Membrane or no membrane

Do you pull the membrane off your ribs before cooking them?
Also, how long before you put them on the grill do you put the rub on?

I always pull my membrane off and I usually try to season or dry brine ribs the night before.

I typically remove the membrane.

I remove mine as well. Use my catfish skinners, they work really good.

I agree on this .

Moonpie1 said:

I remove mine as well. Use my catfish skinners, they work really good.

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I leave it. It doesn't seem to bother anybody and I saw some thing about Rendezvous BBQ in Memphis TN on TV one time and the guy said he thinks it holds moisture in. I haven't done a comparison.

Do not

whatsoever, pull a membrane off of anything around here ever, beef or pork! We like bark, we like crunchy. If I could buy a pack of membrane I would and deep fry it!
I do think it helps hold some moisture in especially on baby backs. Take a whole chicken for example, split it open (spatchcock) lay the cavity over the coals or heat.
Think sacrificial! It won't burn up and it takes the heat with out drying out the meat! Then I would rather eat the back and the ribs and crunch the bones than eat the meat and skin. Indirectly yes you can get more smoke and flavor into a rib with membrane removed, but something you smoke for 3 hours plus, it if ain't getting enough smoke or flavor with the membrane on, you need to find you some better ribs. A little trick for you to get more smoke and still have membrane is to just run a knife between each rib and score the membrane. As it cooks the membrane will just tighten up and stick to the bone and act as if you removed it. Then those who like peeling the or knowing the membrane still can and those who don't can go for the meat! It's a win win!

For years never did and then I think on this forum saw where someone did and so I started. think I'm going back to leaving it on. What harm could it possible do on the back side. Maybe a better rib without maybe just extra work for nothing.

I normally do.

As far as rub.....sometimes I'll apply it the night before and saran wrap them and throw back into the fridge.

I've been rushed before and left membranes on and shook the rub on just before or after throwing on the grill.......nobody died and the ribs turned out okay. It's all about what you have time for.

I also used to carefully trim the fat off butts. No longer. I just score it really deeply in 1" sections and cook it fat side down on my kamado. It mostly melts away.

Thanks for the replies.
I will leave the membrane on, score it and put the rub on it the night before cooking it. I'm using a Holland grill and looking forward to the results.
Thanks again and have a great weekend.

I've tried it both ways, and nowadays I always take it off. They seem to cook and turn out better that way for me. As for the rub, I used to put it on the night before, but I stopped after having a couple racks that were already starting to cure with the outside tasting like ham. I usually pull the membrane and slather on a little mustard and lay the rub to them while my fire is getting going and up to temp, nowadays.