Ribs: Skin to Win

On the back of every spare or babyback rib is a membrane.  A great debate in BBQ is whether to remove the membrane or not.  Most cooks remove it believing that it allows spice and smoke to penetrate the underside of the rib rack.  Many restaurants won’t remove the skin.  Is this to save time?

Recently, I heard the theory that restaurants leave the membrane so that the rack stays together if overcooked.  This seems to be a likely reason to me.

Removing the membrane can be a tough challenge if you’ve never done it before.  The easiest way is to find an edge, grab with a paper towel and pull.  Removing the membrane is called “skinning” your ribs.