Well-cooked ribs are essential in any occasion. No matter the cooking method you choose to prepare your ribs, they will never let you down. People around the world are ready to spend as much money as they can as long as they are assured they’ll get well-cooked ribs.
You can decide to boil, fry, or even barbecue your favorite ribs, be it beef, pork, or mutton ribs. The list of cooking methods for this delicious meal is endless. When it comes to cooking pork ribs, they come in two basic kinds. There are the back ribs and also the side ribs.
Preparation Before Cooking Ribs
When it comes to cooking ribs, be it beef, pork, or mutton, there needs to be some preparations to ensure that everything is in place. The preparation depends on the cooking method used. Below, we are going to list down the preparation method of spiced ribs.
- Remove the membrane (this ensures easy fall-off of the bone ribs).
- Seasoning the ribs: Both sides will be seasoned with salt and pepper. You can as well add your favorite spices rub.
- Covering the ribs: The ribs will be covered with aluminum foil.
Cook the ribs with your chosen cooking method.
Note: There are people who advocate for the boiling of the ribs to soften them before using any other method to cook them.
Ingredients:
When it comes to cooking ribs, there are several ways of doing it successfully. There are different cooking methods and ingredients for every method you choose. Below is a list of different cooking methods and the ingredient of each.
For the marinade:
If you want to marinade ribs to make them tender and tastier, you need several ingredients. Some of these ingredients include;
For the spice rub:
If you want to prepare spice rub, you will need the following ingredients.
For serving:
When it comes to serving ribs, you can decide what exactly you want to serve it with. There are, however, a few suggestions given as follows:
How To Cook Ribs Fast
1. How to cook ribs in the oven fast
Cooking ribs over the oven give you the best and most delicious meal ever. The following is a simple yet very effective recipe for cooking ribs in an oven. You can decide on the oven cooked ribs with black-eyed peas and zucchini noodles or any other meal of your choice. The process followed in cooking ribs in the oven is as follows.
Ingredients
Method
- Use the spice rub to smother on both sides of your pork ribs.
- The second step is placing the ribs side down on a clean baking pan lined with a foil. To take care of the juices released during the cooking process, look for a baking pan with a lip.
- Once you’ve correctly placed the ribs on the pan, seal it tightly using a foil and start the baking process. (Covering with a foil ensures the ribs remain moist as the steam captured by the foil also assists in the cooking).
- Once they have are well cooked and ready, remove the foil and keep your meat aside to rest. Once they are completely cool, you can decide to keep them in the fridge if it’s still early to serve.
2. How To Grill Ribs Fast
Apart from cooking your meat in the oven, you can also decide to grill it. Grilling ribs might be cumbersome and time consuming, but the results are just worth the wait. The fact that grilled ribs cook slowly gives it a perfect and unique taste that is compared to none. the process involves:
Ingredients
For the marinade
For the meat
For the spice rub
For serving
Method
Remove the membrane
Many ribs have a silverskin or a membrane on the lower side. Although some butchers remove it for their clients, many don’t. Therefore, you must remove it before cooking. This is done by inserting a knife between the meat and the membrane (loosen the under skin slowly using your fingers). To tug it off, you’ll need a paper towel wrapped around your hand to get a good grip. Pull off the membrane gently but firmly.
Make the marinade
Marinating pork ribs before grilling them enhances their flavor. It gives it a satisfying and deep delicious taste and ready to eat even without putting it in a barbecue sauce. Making the marinade involves mixing the chicken broth, ½ cup sugar, soy sauce, olive oil, vinegar, and garlic in a measuring cup or a bowl. Spread the meat in a thin baking dish and pour 2/3 of your mixer (marinade) over the ribs). Turn the ribs to ensure they are coated on both sides then put in the refrigerator overnight.
Spice rub the ribs
The spice rub is made by mixing a few ingredients in a bowl. These ingredients are; ½ cup sugar, salt, and seasonings. Remove the ribs from the fridge and discard the excess from the shallow pan. Dry the ribs by patting to help the spice rub stick. Rub the spice rub on both sides and pat to ensure it sticks on the meat.
Grill
You should cook the ribs low and slow to get perfect results. The ribs are mostly placed over indirect heat; therefore, if the grill is too hot, it dries out the meat. Use tongs to rightly place the ribs on the grill and start the grilling process. Cover your meat and grill it covered on each side for 30 minutes each.
