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OK its been 2 weeks since I fired up the Ole MES. Local store had ribs on sale so I bought a couple.
Removed Membrane
Soaked in Brine for 24 hours
Lathered with honey then some of Jeff's rub
Just put it in the smoker, will have finished pictures later.
I also made some homemade rum raisin ice cream, made that last night so i could freeze it.
How could you ruin perfectly good ice cream with raisins? ;-) j/k, cuz I hate rasins. Ribs look good. I take my membrane off like you. I take my fillet knife to start the edge and then pull with the pliers.
Lookin good! One thin I found that makes removin that membrane easier is usin a cake spatula to start liftin it, then I use a paper towel ta grab hold of it an puller off.
Thanks, seems the ribs I buy are processed in a way that the membrane is scored so it won't come off in 1 or 2 pieces, its really a pain, I have to nibble away at it. About 4 more hours till they are done!
I'm impressed with what you've done with the prep and spritz for your ribs. Using honey, instead of mustard, prior to the rub is something new to me. Does the honey burn off and just make luscious bark, or does it give the meat a sweet tang to it?
The ice cream looks wonderful too. Rum raisin ... homemade .... can't be beat!
Man those are looking tastey. i have never put honey on my ribs. is it similar to mustard where it just holds on your rub or do you get a really sweet flavor from it?
Sumo and Grind, it adds a different flavor to the meat not really sweet, most of us here use some sort of brown sugar in the rub but its not really sweet when finished cooking and it does make a good binder to hold the rub.
If you want a really different flavor try real maple syrup, gotta love fusion cooking.
I might be going agaisnt the grain here but I like the membrane and the texture it adds. When you eat the ribs it almost gives a ripping sound when biting into the meat. Personally I leave it on. Like I said I am probably going against the grain and am a minority with that.
Gimme ribs with the membrane so I can rip the meat off the bone and feel manly!!!
VLAP, I'm with you, I can eat the ribs with the membrane on and it does not bother me. I do think that without it the meat brines more easy and also the smoke penetrates the meat easier.
Ribs about done, q-view next.
very nice lookin ribs, and I like the ice cream idea too. I aint fond of raisins, but if there is rum in there, I'll eat anything!
The honey idea is a great one. I have used it on a few occasion after the ribs are done. I seen a rib competition show one time that a guy made a glaze out of honey and other stuff. After the smoke was doen, he would stack the racks on top of each other after dripping the honey concoction all over them, then foil the whole 5-6 racks together, and rest before cutting and turning in. They won the comp with that process. I have duplicated it a couple times, but I wasn't as fond of it as he was, it was too sweet for me, but I guess some judges like it.
Now as far as the membrane thing. There are alot of guys on this site and others who struggle with membrane. I hate having it on my ribs,might as well have a summer sausage casing on it!
Alot of guys start at the end and play with pliers, paper towels, ice picks,suction cups, and tow trucks. I showed Richtee my favorite( and only ) way to do membrane.
Start in the middle of the rack, I'm no physics professor, but it makes better sense. I use a fork, not a special membrane fork, or space age kevlar composite, curved or teflon coated, just a fork, outta the silverware drawer next to the spoons and butter knives. Take the fork, and turn it on it side, and slide 1 tine under the membrane along a rib bone near the middle of the rack. Push it in as far as it will go, and lift up with the point of the tine on the bone. This gets ya started. Then lower the angle angain, and push farther in, and repeat. Soon you will have a little tunnel that you can slip your finger into, without the fork. continue working the membrane off the ribs, and worming the finger farther across the rib section till you reach the other side. Now just lift straight up slowly and deliberately. you will be suprised how much of that membrane you will get off in one piece. If it is scored alot buy the production butchers, it can be a little tougher. Spares are always harder to do than Baby backs. I can get the membrane off baby backs in 20-30 seconds per rack. Try it and see if it makes a difference!
Capt Dan, I agree with your method but my problem is the meat processor score the membrane and I can only take a little off at a time, it is a pain! If the membrane had no scoring I could take it off in 1 or 2 pieces.
Sorry the Ice cream is gone! No more pictures.
