Ribs are one of the most delicious parts of any animal because they are juicy, and when cooked properly, there won’t be anything more succulent and tender.
For this reason, many people purchase multiple packs of ribs at once and store them in the freezer for quick access.
However, cooking frozen ribs is often a challenge because people don’t know if ribs can be boiled directly from frozen or if they must be defrosted first.
In this article, we give you more information on this matter.
Can You Boil Frozen Ribs?
The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) tell us that it is safe to cook any type of meat directly from frozen provided extra cooking time is added. Ribs are usually boiled to tenderize them before finishing them off on the grill.
Yes, you can boil frozen ribs to cook them, but it would be much better if you thaw the ribs before cooking and boiling them for several reasons.
- Firstly, is no secret that ribs have a high fat content, and when they are boiled, it helps render some of the fat before the ribs are put on the grill for final cooking.
- Secondly, boiling ribs makes it easier to remove the membrane or skin which if left on causes the meat to be tough.
- Lastly, boiling the ribs before grilling tenderizes them by softening the tough connective tissue.
The Best Method For Cooking Frozen Ribs
1. While you can boil ribs directly from frozen, it is not the recommended way. Instead, we suggest you thaw them first by putting them into the refrigerator overnight.
If you are in a hurry, put the plastic-wrapped pack of ribs into a cold water bath. You can use your clean sink for this. This will defrost the ribs in an hour or two after which they can be boiled.
2. If you are determined to boil the ribs directly from frozen, bear in mind that you will need to extend the cooking time by about 50%.
To ensure the ribs are properly cooked, avail yourself of a meat thermometer. When the meat reaches an inner temperature of about 200 degrees, it is done and can now be grilled.
3. When boiling your frozen ribs, put them into a large pot, cover them with cold water, and bring them to a boil over high heat. Add any salt or aromatics at this point.
Once boiling rapidly, turn the flame down, put the lid on, and leave the ribs to simmer until done as described above. You can now drain the water, brush the ribs with sauce or marinade, and grill them to perfection.
4. Consider using your pressure cooker to boil your ribs from frozen. It will shorten the cooking time considerably and give you a tender, succulent result.
Disadvantages Of Cooking Ribs Directly From Frozen
- Depending on how they have been packaged, it can be difficult to remove the packaging from around the frozen meat and to fit the hard, rigid ribs into the pot.
- The cooking time will be extended by at least 50%.
- The center of the meat takes a long time to cook through.
- You will not have a chance to check the meat for spoilage before cooking it.
To Conclude
You can boil ribs, whether pork or beef, directly from frozen but we recommend defrosting them first for best results.