Am I crazy? Where's the membrane?

hilbillyinca

Smoke Blower

Original poster

Feb 8, 2009

93

11

Martinez, CA

• Jan 30, 2010

• #1

Am I the only one that occaisonally finds ribs that have already had the membrane removed?
Often when buying Spares from Costco and recently bbr's from Lucky's I get racks where there is no membrane. There's still a really thin silverskin, but nothing like a normal membrane.

Is the butcher removing these before packing, or do some pigs perhaps have thinner membranes?

 

hoser

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SMF Premier Member

Jul 11, 2008

452

10

Cumberland, Rhode Island

• Jan 30, 2010

• #2

I have to believe that the butcher removed it. I don't think the animal could breathe without that membrane between the ribs and lungs.

 

audioxtremes

Smoke Blower

SMF Premier Member

May 15, 2008

115

10

Mooresville, IN

• Jan 30, 2010

• #3

Pretty common for me to find it gone on fresh packed bb ribs. Never have on spairs.

 

bbq engineer

Master of the Pit

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Feb 26, 2009

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DeSoto, KS

• Jan 30, 2010

• #4

I have always found a membrane on spares...on baby backs, occasionally I can't find one to remove. I don't know if it is so thin that I just can't get under it and have it remain intact to remove or if someone (maybe by mechanical processing??) has already beat me to the punch. In those instances, if it ain't there, it ain't there, so I go ahead and rub away.

 

3montes

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Dec 26, 2007

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Beautifull shores of Lake Superior

• Jan 30, 2010

• #5

Always on spares. On bb's it can be hard to find. If it's not readily apparent on bb's I just scrape the blade of the knife along the back a few times to remove any excess. Never had a problem.

 

fatback joe

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Jun 13, 2007

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Hampden, MA

• Jan 30, 2010

• #6

I have not been a costco member very long, but I have bought a few racks of BBs in that time and all had the membrane removed.

 

greendrake

Smoke Blower

Dec 6, 2009

86

12

North Idaho

• Jan 30, 2010

• #7

the last several packs I have bought at Costco did not have the membrane on them, it was removed already.

 

shlongstar

Smoke Blower

Dec 15, 2009

128

10

Orange County, CA

• Jan 30, 2010

• #8

All my spares are from Costco, but never had the membrane removed. I usually get the cryovacked ones so I would imagine the Costco butchers don't touch them.

Do you buy the ones that the butcher kinda folded up on itself, and package in Costco wrapping? Perhaps they remove the membrane on those... would it be for easier folding as well?

 

mballi3011

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Mar 12, 2009

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• Jan 30, 2010

• #9

Now maybe the mambrane is removed but I have never seen a rack of ribs that didn't have the membrane.

 

richoso1

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Jun 21, 2007

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• Jan 30, 2010

• #10

I have encountered that situation with pretrimmed and boxed spares. Every summer someone will have a ten pound box for sale, and they are trimmed with the membrane removed. Nice deal when it's offered.

 

rickw

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Sep 1, 2008

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The Peoples Republic of IL.

• Jan 30, 2010

• #11

I've never had a rack of ribs that didn't have the membrane.

 

acemakr

Smoking Fanatic

Nov 23, 2009

436

10

Las Vegas, NV

• Jan 30, 2010

• #12

Several months ago, Costco ran this piece about their ribs. The membrane is removed before packaging.

 

jirodriguez

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Jun 5, 2009

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Portland, OR

• Jan 31, 2010

• #13

I have ran into that once or twice myself. I also buy my spares at Costco, and once in a blue moon there will be no membrane. Meh - saves me the work.

 

hilbillyinca

Smoke Blower

Original poster

Thread starter

Feb 8, 2009

93

11

Martinez, CA

• Jan 31, 2010

• #14

Thanks for the article Acemakr, now it makes much more sense. Thanks to all for the responses!