the draw about how many layers you get on that first pull. you certainly are not alone in that.

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        #4
        If the "membrane" can be removed from the bone and not the meat, it is possible that the membrane you are after (pleural membrane) has already been removed and the membrane you are pulling off the bone is the periosteal membrane. It only covers the bone & no reason to remove that. Picture?

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          #5
          I have found that if I start around the center of the rack and gradually work my fingers underneath and then work towards the ends I have greater success. Spare ribs are a different story and have had a number of them that were impossible to completely remove the membrane. I think all of us have had the same problem occasionally.

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            #6
            Maye its just me, but has anyone else who has bought the 3 pack of baby back ribs from costco found that the membrane is usually already removed? I think out of 6 packs (18 racks) only 2 or 3 still had the membrane on. Spares are a different story, they always have the membrane on.

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            • Obi-Dan
              Obi-Dan commented
              Editing a comment
              Whenever I have bought baby back ribs at Costco the membrane has been removed. I have decided the membrane coming off easily is the biggest myth in BBQ. Even when it is somewhat easy it comes off in strips for me. And when I see it one TV just come off smoothly in one motion I now assume it is CGI.

            • Baltassar
              Baltassar commented
              Editing a comment
              I had the same experience just this past weekend with Costco baby-backs. Three racks, no membranes.

            #7
            I'll buy ribs from the case and ask the butcher to remove the membrane. They struggle with it too and sometimes there's some eye rolling, but I'd still rather just watch them do it. If they screw it up too much they just try another.

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              #8
              One of the best rib joints in Memphis (or the world) is Central BBQ. They don't remove it at all and they make some great ribs.

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                #9
                I'm with Obi-Dan , easy removal as shown on TV is definitely CGI--LOL. I fail more often than I succeed and just go ahead and cook 'em membrane on. They're fine; maybe my ability to discriminate the finer points of taste, texture, rub, and smoke penetration is compromised.

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                  #10
                  Thanks for all the comments! Glad I'm not alone on the membrane conundrum. I think Horse Doctor is onto it in detail. The fact that the gut lining membranes separating the intestinal tract, the lungs/ diaphragm and the musculature of the animal is a multi layer thing (2-3 membranes before butchering) leads to confusion as to exactly which layer is being removed. The one directly on the muscles being very difficult to remove (similar to silver skin) versus the ones that come off more easily in bigger pieces that are the membrane surrounding the intestines and not as well attached to the rib cage. This would explain why some comes off easily and the one nearly entirely attached to the meat is impossible to remove.

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                    #11
                    I wouldn't say removing the membrane is easy and I wouldn't say is hard either. Here is how I do it: first, I run a butter knife or Phillips screwdriver between the center bone and the membrane to loosen it, next I take a paper towel and pull the membrane up in each direction (sometimes it comes up in one piece and sometimes it tears and I have to grab it again and pull), then I take a butter knife and scrap what I assume is fat that is sometimes between the bone and the meat. The whole thing takes less than two minutes. In general I think Spare ribs are easier than Babybacks.

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                    • EdF
                      EdF commented
                      Editing a comment
                      I agree about the spares vs the baby backs. Use pretty much the same technique.

                    #12
                    I purchased two St Louis Racks from Meijer in Michigan. I actually was not sure if the membrane had already been removed. I was able to remove parts of a very think membrane down to the bone. But there was no easy-to-remove membrane like I have experienced previously. After reading the comments above I'm thinking the membranes had been removed.Click image for larger version

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                    • HorseDoctor
                      HorseDoctor commented
                      Editing a comment
                      A picture of the bone side with cryovac bag removed should reveal if the membrane is gone or not.

                    • PJBowmaster
                      PJBowmaster commented
                      Editing a comment
                      LOL Camera Skilz......Didn't take that shot. Posted the only pic I had left of the packaging in the faint hope that somebody had experience with the brand/supplier.

                    #13
                    I love tearing the membranes off the back, it's one of my favorite parts of rib prep!

                    Sometimes it can be difficult to find a good area to start with. I usually begin by taking a paper towel to a spot where there seems to be a 'flap' of membrane and try ripping a strip of it. Once you get that first rip, it's pretty easy to nudge your finger between the backside of the ribs and the membrane (using a paper towel), grip the membrane and rip it off in strands.

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