Ribs and removing membrane

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james1nc

Meat Mopper
Original poster
Apr 11, 2014
271
23
jacksonville N,C
Would like to know how many people remove the membrane on ribs ? I personally never do it anymore, Years ago I cooked about bunch of ribs and had friends over, half I removed the membrane the other half I did not . I did half in a sweet sauce and the rest in a little more spicy sauce. I ask my friends grade these on tenderness and flavor and see which one they liked the best . Little did they know I was actually testing to see if they could tell a difference with the membrane left on. Little to my surprise no one noticed the membrane being left on. The only negative feed back I  got was the spicy lovers thought the sweet sauce was too sweet and the sweet lovers thought spicy was too spicy. So all in all my test was a success.  Before someone ask half of each kind was removed.
 
Removing the membrane is so easy to do and I believe it helps the rub penetrate into the meat so I still do it.  I have eaten some pretty tough ribs with the membrane but I think the problem was more with the cook then the membrane.
 
In my opinion it is a small step that does not take me very much time so I always remove it.
 
I agree is it a small simple task but one over the years I feel like it don't need to be done if your cooking slow .
 
i've done them both ways and didn't see much difference.but as the others said it's so easy to take off i usually always just take it off.
 
When I first started cooking ribs I didn't bother however after 2 or 3 American friends commented that I had not I then started. Now I always remove the membrane as it just takes a few seconds and I now think it makes a significant difference. I think removing it helps the flavour of the rub to penetrate more effectively too.
 
It is a judgement call for sure.  I don't do it, but I'm weird in that I like to eat that membrane.  

Momma always said, 'Waste not, want not...'

IMHO cooking them low and slow will put flavor into the meat regardless if there's a membrane on it or not.

HTRN
 
I get my st louis cuts from costco, and when removing membrane it seems so difficult and so little. Does anybody else have thus problem or am i doing it wrong. I tried everything from a spoon to towel. Will take pics next time i cookem up. Was just curious if maybe they would be different then say from a butcher.
 
I get my st louis cuts from costco, and when removing membrane it seems so difficult and so little. Does anybody else have thus problem or am i doing it wrong. I tried everything from a spoon to towel. Will take pics next time i cookem up. Was just curious if maybe they would be different then say from a butcher.
I may be incorrect as far as the ST. Louis ribs are concerned but I do know Costco removes the membrane on their BB's. It's quite possible they remove it, or as much as they can, on the others as well.....Willie
 
Well, I never used to but got into the habit of yanking it off for rub/smoke penetration. It could be one of those things that people just do 'cuse they always have done it. That membrane is pretty tuff and as I age up some I wonder about the digestibility of such things sometimes. I see the pros on Pit Masters do it so there must be something to it as far as judging goes?......Willie
 
Thats what i was thinking costco did it terms of slight trimming...just didnt kno if it was me or not. Bc u commonly see these long wide membranes being pulled ya know
 
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