After approximately one hour, push the ribs to medium heat for around 20 to 40 minutes. Keep checking until the meat is tender to your liking. Turn the meat occasionally basting with the reserved marinade, or you can use barbecue sauce. Keep checking to ensure the sugars don’t caramelize, giving you burnt ribs.
Continue checking for doneness to ensure you don’t end up with a messy work (ribs falling off the bone). Once the meat starts pulling away from the bone ends, it’s a clear sign the meat is ready. The easy-gliding off of tines when the meat is pierced with a fork means its ready to be served.
Serving
Serving your grilled ribs demands them to be split into manageable portions. A sharp chef’s knife is the best for dividing your grilled baby back ribs. The cut should be very close to the bone to ensure there’s a lot of meat on every side. You can serve with big glasses of lemonade, corn on the cob, and more barbecue sauce.
Also Read.. How To Grill A Porterhouse Steak
Dos and Don’ts of grilling
Everything has its safety precautions, and so does grilling as a cooking method. These safety precautions are;
Dos
a) Your grill should be kept not less than 10 feet away from the house.
These include; porches, overhangs, garages, carports etc. don’t keep it close to any flammable items like porch railings.
b) The grill should be cleaned regularly:
Keeping the grill in good shape is very important, especially if you don’t use it regularly. Letting the grill stay dirty with fat and grease build-ups can lead to major fires.
c) Check for gas leaks:
This is done by making a soapy water solution and applying it around the connections, open propane tank valve, and the hose that leads to the grill. However, switch off your grill when doing this.
d) Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions:
No matter the model of the grill you are using, always keep the lead open and never try to lean on a grill when lighting it.
e) Make prior arrangements:
Make good use of your preparation time. This means you settle on what you are going to grill and calculate the time it will take to grill. The prior arrangement ensures you spend the least amount of time standing in front of the heat.
f) Be ready for any uncertainty:
With all the prior arrangements and taking the precautions at hand, you might still encounter some uncertainties. Therefore, it is advisable always to have a spray bottle of water close by in case a minor flare-up occurs. At the same time, ensure there is a fire extinguisher within reach to take care of major fires.
Don’ts of grilling
a) Never leave your grill unattended:
keep your pets and children away from the grill. Not just when it’s on but also a few hours after using it.
b) Wear well-fitting clothes while grilling:
Loose-fitting or baggy clothes can easily catch fire leading to unexpected fires.
c) Don’t re-light the grill immediately after it goes off:
If you are grilling using a gas grill and the flame goes out while grilling, wait for not less than 5 minutes then re-light it.
d) Never overload your grill:
If you are grilling fattier ribs, don’t put too much on the grill. Too much fat drip can cause a flare-up, which ends up ruining your meal.
e) Never use grill in-doors:
grills should be used in open space due to the release of carbon monoxide, which is very dangerous to both you and your family. At the same time, it is a fire hazard.
Other Grills
How to cook ribs on gas grill fast
Getting grilled beef ribs or grilled pork ribs from a gas grill is not very easy. The fact that gas grills are used to hot and fast cooking but when it comes to turning a rack of baby-back ribs into soft, smoky barbecue.
What do you need?
Method
The preparation of pork ribs to be grilled on a gas grill is the same as for the above.
The steps are:
- Prepare the ribs: This involves some basic trimming and comes up with a square-shaped rack of ribs with even thickness.
- Rub the ribs: add your well-prepared rub or buy one from the store and apply it on the ribs. This will add good flavor to the meat.
- Place them on the grill: cook the ribs with indirect heat to ensure they don’t overcook or dry.
- Wrap the ribs: wrap the ribs tightly with a foil to ensure all the apple juice stays inside the packet. Place them back to the grill, close the lid, and increase the temperature to a maximum of 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Barbecue sauce: Turn off the grill after 30 minutes and unwrap the ribs. They will be ready to be served, so add the barbecue sauce if you prefer it that way.
How To Cook Ribs On A Charcoal Grill Fast
Every cooking method has its beauty. Grilled beef ribs on a charcoal grill have a unique taste that you cannot find anywhere else. Below are the ingredients and the method of preparing your grilled pork ribs.
Ingredients
Liquid seasoning
Dry rub
Instructions
- Remove the membrane or the silverskin.
