If you’re new to BBQ, or you just haven’t done a lot of pork ribs, you may be missing an important step in your preparation process! The membrane that lines the back of the slab of ribs needs to come off before cooking. Skipping this step can lead to ribs that are tough to bite into and also keep smoke and seasonings from penetrating the meat.

Follow these steps to remove the membrane:

1. Position your slab of ribs so that the bones curve up and the meaty side is down.

2. Use a knife or fork to pry the membrane off one corner of your slab of ribs.

3. Grip the skin with a paper towel and pull. The paper towel will give you the traction you need to grip the membrane and remove it!

4. Finally, use your fork to further tenderize by puncturing each rib between the bones several times!

Take Backyard Bash’s May 15th Smoking 101: Ribs & Chicken class to get hands-on experience prepping baby back ribs, plus advanced techniques! More info…