# Question on the basics of smoking ribs



## Captain Morgan (Jul 17, 2005)

yeah Jim, take some pics so we can see em!


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## Captain Morgan (Jul 17, 2005)

I don't move my temps at all doing ribs.  They aren't going to go through a rendering plateau like butts, so the temps aren't as crucial.  I just keep it around 250 for the entire cook.  

The method referenced won't hurt at all either.


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## oompappy (Jul 17, 2005)

I try to keep temps in the 225* to 250* range for the entire cook time. 
Since I don't wrap them in foil I keep temps in the lower end of that range for the last 2 hours (6 hrs total) so the crust doesn't get too dark.


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## Nick Prochilo (Jul 18, 2005)

Don't forget the pictures!


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## Captain Morgan (Jul 19, 2005)

after you do it a few times, you'll get the hang of it.  Sometimes it only takes a few seconds, sometimes it's a bit more of a wrangle.  Like Tex, I use a butter knife and a paper towel, and I always remove the membrane.


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## LarryWolfe (Jul 19, 2005)

If you boil, brine, foil and cook at a high heat the membrane will come right off!


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## Nick Prochilo (Jul 19, 2005)

TexLaw said:
			
		

> I think we all know the real secret to getting the membrane off.  It's just that we're too scared to let it out into the public.
> 
> 
> Microwave, baby.  Microwave.
> ...



Microwave while its in the foil! That will get the membrane off!


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## ScottyDaQ (Jul 19, 2005)

I've never had a problem with getting the membrane off the "Swift" brand  loin backs that I get from Costco. Once I get a knife under a 1/4 of the small bone, I can peel the whole thing off with a paper towel easily. 

Now... Spares.... A different matter. I find those much more labor intensive to remove the membrane and no matter how hard I try, I can never get them to "rip" off like I would a babyback. I just try to get as much off as I can. I usually am left with a few small patches that are stubborn and I wind up leaving them but poke a series of low surface pokes with knife so they can render somewhat evenly.

Mmmmmm Riiiiibbbbbbbbbss!


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## oompappy (Jul 20, 2005)

What does everybody have against the membrane? I've been cooking ribs for almost 30 years and never removed one. Never had anyone even mention the membrane when they were eatin' my ribs. After 6 hours of cooking it doesn't amount to much. TexLaw says he likes to get rub on the back-side and that makes sense, but other than that?? Perhaps it's a restaurant thing? Or to please a prune faced judge in a competition? 
It just seems unnecessary to me.


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## Captain Morgan (Jul 20, 2005)

Remove one, and see if you tell a difference, if not, no biggie.
I've eaten the paper like membrane before, maybe I didn't cook long enough.  I don't like it.  Plus, I hate one sided tasting food.


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## john pen (Jul 21, 2005)

Do I cook the beef ribs the same way I do spares or BB's ?


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