In article ,
Dave Smith wrote:

aem wrote:

I take it off because "it's the right thing to do" even if the
practical effect may be minimal. It's like removing the tendon from a
chicken breast, or the silverskin from a flank steak, or trimming
excess fat from chicken thighs, or a thousand other types of prep
work. Maybe it's compulsive, maybe it's being overly meticulous, but
then again maybe it's showing full respect for the people you're
preparing food for and full respect for yourself as a cook..... -aem

Nuts to that. Let the people eating show respect for the cook :-)

I agree with aem; the cook should show respect for himself, and what he
produces, by doing a workmanlike job of it.

Also, there will always be those eating the food who are just too --
something -- to be able to discriminate between a dish well-prepared and
the same thing just hacked together (or between, say, the Julia Child
version and the Better Homes and Gardens magazine version of a dish).
You can't depend on them to show "respect" for anything you prepare.

Isaac

isw wrote:
In article ,
Dave Smith wrote:

aem wrote:

I take it off because "it's the right thing to do" even if the
practical effect may be minimal. It's like removing the tendon
from a chicken breast, or the silverskin from a flank steak, or
trimming excess fat from chicken thighs, or a thousand other types
of prep work. Maybe it's compulsive, maybe it's being overly
meticulous, but then again maybe it's showing full respect for the
people you're preparing food for and full respect for yourself as a
cook..... -aem

Nuts to that. Let the people eating show respect for the cook :-)

I agree with aem; the cook should show respect for himself, and what
he produces, by doing a workmanlike job of it.

Aye, but there's the "rub"; opinion will strongly vary as to membrane
removal. Removal, or lack thereof, is a specific choice based on opinion.
Where aem believes removing the membrane makes for a better rib, I do not.
For each, we make a very specific and deliberate choice based on personal
experience, not an oversight or a less than workmanlike attitude toward the
product produced.
--
Dave www.davebbq.com

What is best in life? "To crush your enemies, see them driven before
you, and to hear the lamentation of the women." -- Conan

On Wed, 4 Jun 2008 11:37:16 -0700 (PDT), aem
wrote:

On Jun 3, 3:00*pm, Janet Wilder wrote:
Dave Bugg wrote:
Dave Smith wrote:

I removed the membrane yesterday for the first time. I didn't notice
any difference in the finished product.

There really isn't much of a difference when the ribs are cooked properly.
At most, I'll do a crosshatch on the membrane with a sharp knife or box
cutter.

I take it off because it's fun.

I take it off because "it's the right thing to do" even if the
practical effect may be minimal. It's like removing the tendon from a
chicken breast, or the silverskin from a flank steak, or trimming
excess fat from chicken thighs, or a thousand other types of prep
work. Maybe it's compulsive, maybe it's being overly meticulous, but
then again maybe it's showing full respect for the people you're
preparing food for and full respect for yourself as a cook..... -aem

i always thought removing the membrane from a flank steak was to allow
the marinade to penetrate, though i suppose it makes little
difference.

your pal,
blake

On Wed, 04 Jun 2008 19:53:12 GMT, notbob wrote:

On 2008-06-04, aem wrote:

then again maybe it's showing full respect for the people you're
preparing food for and full respect for yourself as a cook..... -aem

Do you chew it for them, too?

nb

only on request.

your pal,
blake

blake murphy wrote:


i always thought removing the membrane from a flank steak was to allow
the marinade to penetrate, though i suppose it makes little
difference.

your pal,
blake


IME removing the membrane from flank (and other meats) prevents the meat
from curling as you cook it because the membrane shrinks more than the
meat and causes the whole piece to distort.

gloria p