Spare Ribs: Membrane?

MeatosBanditos · July 2010

Howdy all,

In the past three years (since owning my egg) I've primarily cooked with baby-back ribs from Sam's Club. Recently, I've been trying the spare ribs. One immediate thing I noticed was that it's incredibly simple to take the membranes off the baby-backs, and near impossible on some of the slabs of spares. I've had a few slabs of spares where I can take it off, but usually I end up just penetrating straight to the bone.

To do some checking I called Sam's Club and the meat guy there told me that many of the spares don't have have any membrane on them.

Is this true? I knew if I came to the forum I'd get the truth (yes, I can handle the truth).

Thanks!

PhilsGrill · July 2010

I haven't heard of any. Try using a paper towel to pull the membrane off.

MeatosBanditos · July 2010

Thanks. I have tried that. Like I said, I've had some that do, but this most recent set of three slabs I was only able to even get a membrane off of one slab. Mostly confused and wondering if there is much validity to the statement from the Sam's Club guy.

Richard Fl · July 2010

Not sure about Sam's, but Costco has not been having membranes on St Louis the last 6 months or so. Have a Q friend who has been in the business 40+ years and says that if the ribs, bb or st are low and slow cooked the membrane disappears as it is kinda like the collegen in s/l cooking of butts. I used to take the membrane off for many years, but the last year or so I have not and don't notice them.

Unknown · July 2010

I get spareribs from Sam's Club. There is a membrane on them, but it looks thicker than it really is. Try to pry up the thin top layer and it will come off easily. If you try to pull up what looks like the thick fibrous area, you will end up getting right down to the bone like you said.

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Spare Ribs: Membrane?

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