Beef Ribs

mrPalomar · 08-31-2011, 01:49 PM

Just put some nice looking beef ribs on the Primo XL. Rubbed with Magic Dust and cooking them with apple chunks. Last time I cooked these the silverskin on the back made them near inedible so I went at them pretty hard with the trimming this time around. A friend of mine claims that in good ribs the silverskin will soften up enough that you can chew it, what is the consensus here on how to trim beef ribs?

deguerre · 08-31-2011, 02:11 PM

I don't bother on beef ribs. By the time they're done the membrane doesn't bother me or peels away easily if you want it removed.

che22879 · 08-31-2011, 02:20 PM

I never take it off and we can eat them just fine.

tamadrummer · 08-31-2011, 02:28 PM

Silverskin may be able to breakdown to collagen in some form or fashion but the plural membrane will never ever breakdown. If the anatomy of an animal is similar to that of the human anatomy, the membrane on ribs is the covering on the lungs and that is why there are 2 layers on ribs. The visceral is what we peel away and the parietal is the layer left on the rib that holds the bones in place. I would get rid of the silverskin, it will not add to the meat and will likely take away from it.

mrPalomar · 08-31-2011, 02:35 PM

Yeah, I'm pretty sure he was talking about the membrane under the silverskin. With the last batch I cooked that membrane was very difficult to chew, so I removed it this time. Hopefully they'll still hold together alright and won't dry out too.

Gore · 08-31-2011, 02:38 PM

I always remove it. It is pretty easy to do, takes about 30 seconds and makes the eating experience oh so much better.

jemezspring · 08-31-2011, 02:58 PM

I have a terrible time getting rid of the membrane on the beef ribs I buy so I just leave it. It can be a little of a pain but when cooked the meat pulls away so cleanly that it has never been an issue for me. By the way, nice looking ribs. Cant wait to see the outcome.

mrPalomar · 08-31-2011, 04:07 PM

Yeah, the first rack took probably 15 minutes to clean up, but i did much better on the second one. I found that it was easiest to slide a paring knife in at each rib from the end to separate the membrane there and then work my way between the ribs. I was able to pull a good section (2 inches or so) of the membrane from the long end that way and then i worked my way across the flat section and up along the curve last. The second rack only took about 5 minutes and looked much better than my first hack at it.

I peeked at the ribs a little bit ago and they look fantastic, my only worry is that they're going to finish too early. Thinking about foiling them in a cooler for a couple of hours then returning them to the grill to sauce and finish them up.

Sleepy Smoker · 08-31-2011, 05:15 PM

I am no expert on beef ribs, as I have only done them a handful of times, but in my experience I have found that I much preferred the ribs after I spent the time to remove the silverskin.

Not to derail the thread, and I suppose this topic wouldn't be really doing so, but has anyone else had a tougher time removing the membrane on beef ribs as opposed to pork ribs, which I find to be quite easy. I don't know why it has worked out that way for me, but I have had a heck of a time removing the membrane on the few racks of beef ribs I have prepared. As I said before, I think that were far better that way, so I will continue to do so in the future, extra work or not. Just wondered if anyone else out that had had a similar experience.

EDIT: Originally I had clicked on this thread a few hours ago, got distracted by other activities, and just returned to the computer. I see now that a couple of the more recent responses address what I was talking about.

jalon · 08-31-2011, 07:51 PM

Jeez Tamadrummer, hope you didn't have some human ribs to do a side by side comparison...

tamadrummer · 08-31-2011, 07:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jalon

Jeez Tamadrummer, hope you didn't have some human ribs to do a side by side comparison...

Just trying to give the "Alton Brown" education side of what that membrane is. I believe that, that membrane is exactly the same as ours is.

Sorry if my lesson in Anatomy and Physiology was offensive.

mrPalomar · 09-01-2011, 04:50 PM

The ribs turned out great! I'm glad I ended up removing the membrane, they were much easier to eat than the last time around.

Kenny Rogers · 09-01-2011, 05:09 PM

wow, silverskin or not, they look AMAZING!

silverfinger · 09-01-2011, 05:11 PM

I love beef ribs! Those ribs look great. How long did you cook them?

mrPalomar · 09-01-2011, 05:50 PM

I started them at 11:30am and then took them off and foiled them with some beef broth at 2:30pm because I was worried they'd be done too quickly. They went into a cooler at that point and I pulled them at 4:30, sauced them and cooked them for another hour. Cooked at 240 for the duration. They still had a good amount of chew and could have been cooked for another 30 minutes or so without hurting them, but they were delicious as is.

08-31-2011, 01:49 PM	#1
mrPalomar Is lookin for wood to cook with. Join Date: 07-31-08 Location: Eugene, OR	Beef Ribs Just put some nice looking beef ribs on the Primo XL. Rubbed with Magic Dust and cooking them with apple chunks. Last time I cooked these the silverskin on the back made them near inedible so I went at them pretty hard with the trimming this time around. A friend of mine claims that in good ribs the silverskin will soften up enough that you can chew it, what is the consensus here on how to trim beef ribs? Last edited by mrPalomar; 08-31-2011 at 02:33 PM..

08-31-2011, 02:11 PM	#2
deguerre somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 07-15-09 Location: Memphis, TN...Formerly of Decatur, AL	I don't bother on beef ribs. By the time they're done the membrane doesn't bother me or peels away easily if you want it removed. __________________ Guerry [FONT=Book Antiqua]Pit Beeatch for Team Munchkin[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua][B]Avatar by Northwest BBQ [/B][/FONT]"...In nature, there are predators. I believe the common denominator of the universe is not harmony, but chaos, hostility and murder..." Werner Herzog

08-31-2011, 02:20 PM	#3
che22879 is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 07-09-10 Location: Los Angeles Ca	I never take it off and we can eat them just fine. __________________ 2 Masterbuilt XL Smokehouse Smokers, Master Forge Smoker, Charbroil gas grill.

