As all you real BBQ'ers know, it is important to remove the membrane from
ribs. Doesn't change the flavor, but makes for much nicer eating.

Some people say that they have difficulty removing this membrane. I'll pass
on a little hint that makes almost easy.

Buy a fish skinner. They look a bit like a pair of pliers only the jaws are
perpendicular to the handle. At Wal-Mart these run from 99 cents to a
couple bucks depending if you want better non-slip grips, which I recommend.

Using the fish skinner, start at the narrow end of the ribs, get an edge or
corner of the membrane in the jaws and pull down. You may have to start it
at two of three places to pull off larger chunks without it tearing.

Anyway, the fish skinner is the hint - absolutely beats any other way I have
tried.

Bob-tx

"Bob" > wrote in message
news
> As all you real BBQ'ers know, it is important to remove the membrane from
> ribs. Doesn't change the flavor, but makes for much nicer eating.
>
> Some people say that they have difficulty removing this membrane. I'll
> pass
> on a little hint that makes almost easy.
>
> Buy a fish skinner. They look a bit like a pair of pliers only the jaws
> are
> perpendicular to the handle. At Wal-Mart these run from 99 cents to a
> couple bucks depending if you want better non-slip grips, which I
> recommend.
>

Save the 99¢ and just grab the corner with a paper towel and they pull right
off.

OTOH, in side by side eating tests, people can't really tell the difference
once cooked.

"Bob" > wrote in
news
> As all you real BBQ'ers know, it is important to remove the membrane
> from ribs. Doesn't change the flavor, but makes for much nicer
> eating.
>
> Some people say that they have difficulty removing this membrane.
> I'll pass on a little hint that makes almost easy.
>
> Buy a fish skinner. They look a bit like a pair of pliers only the
> jaws are perpendicular to the handle. At Wal-Mart these run from 99
> cents to a couple bucks depending if you want better non-slip grips,
> which I recommend.
>
> Using the fish skinner, start at the narrow end of the ribs, get an
> edge or corner of the membrane in the jaws and pull down. You may
> have to start it at two of three places to pull off larger chunks
> without it tearing.
>
> Anyway, the fish skinner is the hint - absolutely beats any other way
> I have tried.

I've found a clam knife and a piece of paper towel work a charm.

--
Stan

Edwin Pawlowski wrote:
>
> Save the 99¢ and just grab the corner with a paper towel and they pull right
> off.
>
> OTOH, in side by side eating tests, people can't really tell the difference
> once cooked.
>

I'm in the "remove it" camp just because I've always done
it. Not wanting to start that whole argument again.

I simply take a knife around the middle of the rack and get
a pocket while not cutting the membrane. From there it's
easy to get your hand into the "pocket" and just pull it off
towards the ends.


--
Steve

"Steve Calvin" wrote:
> Edwin Pawlowski wrote:
>>
>> Save the 99¢ and just grab the corner with a paper towel and they pull
>> right off.
>>
>> OTOH, in side by side eating tests, people can't really tell the
>> difference once cooked.
>>
>
> I'm in the "remove it" camp just because I've always done it. Not wanting
> to start that whole argument again.

;-)

I'll start it, then...
Using direct heat (like on my Kamados) I can't tell the difference. I think
that the fire chars off the membrane (or somethinglike that). On my Stump's
(indirect, like an offset), if I don't pull the membrane, it gets thick,
chewey and rubbery.

BOB

"Bob" > wrote in message
news
> As all you real BBQ'ers know, it is important to remove the membrane from
> ribs. Doesn't change the flavor, but makes for much nicer eating.
>
> Some people say that they have difficulty removing this membrane. I'll
> pass
> on a little hint that makes almost easy.
>
I use paper towels taking the membrane off contest ribs but for general
cooking/catering the membrane is more likely removed after cooking

Buzz







> Buy a fish skinner. They look a bit like a pair of pliers only the jaws
> are
> perpendicular to the handle. At Wal-Mart these run from 99 cents to a
> couple bucks depending if you want better non-slip grips, which I
> recommend.
>
> Using the fish skinner, start at the narrow end of the ribs, get an edge
> or
> corner of the membrane in the jaws and pull down. You may have to start
> it
> at two of three places to pull off larger chunks without it tearing.
>
> Anyway, the fish skinner is the hint - absolutely beats any other way I
> have
> tried.
>
> Bob-tx
>
>

BOB wrote:

>> I'm in the "remove it" camp just because I've always done it. Not wanting
>> to start that whole argument again.
>
> ;-)
>
> I'll start it, then...
> Using direct heat (like on my Kamados) I can't tell the difference. I think
> that the fire chars off the membrane (or somethinglike that). On my Stump's
> (indirect, like an offset), if I don't pull the membrane, it gets thick,
> chewey and rubbery.
>
> BOB
>
>
We've been through this time and time again. Can't we just
let the "membrane vs removal" thing just be left to personal
preference? No one's going to convince anyone of anything.

I believe the OP was posting on methods of removal, not IF
it should be removed.

If you really have an interest in the topic, try googling.
You'll find reading material to keep you occupied for hours.

--
Steve

I belong to the removal crowd, and just use a paper towel when prepping
the ribs. IMHO, it doesn't do much texture wise, but removal lets the
rub or mop get to the underside of the ribs and into the meat a little
bit better.

