Last set of baby backs I did I left the membrane on. Turned out fine. I don't think I'm, going to bother peeling anymore.

Won't get me on that band wagon, it's just too easy to peel the membrane. When I spend that much time prepping and cooking them I'm not willing to risk it over a step that takes less than a minute per rack. A butter knife and a paper towel are your friend in the removal process. I have noticed some membranes are much thicker than others but you don't know that until you peel it.

+1. I always peel the membrane. I just consider it part of the ritual.

Mike

It's easy and quick to do, I'm just not going to bother anymore, unless I want the ritual.

Agree. Easy to do, and no risk of it getting imparting an off taste, or making a nice rack hard to chew.

All you need are a couple of paper towels and it peels right off. I want the rub to penetrate the meat and simply feel the membrane is a barrier.

This is an art not a science, but the no-peel team says the membrane might help keep the juices in the meat.

PEEL! No one wants to chew that stuff, especially after all that work.

Sorry, but the chewy argument doesn't fly (just like a pig). This is not chewy in the least after having been on there for several hours, covered in rub, basting in juices, etc. It is semi-crispy, easily peeled, or better yet, nibbled off.

There's your answer...if you like it, then leave it. Most don't.

Never peeled the mebrane off, never heard of it until here. Never had a bad set of ribs that were cooked low and slow.

I have to agree. I have never peeled it even on beef ribs. The extra crisp is always anticipated. I.m not saying the other way is wrong, but certainly would not be my preference.
Randy

Peel

I know that there are two well thought out schools of thought here.

I personally take the time to remove the offending membrane.

I'll try it on the next batch and report back.


Not peeled...

Looking good there Elkhunter. I don't peel. I like the membrane. I also would rather chew the meat off the bones than have it fall off. Personal taste.

BCR

Amen Brother!

Damn elk, those look great! Membrane or no membrane I wouldn't pass up a chance to give those a try. I love food porn in the morning!

Mike

I've never peeled either. It just hasn't seemed necessary.

Properly cooked ribs shouldn't "fall off the bone" anyway. They should offer a little resistance to being pulled off the bone while eating.

DANG IT!!! ah hate a nice rack dat's hard ta chew.

LOL I knew that was coming!!!

280 is right, properly cooked, the ribs won't fall off the bone...membrane or no membrane

back in the day, when i was growing up, we always kilt two fattening hogs each year. one about the Friday after TG, and the other between Xmas and New Years.

we cut the ribs into strips, and almost always boil them. always good, and flavorful. we never knew to take the peeling off the back.

but nowadays, i must admit, i can't cook a proper rib on the Weber w/o peeling the backskin off the rib. it's just the thing to do, maybe a ritual, but oh so important.

I'm a peeler... to me the membrane never gets "crispy" and is almost always chewy... I will admit, I have over cooked ribs to the point that they fall off the bone but I am getting better and they still tasted delicious if you ask me...

I'm of the school that never even heard of peeling until reading on here about it. I've since been peeling, and to my unrefined tastes can't tell much of a difference.

Yup----when I go to someones cookout I can always spot the parboilers right off the first bite..

I kicked that habit a long time ago.

(whoops, except for my chicken wings)

I'm not sure I follow, are you saying that for rib meat to fall off the bone it must be parboiled first?

I have never peeled or parboiled. I just rub right over the membrane. We mostly use just baby backs.

Concur. I actually like te little bit of strucure that the membrae gives and it doesn't bother me to strip it off. I don't think it blocks flavor at all.

I've got kids. Lots of 'em. They'll notice the membrane left on in a second.

They have become quite finicky about their Q - grins.

They can simply be overcooked. In a water smoker you can litterally steam them to mush.

You bet. Taking them off the pit and wrapping in foil for a while will cause them to fall off the bone, also. Parboiling isn't required.....I know a lot of women and kids that prefer falling off the bone ribs. It's a personal preference. If they like, I like.

very true. it's my own estimation that the average Joe and his missus and kids are moving toward a more tender cut of meat or the cooking thereof.

not to say the bbq and chili judges aren't right in their decisions, but the "average" consumer is probably moving more toward tender and less toward chewy. but, it really is a question of personal taste. i love boiled ribs that still have some chew left, but not everyone agrees with this.

Spoiled rotten! Why I rememember as a kid they made us eat North Carolina BBQ! Oh the humanity.

I confess to par boiling early in life... glad I got that off my chest!

Closet parboiler...

I swear I only did it once and I didn't eat them...

No. I'm not saying that at all. But for me I AM saying that falling off the bone is NOT my preference.

Whatever works for you brother! And yup tin foil used wrongly produces mush.

David

ok parkay boy

All I'm saying is that I'm seeing women and children prefer falling off the bone ribs.....they couldn't care less what a judge thinks. Like sauce, some like, some don't. I'm here to please 'em all.

By the way, falling off the bone does not equal mush.

parboiling bee-yatch...LOL

Where did I say the word judge?

Where did I say fall off the bone means mush?

Comon Stanley get in the game bro!

I'm at the point of not wrapping mine any more. I was wrapping with a cup of apple juice for an hour the last hour in the smoker.

But, the loin ribs just ain't requiring it. That's a helluva mess anyway.

I'm hungry for ribs now.

I don't know that you did equate mush/falling off the bone...that was a general statement I made.

I don't know that you did mention judge....someone did. Everyone enjoying Q (or not) judges the dish themselves.

I like games. It's backyard BBQ games and in this game their are no rules. If there were BBQ rules, wouldn't see any of those funny looking eggs.

peel em, no parkay, fall of the bone is aryte with me

no egg thingy for this guy.

I reckon they'd be cool around Easter.....do they come in pretty colors?

That's what i think of when i see them

With all due respect of course, the guys that have them and use them seem very fond of them.

