removing the membrane from babybacks

billbfoot · Jun 16, 2008

I think this has been a topic in the past, but I'm relatively new to the forum. My question is more specific though...

I have purchased babybacks from Sam's in the past, and it has always been easy and straightforward to remove the fell before rubbing and refrigerating the ribs... just like peeling a sticker off of something... comes off all in one piece usually. I just smoked some ribs yesterday for Father's Day. They had been purchased from Costco, and while they were very meaty and delicious, I seemed to have trouble removing the membrane the night before. I could never really get a hold of it. I almost wondered if it had already been removed. Is that the case for ribs bought at Costco? They were the vacuum-packed ribs, and I think I saw "Kirklands" on the packaging. And I couldn't really detect the papery membrane in the final product.

Loving all the information here!

1894 · Jun 16, 2008

Is there a chance the membrane was already removed ? I've had some tougher than others to remove , but a butter knife and paper towel for gription has worked ok for me.

And don't forget the roll call post

Smoker type , experiance , where you are , Nosey folks here , but it helps them, help you better

supervman · Jun 16, 2008

Call Costco ask for Meat dept and ask them. They ought to know.

tn_bbq · Jun 16, 2008

If you've removed membrane before with ease, and this time you struggled...the membranes were most likely removed already (happened to me last week too).

flyin'illini · Jun 17, 2008

Billb -- Sorry I was late seeing this. I just had this happen with bb's from CostCo a few weeks ago and the membrane was already removed. I did not call as suggested below. (good idea) I just posted a pic here and had some SMF eyes take a look. Hope this helps.

Here are some threads I found:
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/for...011#post197011
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/for...ane#post195605

seboke · Jun 17, 2008

I have bought BBs from Costco two times, one time membranes removed, the other not.

reddog · Jun 17, 2008

I buyBB's at Costco and had to peel them but what is work is beef ribs. I smoked some for fathers day and really worked to get all of the membrane off.

sweethanky · Jun 17, 2008

i get my ribs from sams club membrane is never taken off

capt dan · Jun 17, 2008

I think any type of cryovacked ribs have a chance to be already peeled. Happens on occasion reguardless of where ya get them, or what company. I think that during the butcher process, some comes off during the "parting out" of the carcass.

billbfoot · Jun 19, 2008

Great info, people. After having leftover ribs Monday and Tuesday, I'm convinced the membrane had already been removed. Nice!

safety1 · Jun 19, 2008

I buy all of my pork ribs from Costco. They come three racks in a cryo pac and have always had to remove the membrane. The mebrane is generally very tight but with a little persistance, a fork, and some paper towels it will come off.

kestaban · Nov 17, 2012

i am having the same issue right now, i am about to throw my ribs through a window, but i cannot for the life of me tell whether or not the membrane has been removed, should the bone be completely bare if it has been, i have been cutting along the bone to grab the membrane but every time i grab it the membrane rips, and i can't get between the membrane and the meat without taking chunks of meat with it.

sarnott · Nov 17, 2012

I bought three racks a few weeks ago (in different packages) and two had the membrane removed and one had it still on.

shoneyboy · Nov 17, 2012

Here is a link to an older post that helped a lot.....http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/122876/pulling-silver-skin-from-ribs

dad of four · Nov 17, 2012

You can search at Youtube. There are hundreds of videos of people demonstrating it.

damon555 · Nov 18, 2012

I quit taking it off until the ribs are done....comes off like a dream

removing the membrane from babybacks

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