Nonny

Steve Calvin wrote:
> BOB wrote:
>
>>> I'm in the "remove it" camp just because I've always done it. Not
>>> wanting to start that whole argument again.
>>
>> ;-)
>>
>> I'll start it, then...
>> Using direct heat (like on my Kamados) I can't tell the difference. I
>> think that the fire chars off the membrane (or somethinglike that).
>> On my Stump's (indirect, like an offset), if I don't pull the
>> membrane, it gets thick, chewey and rubbery.
>>
>> BOB
>>
> We've been through this time and time again. Can't we just let the
> "membrane vs removal" thing just be left to personal preference? No
> one's going to convince anyone of anything.
>
> I believe the OP was posting on methods of removal, not IF it should be
> removed.
>
> If you really have an interest in the topic, try googling. You'll find
> reading material to keep you occupied for hours.
>

--
---Nonnymus---

TINSTAAFL
There Is No Such Thing
As A Free Lunch

On 8-Apr-2007, "Edwin Pawlowski" > wrote:

> "Bob" > wrote in message
> news
> > As all you real BBQ'ers know, it is important to remove
> > the membrane from
> > ribs. Doesn't change the flavor, but makes for much
> > nicer eating.
> >
> > Some people say that they have difficulty removing this
> > membrane. I'll
> > pass
> > on a little hint that makes almost easy.
> >
> > Buy a fish skinner. They look a bit like a pair of
> > pliers only the jaws
> > are
> > perpendicular to the handle. At Wal-Mart these run from
> > 99 cents to a
> > couple bucks depending if you want better non-slip
> > grips, which I
> > recommend.
> >
>
> Save the 99¢ and just grab the corner with a paper towel
> and they pull right
> off.
>
> OTOH, in side by side eating tests, people can't really
> tell the difference
> once cooked.

What Ed said. I bitched for years about not being able to
get that damn membrane off, so I just cooked them with
it on. Not much difference that I can tell. And, I never had
anybody turn down any of my ribs either. I finally took
TFM®'s
advice and used the paper towel trick. Now, I take it off
most
of the time.

**Note** that leftover flap meat is a well kept breakfast
secret.
Just fry or grill it up in the morning and serve with your
favorite
eggs and toast. That nasty, tough looking stuff is some of
the
tenderest and tastyest breakfast meat you're likely to get
your
hands on.

--
Brick(Youth is wasted on young people)

On Sun, 08 Apr 2007 18:19:47 GMT, Steve Wertz
> wrote:

>On Sun, 08 Apr 2007 11:26:35 -0400, Steve Calvin wrote:
>
>> BOB wrote:
>>
>>>> I'm in the "remove it" camp just because I've always done it. Not wanting
>>>> to start that whole argument again.
>>>
>>> ;-)
>>>
>>> I'll start it, then...
>>> Using direct heat (like on my Kamados) I can't tell the difference. I think
>>> that the fire chars off the membrane (or somethinglike that). On my Stump's
>>> (indirect, like an offset), if I don't pull the membrane, it gets thick,
>>> chewey and rubbery.
>>>
>> We've been through this time and time again. Can't we just
>> let the "membrane vs removal" thing just be left to personal
>> preference? No one's going to convince anyone of anything.
>>
>> I believe the OP was posting on methods of removal, not IF
>> it should be removed.
>>
>> If you really have an interest in the topic, try googling.
>> You'll find reading material to keep you occupied for hours.
>
>In that case, I always leave the membrane on. It helps trap in
>the moisture. It pulls right off after cooking, if there's even
>anything left of it.
>
>-sw

I now just score them in a criss-cross pattern and don't worry about
it anymore.

Harry

On 2007-04-10, Denny Wheeler > wrote:
> On Sun, 08 Apr 2007 10:57:16 GMT, "Edwin Pawlowski" >
> wrote:
>
>>Save the 99¢ and just grab the corner with a paper towel and they pull right
>>off.
>
> Not for me, they don't. I think I'll check the Walmart a half a mile
> away...

I use a butter knife and stick it under the membrane on top of one of the rib
bones -- I then give the knife a twist to make a big gap and can then lift the
knife a bit to create an even bigger gap.. Once I've got that, I've now got a
large enough gap to grab with a paper towel.. It works every time for me! Now,
if you're unlucky, the piece you just ripped off will only go a few inches and
you have to start over. Most of the time, I find that I can rip almost all of
membrane off in one slow-but-steady rrrriiiipppp. You might try it again..

On 10 Apr 2007 01:22:25 GMT, "Rick F." > wrote:


>I use a butter knife and stick it under the membrane on top of one of the rib
>bones -- I then give the knife a twist to make a big gap and can then lift the
>knife a bit to create an even bigger gap.. Once I've got that, I've now got a
>large enough gap to grab with a paper towel.. It works every time for me! Now,
>if you're unlucky, the piece you just ripped off will only go a few inches and
>you have to start over. Most of the time, I find that I can rip almost all of
>membrane off in one slow-but-steady rrrriiiipppp. You might try it again..
>

Same here. A butter knife is flexible and can all the way across if
you want. Half across is more than enough then use the paper towel.