I've been cooking in a charcoal fired steel box for too long to be changing to a big easter egg now



I used to build these for folks.

I still have parts cut for about 5 of these up on a shelf & in boxes at home. My best friend helped me cut those parts, he died 3 years ago and I can't quite get myself to do anything with those parts.

Not quite yet anyways.

Where the h*ll did that come from...? LOL

BTW, I like the looks of that thing.

Oh come on, I'll rib a feller for this or that but I can't hack on someone for doing what they love & being proud of the equipment they use to get it done

And thanks.

It's been recently brought to my attention that a manufacturer is using what used to be my exclusive feature. The pull out firebox/ash pan drawer.






Oh well, theirs is still a tinny wobbly disposible cooker compared to my black battleship lol!!

Mine are built to last longer than the cook him/herself lol!!

Gawd-dog, now I really like it.

It still weighs heavy on my mind/heart. The "what if?".

I suppose it's never too late.

My whole theory was to build something you couldn't buy at walmart, something made of heavy steel fully welded. Not stamped of tin & screwed, riveted or spot welded together.

And something built by an enthusiest, an actual user/developer of the product.

I know there is a market for such a thing.

I'm a little older now, better understanding of the business world and manufacturing, marketing etc...

Who knows, maybe age 40 is my business milestone, my time to put it out there & see if it floats.

alright, enough daydreaming.

I say peel because it's cool that a pig has a tear off built into it's rib cage lol!!

If god didn't want us to peel it what did he put it there for? (other than to seperate the guts from the delicious meat of course lol!!)

Well done! Looks like that will stay in the family for a while! We once had a 3 legged barrel (1 leg fell off) that we moved for BBQ's between 3 homes. One of those cheap, thin steel barrels until it rusted through, easy to load up in the back of a pick up truck.....you ain't moving the one I have now, BubbaT. My son gets BubbaT in 20 years or so, all the grand kids know BubbaT.

Would anyone name an egg?

That thing is really nice. You could fab up a side box for and have an all purpose smoker/grill for almost anyone.

Seems like those 5 are destined to be familly heirlooms

And to the non peelers , help this newbie out. Do you toast the back side till the membrain crisps up ?
I have found a mid road with the peeled between fall off the bone mush and a lil tug . Does depend on who I'm cooking for though

now that i've learnt that an important part of the ritual is to peel them, that's what i do. but, before i learnt about queing, we'd cut the ribs below the chops into longitudinal strips, then separate by two's, and boil with salt, black pepper and about two whole red cayennes that were pulled from the crown hung by the window beside the stove.

I don't peel because I've never figured out how. I sit there for 20 min. with a butter knife and paper towel in hand...starting atop a bone....and all I get is little ribbons. Never been more frustrated in my life.

Forget the knife. A paper towel in each hand works much better.

I don't think you should be encouraging/enabling a dubious practice...LOL

Got 3 racks of spare ribs all seasoned up with a rub supplied by byc and wrapped in plastic. Thawed them out in the fridge this week in preparation for company from Colorado Springs....who claims he had to work but I think he is on a short leash for acting out of line! Couldn't see the point on not cooking them so they go on the grill this afternoon. Not peeled by the way!

Glad you're cooking them today Keith. Personally, I would have not let them sit for a week after defrost. As for peel or not it really doesn't matter. It's all preference. Hope you enjoy the rub.

David

BTW crab cakes and filets here today. Using the same fire I'll throw on a 9 lb butt about 8 tonight.

Only wish I had my BGE! BTW did I tell you love crab cakes? It was a shame to see all those blue crabs go to waste in Texas...

FWIW, I have seen other info recommending against a long term rub. Hour or less before they go on works for me...

Depending on the rub some when used long term some will produce a hammy flavor but then some like that hammy end-product. I've started using brown sugar first and allowing that to become a molasses like state and then applying rubs for 2-6 hours. In competitions we apply the rubs to the ribs when we throw on the butts.

HUH? That is just down right sinful!!

We will just see how it goes.....I put it on last night and wrapped them.

They'll turn out just fine. There's not all that much salt in that batch of rub. Focused more on the cherry and apple flavors.

They look great and are not in the least bit "cured". I unwrapped and cooked the flat on the grill to firm them up before putting them in the racks. Put some cherry wood on with them. Smelling awfully good!!! Les is missing out! I'll post some pics later.

You aint gonna spit 'em out...!

Wish a couple of you were here to help eat them. 3 full racks is a bunch of ribs! Heck I'll even provide the sweet corn (with butter of course) and the beer!

FYI, last Sunday I was about to munch into some sweet corn and the host apologized for not having any butter in the fridge, but did produce a tub of margarine inquiring whether I wished to use that as a substitute. Turned him down. The sweet corn was so good, it would have almost been a shame to put any butter, salt or pepper on it.

Ready for the grill with byc's rub



Grilled them flat first to firm them up for the rack

1/2 way there!

Nice! Just assembled some Chesapeake Bay crab cakes that would pair up nicely with those. I can almost smell those ribs from here. Does anything smell better than pork fat simmering away??

NO!

Been using apple juice in a spray bottle as a mop. Crab cakes...yummmmmm!

My neighbor came over wondering what smelled so good....might have to set the shotgun out!

They were very good. Sent a rack home with my youngest son. Thanks for the rub byc. It was very good on those ribs!

I don't know that it makes much difference to me. I like peeling em though. It's just fun.

Thanks Keith------David

Where's byc's rub recipe??

In my head! And the vault.

Karnis will not post his BBQ Sauce recipe so I have to follow his lead. PM and I will send you some.

Damn those look good! I did some on Sunday as well. The membrane was peeled, the rub was on them for 24 hours and then they were cooked on the BGE. They were barely edible.

Mike