Rib Membrane Tears (doesn’t pull)

[ecowper]

pkadare my understanding is that the supply chain management is run country by country :-(

[pkadare]

ecowper ask your buddy if he can force Costco Canada to do this as well. :-)

[ecowper]

tbob4 Rob did mention that they have two different suppliers, but I thought he said the standards were consistent for both of them. I'll double check that.

[tbob4]

It’s always been like that with the three packs but seem to remember getting the two packs in the past with the membrane removed. I wonder if I am buying a different brand. Maybe you guys get Kirkland meats at yours and I am getting something else down here.

[Red Man]

I’ve been shopping at Costco only for the past couple of years and it’s been consistent for that time.

[ecowper]

tbob4 thanks for the head’s up .... is this during a certain period of time? Did it change? Has it been that way for a long time? Rob is asking me for details

[tbob4]

My experience is the same as Red Man's. Cryo packed St. Louis still has the membrane - they are always in 3 packs.

[Red Man]

Will do. I don’t have any in the freezer at the moment, but will pick up a pack on my next Costco trip. I shop at the Bellingham Costco.

[ecowper]

Red Man That is fascinating, since that isn’t what you ought to be getting. When you buy one like that, could you send me a picture and what Costco you bought it at? Rob will be fascinated to see this

[Red Man]

I buy Costco cryo packs of SLCs sometimes. They come three to a pack and usually have the membrane still, but occasionally it’s been removed.

[ecowper]

I know the Costco meat buyer that set up their ribs program. If you are buying the ribs in cryovac (3 BB’s or 2 SLC’s), the membrane is already removed. If they are not in cryovac, they bought from a local supplier (happens sometimes) and there is no guarantee it meets the standards that Rob set for ribs from their main suppliers.

[Parkin]

Can confirm regarding back and St Louis Ribs at Costco.

[pkadare]

When peeling off the silver skin, you need to get your knife between the silver skin and the membrane that holds the rack together. If your knife is on the bone itself, then you're taking the wrong membrane off. :-)

[buddysexton]

Thank you for the good words! Heck, maybe the membrane was off, but I could slip a knife underneath it (or something) at the bones but if I grabbed it with a paper towel and pulled it would tear. Regardless, I did what many of you suggested and scored it and they are on the smoker now. Thanks Again!

[jfmorris]

Only the Costco loin back ribs seem to have the membrane removed - I think it is still there on the spares or Saint Louis. I buy most of my ribs at Sam's, but was surprised by the lack of membrane the couple of times I got baby backs at Costco.

I often use a butter knife to get between the membrane and a bone, to get it started. I can see a spoon working, and the paper towel trick is a must...