The ribs are probably the most delicious part of any beef meat. We have so much craving about this delicacy that sometimes we cook more than we can consume. Hey, do not worry. You are the only one guilty here. Learning how to reheat ribs or preserve it can solve the problem.
We occasionally have leftovers, but we are not saying that is okay. A leftover is still a leftover. And it is a bad, and unethical thing to do make waste out of food.
Many poor people around the world go hungry today, and sometimes being sensitive about such matter is always the right thing to do.
Now, if you want to skip that moral obligation, then you should know how to reheat ribs. Usually, we cook about at least 1 pound of ribs per person.
Is that too much? No, because half of the weight of the chunk is bone. Even cooking brisket or pulled the meat, we usually serve a pound because of the shrinkage and waste during the cooking process.
It is not that much, but leftovers are sure guaranteed. To make the meat edible again, we should learn at least how to reheat ribs. There are some ways of preserving the meat other than reheating the ribs, but we will teach you this one first before anything else.
There are ways to reheat the ribs, but we learned some good methods to make it tasty again Continue reading to find them out!
The things you need
For reheating the ribs, we will tell you that using the oven and grill are the best methods that you have. Reheating the meat in the microwave is another way aside from the grill and oven, but there are some concerns that justifies the use of microwave unadvisable.
An oven thermometer is also helpful to measure the temperature precisely if you are using a grill. Layers of foils are also required.
Reheating the Ribs (On the Oven)
If necessary, thaw the ribs that you want to warm first. In preheating the oven, make sure that the temperature will not exceed 121 degrees Celsius or 250 degrees Fahrenheit. Any above this can cause the meat to shrink and sturdy. It is not nice and fun to eat a shrunk and tough meat, right?
Afterward, you have to inject the meat all over with the barbecue sauce. This is to ensure that the flavor will sink into the meat again. For this process, you need to cover the meat with foil—two layers just to be safe. Be careful not to damage the foil!
And oh, before sealing the meat into the foil, add around a ¼ cup of water to it. The water will prevent the meat from drying and shriveling out.
If you are not using barbecue sauce, then we have some alternatives that we can suggest to you. You can either put water, apple juice, white wine, broth or stock in the layers of foil.
When all preparations are set and done, you can already put the covered ribs onto the cooking sheet. Make sure that you will place it on the center frame of your oven.
The temperature is always vital on reheating the ribs. You have to heat the ribs until it center reaches 66 degrees Celsius or 155 degrees Fahrenheit. Once again, too much heat can shrink the meat and make it tougher to eat.
Usually, the heating period of ribs will take up an hour. Larger chunks of meat take more time to heat compared to the smaller cuts. So you have to contain your appetite first for this period until such time the reheating is finished.
And that is not the last of the process. No, not yet. Just calm your churning stomach right there!
The next step will be taking out the ribs to take out the foil. This time, you have to put it again on the cooking sheet and set the mode to “Broil”. Place the ribs there for around 5 to 10 minutes.
Don’t forget to leave the door of the oven open. Flip the meat to the opposite side until the barbecue sauce bubbles up. Closing the door of the oven can shut the thermostat off.
In this process, you have to watch your ribs carefully because the barbecue sauce can turn into carbon black liquid in just minutes.
After this, remove the ribs in the oven and let it sit in for 5 minutes before you will start eating it. Bon appetit!
This process applies to other meats. But those meats that came off fresh from the grill will not be as tasty as they were used to be since the flavors induced by smoke are evaporated during the oxidation process. However, reheating them will still make them delicious and edible.
Reheating the Ribs (On the Grill)
Once again, if it is applicable, thaw the rib meat that you want to reheat.
In this process, you need to have a good oven thermometer by your side so that you can measure the temperature precisely. You are not aided by the thermostat of the oven anymore but still, remember that measuring the heat is necessary.
Paint both sides of the meat with barbecue sauce, together with the ribs.
Your grill should be heated up to 120 degrees Celsius. The lid should be closed when you are doing this. This temperature is on the medium setting if you do it on a gas grill. If you have no way of measuring the temperature, then your oven thermometer is your rescue.
Same as on the oven process, you have to wrap your ribs in layers of foil—two to be exact.
Put the ribs on the part of the grill where there is only indirect heat. Heat it there until the center reaches 66 degree Celsius. Afterward, you have to take out the foil from the ribs. Grill the meat directly for 5 to 10 minutes per each side until you can see that the sauce is already bubbling.
Remove the ribs and let it cool down before you serve it.
Reheating the Ribs (On a Microwave)
If we have to attribute any advantages to microwave over oven and grill, it will be speed.
However, there are some considerations that you note before reheating your ribs in a microwave. Heating it for a long time inside a microwave can all get the water and steam inside the meat get excited.
In turn, this will make the meat mushy. Not only that, the fats and the sauce can get messy inside the microwave.
Unlike the oven or a grill, microwave can also make the sauce gooey. Grills and oven, when used in reheating the ribs, can make the sauce firm and caramel-like in texture.
So how do we solve that?
Putting the meat in any plastic container or wrap can prevent any of those instances from happening. However, we are not somehow sold out with the use of plastic inside the microwave. To be frank, we don’t want to recommend the use of plastic to you.
We may be somehow superstitious at some point, but we haven’t seen enough proof yet that plastics are safe to use inside the microwave.
There are some reports that microwaves release certain compounds into some plastics that can harm the quality and safety of the food. Apparently, we share this same concern with gourmets from AmazingRibs.
In using the microwave, start for a minute and then feel the meat if it is ready to eat. We cannot determine the exact of time of heating the meat inside the oven.
Let’s beef it up!
So there you go, we have taught you the right process of heating the ribs. It is not hard and meticulous as what you are thinking. If you have the appropriate cooking apparatus, then doing this will be a lot easier actually.
We also want to encourage you to reheat any meat or food that you think you can still eat. Remember, we don’t want to waste food on our plates.
Are there any questions or comments in your mind? Ask us!