- Combine the dry rub ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
- Apply the dry rub onto both sides of the ribs generously.
- Build a charcoal grill
- On the void side of the grill, add a small aluminum pan and fill halfway with water.
- Heat the charcoal grill up to 250 degree F then place the ribs side by side.
- Cook for around 2 hours and 15 minutes over indirect heat.
- Remove the meat from the grill and place them on a doubled aluminum foil square and pour the already mixed liquid seasoning over each slab.
- Wrap the meat tightly with the foil and place them back to the grill for another one hour at the same temperature.
- Remove them from the grill and unwrap the meat. Place the grilled ribs back to the grill and brush the barbecue sauce on both sides if you so wish. Grill them for an additional 15 minutes for the sauce to caramelize.
- Serve with your favorite dish.
Does Boiling Ribs Before Grilling Help?
Many people choose to parboil spareribs before grilling them. They may decide to boil them for just a few minutes or over an extended period to tenderize the meat. This helps in removing the excess oil as well as making the process of removing the inner skin easier.
Although parboiling ribs before grilling might be advantageous, it might also turn out negative. Therefore, if you have to parboil, make it short of ensuring the meat doesn’t lose its water and its natural flavor.
Special Tips for grilled ribs recipe
When you plan to surprise your friends or treat them with grilled ribs meal, always remember that it is not an easy affair. At the same time, it is very costly and might turn out a disaster if not well planned. Below are a few tips on how to grill ribs and make it a successful celebration.
I. Choose the right cuts
Although it matters with your preference, but pork ribs are easier to grill than beef ribs. Many chefs chose to grill pork ribs but baby back ribs works better. They are tastier and cook easily.
II. Prepare ribs for the grill
The first thing you need to do when preparing the ribs is removing the membrane. However, there are some cooks who retain it saying it helps in retaining moisture in the ribs. Once you’ve dealt with the membrane per your choice, apply yellow mustard followed by a spice rub. Let the flavor sit on for 24 hrs.
III. Remember the do’s and don’ts of grilling
Start your grilling process and always remember the dos and don’ts of grilling. This will ensure that you remain safe and you are able to enjoy your grilled ribs to the last piece. Ensure that you have all the recipes at hand and learn to play with your grilling time and temperatures.
IV. Remove the ribs from the fire using tongs
This will ensure that you don’t get burnt by the hot ribs. At the same time, you’ll avoid using a fork as it will make some flavor escape.
V. Let your meat cool before serving
Before serving the meat, allow it to stay for about 15 minutes for it to cool down before serving it. serve it with BBQ sauce enough to your liking. Letting the ribs cool down allows you to enjoy the meat more without fear of getting burnt.
VI. Follow the above tips
Always remember these tips and you will never go wrong in preparing your delicious grilled ribs.
Also Read.. How To Clean A Flat Top Grill
Conclusion:
Grilled ribs are one of the most precious meals in any celebration. Apart from the meat being delicious, the preparation and the cooking process allows you to enjoy spending precious time with your loved ones.
Although grilling ribs might prove to be very expensive and not something done every now and then, it is worth the sacrifice. Take your time to study all the grilling methods listed above and chose the one that suits you best. Also choose a favorable accompaniment to serve with your grilled ribs.
FAQs
Below are the frequently asked questions and the simplest answers to them all.
Should I wrap ribs in foil when baking?
Wrapping ribs in an aluminum foil is becoming a popular technique in barbecuing and smoking. It is also possible to use the technique at our home ovens while cooking ribs. It works in tenderizing the meat, retaining the juicy meat and decreasing cooking time.
Is it better to boil ribs before cooking?
Although there are many cooks who prefer parboiling ribs before grilling them, there are those who against it. While some believe parboiling tenderize the ribs, some feel it makes them loose their natural flavor.
Does vinegar make ribs tender?
Apart from tenderizing the meat, it is advisable to use vinegar on ribs as it also pulls of the salt from the meat. This makes it tastier and retains its natural taste.
Can I use apple cider vinegar on ribs?
Apple cider vinegar is the most commonly used vinegar in tenderizing meat before barbequing. Apple cider vinegar also gives the ribs a sweet flavor and infuses your barbecue sauce. There is therefore all the reasons why you should make this an important must have in your kitchen.