08-31-2011, 02:38 PM	#6
Gore Phizzy Join Date: 10-05-08 Location: Hiding out from blood suck ghost snake gods, Nazis and scrap iron chefs trying to harvest body parts Name/Nickname : Gore (surprise!)	I always remove it. It is pretty easy to do, takes about 30 seconds and makes the eating experience oh so much better. __________________ Assistant to a Mad BBQ Scientist (and a squirrel): Primo Oval XL, Small Offset, Gasser, Optigrill, UBS "I love everything about the pig, even the way she walks." -- Spanish proverb (\__/) (='.'=) This is the rabbit baby. Invests him in yours signature, (")_(") and the help rabbit baby takes over control of the world! Hmmmm, I wonder, WWGALD? Avatar courtesy of Grillman and NorthwestBBQ Promoted by Bigabyte to "Idiot #1" , and dubbed "Phizzy" by Sir Ron.

09-01-2011, 05:09 PM	#13
Kenny Rogers Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 07-13-11 Location: Medical Lake, WA	wow, silverskin or not, they look AMAZING! __________________ Chad Lindsey - Medical Lake, WA; Team - LindseyQ (Yes we're on Facebook)

08-31-2011, 02:28 PM	#4
tamadrummer is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 07-12-11 Location: Zephyrhills, FL	Silverskin may be able to breakdown to collagen in some form or fashion but the plural membrane will never ever breakdown. If the anatomy of an animal is similar to that of the human anatomy, the membrane on ribs is the covering on the lungs and that is why there are 2 layers on ribs. The visceral is what we peel away and the parietal is the layer left on the rib that holds the bones in place. I would get rid of the silverskin, it will not add to the meat and will likely take away from it.

08-31-2011, 02:35 PM	#5
mrPalomar Is lookin for wood to cook with. Join Date: 07-31-08 Location: Eugene, OR	Yeah, I'm pretty sure he was talking about the membrane under the silverskin. With the last batch I cooked that membrane was very difficult to chew, so I removed it this time. Hopefully they'll still hold together alright and won't dry out too.

08-31-2011, 02:58 PM	#7
jemezspring is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 10-09-09 Location: Chicago Proper	I have a terrible time getting rid of the membrane on the beef ribs I buy so I just leave it. It can be a little of a pain but when cooked the meat pulls away so cleanly that it has never been an issue for me. By the way, nice looking ribs. Cant wait to see the outcome.

08-31-2011, 04:07 PM	#8
mrPalomar Is lookin for wood to cook with. Join Date: 07-31-08 Location: Eugene, OR	Yeah, the first rack took probably 15 minutes to clean up, but i did much better on the second one. I found that it was easiest to slide a paring knife in at each rib from the end to separate the membrane there and then work my way between the ribs. I was able to pull a good section (2 inches or so) of the membrane from the long end that way and then i worked my way across the flat section and up along the curve last. The second rack only took about 5 minutes and looked much better than my first hack at it. I peeked at the ribs a little bit ago and they look fantastic, my only worry is that they're going to finish too early. Thinking about foiling them in a cooler for a couple of hours then returning them to the grill to sauce and finish them up.

08-31-2011, 05:15 PM	#9
Sleepy Smoker Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 08-21-10 Location: Northern Illinois	I am no expert on beef ribs, as I have only done them a handful of times, but in my experience I have found that I much preferred the ribs after I spent the time to remove the silverskin. Not to derail the thread, and I suppose this topic wouldn't be really doing so, but has anyone else had a tougher time removing the membrane on beef ribs as opposed to pork ribs, which I find to be quite easy. I don't know why it has worked out that way for me, but I have had a heck of a time removing the membrane on the few racks of beef ribs I have prepared. As I said before, I think that were far better that way, so I will continue to do so in the future, extra work or not. Just wondered if anyone else out that had had a similar experience. EDIT: Originally I had clicked on this thread a few hours ago, got distracted by other activities, and just returned to the computer. I see now that a couple of the more recent responses address what I was talking about.

08-31-2011, 07:51 PM	#10
jalon On the road to being a farker Join Date: 05-08-11 Location: Hanahan, SC	Jeez Tamadrummer, hope you didn't have some human ribs to do a side by side comparison...

09-01-2011, 04:50 PM	#12
mrPalomar Is lookin for wood to cook with. Join Date: 07-31-08 Location: Eugene, OR	The ribs turned out great! I'm glad I ended up removing the membrane, they were much easier to eat than the last time around.

09-01-2011, 05:11 PM	#14
silverfinger Babbling Farker Join Date: 08-02-10 Location: Santa Poco.	I love beef ribs! Those ribs look great. How long did you cook them? __________________ At my age, "A good fire is better then anything" Ten Bears. Dances With Wolves Smoking up the "Fattened Fat Of The Cow". Got a stick-burner! :mrgreen: UDS In Progress: Thank's Q-Junky! :thumb: Blackstone griddle. 50 year Old Imperial Kamado with ears. Fire pit. Weber Kettle.

09-01-2011, 05:50 PM	#15
mrPalomar Is lookin for wood to cook with. Join Date: 07-31-08 Location: Eugene, OR	I started them at 11:30am and then took them off and foiled them with some beef broth at 2:30pm because I was worried they'd be done too quickly. They went into a cooler at that point and I pulled them at 4:30, sauced them and cooked them for another hour. Cooked at 240 for the duration. They still had a good amount of chew and could have been cooked for another 30 minutes or so without hurting them, but they were delicious as is.

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