1st try at ribs (pics in last post)

smashraj84 · April 21, 2008, 08:27:12 PM

Hey all, I got a couple racks of pork spare ribs today from the butcher. I bought them home and my plan was to marinate them over night. I read that I am supposed to take the membrane off the back of the ribs. Since I have never done this, I watched some videos on youtube got my blunt spoon and paper towel and tried to take off the "membrane". First of all, the back of my ribs weren't as white and shiny as the ones in the youtube videos. Also, I wasn't easily able to pull anything off. After 5 minutes or so of fiddling I picked off a tiny piece, but It wasn't just clean membrane it was a piece of meat too. Instead of tearing my racks to shreds, I decided to just dry rub them and put them in the fridge overnight.

Anyways my question is, do butchers usually take off the membrane or do they leave it on? Secondly, it shouldn't feel like I'm tearing the ribs to shreds to get off tiny pieces should it? Thanks guys!

westexasmoker · April 21, 2008, 08:35:56 PM

I'm not too much help on this..I figure your doing pork ribs (somebody help me if I'm off on this) Pork ribs have a very thin membrane, as apposed to beef ribs, which is what I do the most of, and is very thick IMO as to pork and the beef ribs a butter knife and paper towel you can pull the whole rack back off. I think once again with pork its a thiner membrane and actually a little more work to get it to pull.....but I'm a beef guy... ;D

C

smashraj84 · April 21, 2008, 08:42:33 PM

Yeah, they're pork. I mean I was really working at trying to pull anything off the back that I could, but at one point I didn't want to completely shred my ribs. Is it common for butchers to take the membrane off without asking?

I went back into the fridge to take a look but I really don't think there's a membrane on there unless it's uber-thin.

Mr Walleye · April 21, 2008, 08:48:03 PM

It is certainly possible that your butcher removed it. I have heard of people asking to have them removed. All the ribs I purchase always have the membrane on. It does take a little practise but once you get the hang of it it's really not that bad.

Mike

Gizmo · April 21, 2008, 08:51:57 PM

Don't mean to differ from West but in my opionion, the membrane on both is pretty much the same although I will yeild that the beef may be a tad thicker but not to the point that I would venture a comment. The membrane may be more well know as the pleura otherwise know for the disease Pleurisy. If I had to guess, Smash, you have a great buthcher an he may have taken the membrane off. I have never pulled meat off when taking off the membrane so I suspect you were pulling the layer of connective tissue (the one that holds the ribs together) below that membrane.

In case you wanted to know more, the Pleura is actually a membrane that covers the lungs. Thanks to Steven Rachelin, I learned this little factoid a few years back at BBQ University.

smashraj84 · April 22, 2008, 07:30:20 AM

Quote from: Gizmo on April 21, 2008, 08:51:57 PMIf I had to guess, Smash, you have a great buthcher an he may have taken the membrane off. I have never pulled meat off when taking off the membrane so I suspect you were pulling the layer of connective tissue (the one that holds the ribs together) below that membrane.

Sounds about right. That's the reason I stopped after I couldn't get it going.

P.S. They are going on the smoker tonight, anyone want to critique my planned method?

3 hours of smoke at 220-230 F. Spritz with apple juice every hour. What ratio of flavored pucks would you suggest? 2 apple, 1 hickory x3?

2 hours spritzed well with apple juice, wrapped in foil, at 220-230F.

1 hour uncovered at 220-230F or until ribs hit 170F. FTC (if i can keep my grubby hands off them long enough).

smashraj84 · April 23, 2008, 03:36:54 PM

I foiled my ribs with a good dose of apple juice and stuck them in the oven at 225 for 30 minutes. then i basted them in sauce for 30 minutes. wow!!!! today they were tender, really tender! does that just happen overnight or was it because of the way i reheated them!! mmmmmmm i have to save some so my family can try them.

iceman · April 23, 2008, 03:44:27 PM

It's that combo of overnight and the extra hour of moist cooking during the reheat that took it over the top to the tender stage. Sounds like the family better get home soon or they will be all gone. :D ;)

Gizmo · April 23, 2008, 09:27:52 PM

The foil with some liquid and extra time is always a winner in my book for tender and moist whether it be right after the smoke or after a few days in the fridge. On my last batch this past weekend, I pulled the excess out a little early (i.e. the meat was just starting to pull back from the bone) and then tonight the foil finish took them back and the meat was juicy and just ready to fall off. I could have left them in a little longer so the meat completly falls off the bone when touched but I usually like to stop a little before that point. I also used an oven temperature of 350 tonight for that finish especially since they were coming right out of the fridge.