membrane? ?

[phil brown]

There aren't many visual cues as to whether the ribs still have the membrane or not. The membrane is shiny - they also call it silver skin. Underneath, it's a little less shiny. Yeah, I know, that's not terribly helpful.

Some of the answers here shocked me; are there actually people turning out good ribs with the membrane still attached? I didn't think that was possible. The membrane is nature's plastic wrap to separate the pig's ribs from his internal organs. You might as well leave them in the package and just throw the whole thing on the smoker.

 

[tn_bbq]

It's a fillet knife with replaceable blades. I think you can find them marketed as a Bill Dance knife.

Rewatch Pitmasters. Harry was putting rub on his ribs and it was pretty obvious those still had the membrane. Who knows, perhaps he messed up and went back and removed the membrane?????

 

[smokaholic]

I laughed pretty hard at that...I have accidently left membrane on and if you smoke like I do it turns to leather, you just cant bite through that stuff.

 

[john3198]

I smoked ribs for years with the membrane on before I found this forum and learned to take if off. I don't recall it being that bad with it on. They always disappeared at dinner.

 

[mule86]

I fought to find a membrane on my BB's yesterday. I got them from Costco and now after reading all this am figuring out that it was already removed. I couldn't find it for the life of me and when I thought I did, I could only get a small little piece off.