1. Remove the Ribs from the Packaging and Pat Dry
Use a paper towel to pat dry both sides.
2. Have the Ribs Bone Side Up to Remove Flap Meat
This piece has a tendency to burn when left on and will cook unevenly from the rest of the rack.
Removing the flap is as simple as gliding your knife underneath it.
You want to remove this piece so that the bone-side is flush.
It’s also wonderful meat – it’s essentially the equivalent of skirt steak on a cow.
You could grill later – just be sure to remove the membrane.
3. Remove the Rib Tips
The rib tip doesn’t contain any bones – although the breast bone can sometimes be attached.
While it’s a decent portion of meat, it’s also filled with cartilage; For this reason, most people don’t enjoy eating them.
On every rack of spare ribs there will be an end with small bones and an end with large bones.
Count 4 ribs from the large bone side and make a parallel cut.
Note: The small bone found to the right of the 1st rib bone is removed in the next step.
Once you make that initial cut you want to continue in a parallel line, cutting all the way through the cartilage in order to remove the rib tip.
4. Remove Smaller Bones
From the large bone side, count 10 to 11 bones.
At the 10th or 11th bone, slice close to the small bone you’re removing so that the 10th or 11th bone on the rack has more meat on it.
On this rack, on the large bone side there was a sharp piece of bone left in the rack.
5. Flip the Rack Over and Remove the False Lean
The “false lean” is the chest muscle of the pig (labeled pectoralis below).
It’s a small layer of lean meat on top of silverskin and it’s less enjoyable to eat in comparison to the rest of the meat and cooks weird.
Not many people go over this part much but I think it’s worth removing.
If I’m being lazy, I’ll leave it on, it’s entirely personal preference.
In order to remove it, use your knife to initially cut into the seam/silverskin.
That surface fat remaining on the ribs will render without an issue.
6. Flip the Rack to the Bone Side and Remove the Membrane
It should be noted that there are 2 membranes on the back of ribs; Your goal is to remove the outer membrane.
You can use a butter knife or paper towel to grip and rip it.
OR just use a knife to cross-hatch/score the membrane.
