Membranes already removed...

jasonjax · 06-23-2013, 12:27 PM

Anyone in the meat biz know how sometimes I get three racks of ribs with the membranes already completely removed and sometimes I get racks from the same source with all three membranes intact?

Inquiring minds want to know!

It takes me a good extra 30 seconds of making damn sure the membrane is really removed, and sometimes a rib or two suffering from having the connective tissue yanked partially off of it.

I'm sure I'm being a newb by doing this, but it is kinda weird how that seems to be hit or miss from the same store.

Is it a mechanical process that sometimes grabs it and sometimes doesn't?

That's my one and only deep thought for the day.

ajstrider · 06-23-2013, 12:44 PM

I have never gotten any with the membrane already removed.

hachi-roku_fan · 06-23-2013, 01:00 PM

Did you get them at Costco?

jasonjax · 06-23-2013, 01:04 PM

Yup. These came from Costco. I also noticed they now have already St. Louis styled spares, which I will definitely be buying in the future.

hmbrewr · 06-23-2013, 01:18 PM

I bought a 3 pak of St. Louis style from Cash and Carry, and two of the racks had the membrane removed and one did not. That was the first time I have ever bought ribs from Cash & Carry or any where else for that matter that had the membrane removed. I removed the membrane from the 1st rack and I kept trying to remove the non existent membrane from the others when I realized that they had been removed. I thought I was going nuts as I had never seen anything like this before.

boiler93 · 06-23-2013, 01:21 PM

Ive also run into this a time or two, inquiring minds would like to know why?

nucornhusker · 06-23-2013, 01:24 PM

I have seen it once or twice, but I don't think from the same source.

hachi-roku_fan · 06-23-2013, 01:35 PM

According to other posts, at Costco the butchers will repackage ribs if they are open. When they do this, they'll clean them up and remove the membrane and repackage.

LMAJ · 06-23-2013, 01:45 PM

I've seen it too..

jasonjax · 06-23-2013, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hachi-roku_fan

According to other posts, at Costco the butchers will repackage ribs if they are open. When they do this, they'll clean them up and remove the membrane and repackage.

I hear ya on the theory, but this has happened several times with cryovac packages so I still wonder if that is the source.

Does anyone who worked in a major meat packing/hog processing plant know if there is any mechanized process that could theoretically grab the membrane as it goes through processing?

Yellowhair42 · 06-23-2013, 05:24 PM

I have butchered thousands of pigs.It could be the repackaging theroy.There is no mechanized process to peel the plura(membrane).When we did it if the lungs were attached to the rib cage the inspector made us peel it.Normally the lungs are not attached to the ribs so it wasn't very often that we had to peel.

Pyle's BBQ · 06-24-2013, 01:15 PM

The Costco ribs come from Swift. I have found that they generally do not have the membrane. I get ribs from Sam's and they are processed by IBP and they do have a membrane. If you get one with a membrane from Costco, it may have gotten passed over by the workers at the plant.

hamiltont · 06-24-2013, 01:23 PM

Yep. Got 2 Cryovac packaged 3-packs of Baby Backs at Costco in Phoenix a while back and all 6 had the membrane removed.

06-23-2013, 12:27 PM	#1
jasonjax Babbling Farker Join Date: 12-20-07 Location: Ponte Vedra, Florida Name/Nickname : Jason	Membranes already removed... Anyone in the meat biz know how sometimes I get three racks of ribs with the membranes already completely removed and sometimes I get racks from the same source with all three membranes intact? Inquiring minds want to know! It takes me a good extra 30 seconds of making damn sure the membrane is really removed, and sometimes a rib or two suffering from having the connective tissue yanked partially off of it. I'm sure I'm being a newb by doing this, but it is kinda weird how that seems to be hit or miss from the same store. Is it a mechanical process that sometimes grabs it and sometimes doesn't? That's my one and only deep thought for the day.

