Meat lovers know this: There’s nothing quite as delicious as a gleaming, juicy rack of ribs with corn on the cob on the side along with a big helping of mashed potatoes.
Of course, delicious as it might be, it’s not easy to have that kind of thing as often as one would want. After all, cooking ribs take a while, and not everyone has the time and patience to do this for more than special occasions.
Luckily, leftovers and frozen ribs are a thing, which is why we’re here to tell you how to reheat ribs and the 5 best way to reheat ribs.
- Read more: Pork Ribs vs Beef Ribs - Which Is Better?
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The Best Ways to Reheat Ribs
Let’s get started!
1. How To Reheat Ribs in The Microwave
- Read more: Best Microwave-Toaster Combo Oven
We’re not going to lie; this isn’t our favorite way of reheating anything, never mind precious ribs but sometimes convenience is in order, and it doesn’t get more convenient than microwave ovens.
If you can’t wait to get your rib on this method is the fastest, easiest way of doing it:
Items Needed
You’ll need:
- Microwave safe plastic container
Or
- Microwave safe plate and Plastic Wrap.
Step by Step
The one and only downside of juicy ribs are that they can make a mess so make sure to place your ribs in a microwave safe container before popping them into the oven.
Start heating them at a two-minute interval and check every time the timer goes off. You don’t want to heat up the ribs too much, or they’ll turn mushy, but you also don’t want to eat anything cold so stand in front of that microwave and check your ribs until they’re perfect.
If you don’t have plastic containers, then you can reheat the ribs without them, but we suggest you use plastic wrap to keep grease and sauce to splatter all over your oven.
2. How to Reheat Ribs in the Oven
- Read more: Best Countertop Convection Oven
If the thought of dry ribs make you grind your teeth, and you have time to spare, then we highly recommend reheating your ribs in the oven. While lengthy, this process ensures juicy and tender results… as long as you’re careful about what you’re doing.
Items Needed
You’ll need:
- BBQ Sauce
- Foil
- Cooking sheet
- Meat thermometer
- A convection oven
Step by Step
Now, heating up ribs in the oven is pretty straight forward. You heat up the oven, stick the ribs inside and wait…right?
Wrong!
While that method is going to heat up the ribs just fine it will also dry them so this is what you want to do:
1. Preheat your oven to 250 degrees.
2. Cover your ribs with BBQ sauce. You want to be liberal here, as this will help keep your ribs from drying.
3. Wrap the ribs in at least 2 layers of foil. This will keep your meat juicy and tender; just be careful not to tear it, as this will ruin everything.
4. Place the ribs in the cooking shit and put it in the oven for about an hour or until the center of the meat is at about 155 degrees.
For extra delicious results, you can remove the foil and set the ribs to “Broil” for another 5 to 10 minutes.
3. How to Reheat Ribs in Boiling Water
Wait, what?
Believe it or not, you can actually reheat entire rib racks using only boiling water.
While not a common method it’s probably one of the easiest and most accessible ones out there.
Items Needed
What you’ll need
- A deep enough pot
- Stove
- Plastic sealed ribs (be it homemade or store bought)
It’s necessary for the ribs to be sealed to ensure no water comes into contact with them. Remember, you’ll be submerging the ribs in boiling water and if any gets in contact with the meat, it will not only wash away the flavor but also dry them up.
Step by Step
This is what you need to do:
1. Bring the water to a simmer or slight boil. You don’t want the water bubbling and jumping everywhere; it’s dangerous, and it will heat up things way too fast.
2. Make sure the ribs don’t have any pointy bits. If you can see any bone practically poking through the plastic is better if you just reheat them in a different way.
3. It should take 20-25 minutes to reheat the ribs thoroughly, but you might want to check them from time to time. (This calculation was made using 4lbs of ribs, adjust accordingly based on how many ribs you’re going to reheat)
Make sure to measure the amount of water you’ll need before you start boiling the water. You can do this by placing the ribs in the pot and filling it with water until the ribs are completely covered. Don’t forget to take out the ribs before you start boiling.
4. How to reheat Ribs in the Broiler
This is very similar to the oven method; the biggest difference is that broilers tend to be smaller. Thus you’ll need to change a few things.
Despite the similarities, this is a faster way of cooking, but it’s not the best when it comes to reheating large quantities of meat.
Items Needed
You’ll need:
- BBQ Sauce of your preference
- Foil
- Cooking sheet
Step by Step
Again, the process is very similar so you already know most of it but there are a handful of things you should keep in mind:
1. Arrange the broiler racks so that the ribs are 6 inches or so away from the broiler, then preheat.
2. Cut the ribs into serving sizes and place on your cooking sheet with the curve side up.
3. Broil the ribs for 5 minutes or until the BBQ sauce starts to bubble; turn the ribs so the meat side is facing up and repeat until the sauce bubbles.
4. Remove the ribs and cover the cooking sheet with foil. Let it sit for 5 minutes, as this will help spread the heat and finish up the cooking process.
Reheating ribs in the broiler can be a little complicated which is why this method is better suited for those cooking for themselves, for a partner or for a small family
5. How to Reheat Ribs on the Grill
We believe the best way to reheat ribs, and indeed to prepare just about every kind of meat, is to do it on the grill. Not only is the experience completely different but meat never tastes as good as when it’s cooked on the grill.
This is why we saved the best for last.
Items Needed
You’ll need:
- BBQ Sauce
- Foil
- Tongs
Step by Step
This should take around half an hour or less so let’s jump straight into the action:
1. Heat your grill to 250 degrees. Make sure to keep the lid closed.
2. Cover your ribs with BBQ Sauce and wrap in foil. Two layers work best.
3. Set the foil wrapped ribs on the grill, keeping them away from direct heat and heat them up until the meat is around 155 degrees.
4. Remove the foil and place the grill directly over the heat for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
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Conclusion
Now you know the best ways to reheat ribs. Feeling hungry yet?
We hope you enjoyed this list and, more importantly, that you find it useful.
If you have any questions, or you think we missed a reheating method let us know in the comments! You may also enjoy: how to cook ribs on the grill and pork vs beef ribs.
Thanks again for reading.