Removing the membrane from Back Ribs

I remove the membrane, or as much of it as I can get off. Usually, the butter knife and paper towel trick works, and sometimes some cursing is needed.

CD
 
Pleural, like pleural effusion, pleurisy, pleural cavity, etc. Pleura is the name of membranes in the thoracic cavity. It's kinda gross to think about it so I don't! Anyway, I don't mind the membrane. I used to take it off when I first started making my baby back ribs but now I don't bother. No one seems to notice.
 
JASOH1 said:
Pleural, like pleural effusion, pleurisy, pleural cavity, etc. Pleura is the name of membranes in the thoracic cavity. It's kinda gross to think about it so I don't! Anyway, I don't mind the membrane. I used to take it off when I first started making my baby back ribs but now I don't bother. No one seems to notice.
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I like my rub to get into the meat on both sides, baby backs or spares. The membrane has to go!:D
 
You must like your ribs a little more on the chewy side? I rinse mine, season them, and wrap them in foil, then cook them in the oven for a few hours. I take them out and add barbecue sauce to the top and finish them on the grill (unless it's snowy, windy and cold, then I broil on top rack in oven). The ribs are fall-off-the-bone tender from steaming in the foil. The membrane is crispy and light. Now if I were doing a large rack instead of always doing small baby back racks, I might think differently, as I am uncertain about how thick and tough that membrane might be. There are only the two of us. We prefer the baby back ribs for flavor and tenderness, plus we can't eat an entire rack of ribs by ourselves. I sure miss having family over for dinner ☹
 
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I watched a vid on YouTube. The woman doing the vid is saying that the membrane does not had to be removed, that it can stay on there!!:headshake:
 
The "expert cooks" on ATK regularly do things I would never do. When I watch those two cook, I often find myself thinking. "Whaaat?"

Removing the membrane is like any other cooking skill, you get better the more you do it.

One other bone to pick (pardon the pun) is that if ribs literally fall off the bone, they are overcooked, IMHO. The meat should pull cleanly off the bone, but still have the mouth feel of meat. I also want to eat my ribs with my hands, and not have the meat end up in my lap. Just my two-cents.

CD
 
caseydog said:
One other bone to pick (pardon the pun) is that if ribs literally fall off the bone, they are overcooked, IMHO. The meat should pull cleanly off the bone, but still have the mouth feel of meat. I also want to eat my ribs with my hands, and not have the meat end up in my lap. Just my two-cents.
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My thoughts also (almost). I like to "drag" the meat from the bone with my teeth. I always have preferred it that way. Friends talk of slow cooking ribs until the meat falls off the bone but that is not for me.
 
caseydog said:
The "expert cooks" on ATK regularly do things I would never do. When I watch those two cook, I often find myself thinking. "Whaaat?"

Removing the membrane is like any other cooking skill, you get better the more you do it.

One other bone to pick (pardon the pun) is that if ribs literally fall off the bone, they are overcooked, IMHO. The meat should pull cleanly off the bone, but still have the mouth feel of meat. I also want to eat my ribs with my hands, and not have the meat end up in my lap. Just my two-cents.

CD
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You should see the mess my son and I make eating my ribs, sticky gooey and melt in the mouth. I buy when on special, usually $16 kg but $8 kg on special.



Russ
 
caseydog said:
One other bone to pick (pardon the pun) is that if ribs literally fall off the bone, they are overcooked, IMHO. The meat should pull cleanly off the bone, but still have the mouth feel of meat. I also want to eat my ribs with my hands, and not have the meat end up in my lap. Just my two-cents.
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I'm the other way. I don't like messy foods and generally don't like eating with my hands anyway, so when I get (or make) ribs, I like to be able to get the meat off with a couple of forks, then eat it that way.
 
i always remove the membrane from my ribs and also remove the back bone from them , i cook them on my smoker at 225 degrees for about 3 1/2 to 4 hours or so with nothing on them but a dry rub. i leave the bbq sauce on the table if someone wants it , also i like a little pull when i bite into a rib , i'm like some of the others on this , if its falling off the bone its overcooked
 
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