06-23-2013, 12:44 PM	#2
ajstrider is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 09-02-12 Location: Kentucky	I have never gotten any with the membrane already removed. __________________ Weber Summit Charcoal Grill and 22” WSM. Former user of pellet grills and XL BGE

06-23-2013, 01:21 PM	#6
boiler93 Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 03-30-13 Location: Lake City, FL	Ive also run into this a time or two, inquiring minds would like to know why? __________________ 48" Brinkman off-set, Model A1 RF trailer, Bradley Smoker Luck= preparation + hard work

06-23-2013, 01:24 PM	#7
nucornhusker Babbling Farker Join Date: 08-29-11 Location: Lincoln, NE	I have seen it once or twice, but I don't think from the same source. __________________ Yoder Smokers YS1500, Kamado Joe BigJoe & Joe Jr, IMBAS Certified MOINK Baller

06-23-2013, 01:45 PM	#9
LMAJ somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 07-01-07 Location: Southeastern Pa	I've seen it too.. __________________ L-M Official Pennsylvania MOINK Ball maker 1 Large BGE - 7/5/08 1 Large BGE and table - 8/29/12 1300 Timberline 5/26/17 1 18.5 WSM Super Fast BLUE and REDThermopen 1 - Fantastic hubby - the original Big Al Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things. - Robert Brault

06-23-2013, 01:00 PM	#3
hachi-roku_fan is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 05-25-13 Location: Los Angeles	Did you get them at Costco?

06-23-2013, 01:04 PM	#4
jasonjax Babbling Farker Join Date: 12-20-07 Location: Ponte Vedra, Florida Name/Nickname : Jason	Yup. These came from Costco. I also noticed they now have already St. Louis styled spares, which I will definitely be buying in the future.

06-23-2013, 01:18 PM	#5
hmbrewr Knows what a fatty is. Join Date: 07-13-10 Location: Modesto Ca.	I bought a 3 pak of St. Louis style from Cash and Carry, and two of the racks had the membrane removed and one did not. That was the first time I have ever bought ribs from Cash & Carry or any where else for that matter that had the membrane removed. I removed the membrane from the 1st rack and I kept trying to remove the non existent membrane from the others when I realized that they had been removed. I thought I was going nuts as I had never seen anything like this before.

06-23-2013, 01:35 PM	#8
hachi-roku_fan is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 05-25-13 Location: Los Angeles	According to other posts, at Costco the butchers will repackage ribs if they are open. When they do this, they'll clean them up and remove the membrane and repackage.

06-23-2013, 05:24 PM	#11
Yellowhair42 is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 03-24-12 Location: Medina,Ohio	I have butchered thousands of pigs.It could be the repackaging theroy.There is no mechanized process to peel the plura(membrane).When we did it if the lungs were attached to the rib cage the inspector made us peel it.Normally the lungs are not attached to the ribs so it wasn't very often that we had to peel. __________________ UPBS,Vision Komado, WSJSMWSM,Bandera

06-24-2013, 01:15 PM	#12
Pyle's BBQ Babbling Farker Join Date: 10-25-06 Location: Madrid, IA	The Costco ribs come from Swift. I have found that they generally do not have the membrane. I get ribs from Sam's and they are processed by IBP and they do have a membrane. If you get one with a membrane from Costco, it may have gotten passed over by the workers at the plant. __________________ Bryan, Team: Pyle's BBQ Yoder YS640; Good-One "Trail Boss" 60T; Weber Kettle rotisserie ring; Big A$$ Rotisserie; New Braunfels offset smoker; Weber Smokey Mountain; Backyard Bombers BBQ HJM Μολὼν λαβέ

06-24-2013, 01:23 PM	#13
hamiltont is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 05-24-10 Location: Lincoln, NE Name/Nickname : hamiltont	Yep. Got 2 Cryovac packaged 3-packs of Baby Backs at Costco in Phoenix a while back and all 6 had the membrane removed. __________________ If Homebrew & BBQ aren't the answer, then you're askin' the wrong questions... Cheers!!!