Have you ever found yourself with stacks of leftover ribs after a cookout or dinner party? Storing them in the freezer is one thing, reheating them the following day (or week!) is another.
So do you know how to reheat ribs while keeping them juicy? I’ve tried many ways to reheat leftover ribs, and I’m telling you right now that not all of them will result in a moist and flavorful rib meat.
To spare you the trouble of ending up with dry or soggy leftover ribs, I’ll share four great ways to reheat them. Then I’ll tell you what my personal favorite is. Ready? Let’s go!
Method 1: Reheating in the Oven
What You Need
- Oven
- Aluminum foil
- Barbecue sauce
- Cooking sheet or baking pan
- Meat thermometer
To use the oven method, take out the leftover ribs from the refrigerator and let them sit at room temperature until they are thawed out.
Preheat the oven to 250°F (121°C) for 5 to 10 minutes. Coat your ribs with barbecue sauce to help keep the meat moist and juicy. I like using Bull’s Eye Original Barbecue Sauce because I like my ribs sweet and smoky, but you can try other brands, too.
Put the ribs on a sheet of aluminum foil and wrap the sheet all over the ribs. Then wrap another layer to keep the moisture locked in the meat. Place the ribs onto the cooking sheet or baking pan and then put the pan in your oven.
Reheat the meat for one hour, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 155°F (66°C). Use your meat thermometer to check the temperature.
Remove the baking pan from the oven and unwrap the foil. Transfer the ribs to a plate and serve.
Method 2: Reheating Using the Broiler Method
What You Need
- Oven with broiler
- Barbecue sauce
- Broiler pan
- Tongs
- Aluminum foil
The broiler method is similar to the first method in that you also use the oven to reheat your ribs. The main difference is that you don’t wrap the ribs in foil and then set them in the oven. Instead, you let the meat reheat directly via the broiler.
To use the broiler method, thaw your meat by letting it sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. This helps the meat get warmer faster without ending up soggy.
Set the broiler to Low and preheat for a few minutes. In the meantime, slather your favorite barbecue sauce on all sides of the ribs.
Arrange your ribs on the broiler pan so that their curved side faces up. Place the pan under the broiler and cook for 2 to 4 minutes or until the barbecue sauce starts to bubble.
Using a pair of tongs, flip the ribs to the other side and place back under the broiler. Cook for another 3 to 5 minutes. To know if your ribs are good to go, check out the sauce and fat drippings. When the sauce looks caramelized and the fat starts to drip down the broiler’s tray, you can take out the ribs from the broiler.
Loosely wrap the ribs in a sheet of aluminum foil and let them rest for at least 5 minutes. Remove from the foil and serve.
Method 3: Reheating on the Electric Grill
What You Need
- Electric grill
- Barbecue sauce
- Aluminum foil
- Meat thermometer
To use an electric grill, thaw your meat at room temperature for 30 minutes or more. Then coat the ribs with a generous helping of barbecue sauce.
Preheat your grill to 250°F (121°C). Wrap your rib meat in two layers of aluminum foil and then place on the grill, away from direct heat. Close the electric grill’s door and reheat the meat until it reaches an internal temperature of 155°F (66°C). Use your meat thermometer to check.
Unwrap the foil and place back the ribs on the grill, but set them over direct heat this time. Reheat one side for 5 minutes, and then flip over to the other side and heat for another 5 minutes.
Remove the meat from the low cost gas grill and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Serve.
Method 4: Reheating Sous Vide
What You Need
- Sous vide machine (thermal convection or immersion circulator)
- Air-tight plastic bag
- Vacuum sealer
- Water
- Tongs
Sous vide is a fairly new way of cooking and reheating all kinds of food, and it’s very easy to do, too. Grant Crilly from ChefSteps demonstrates to Eater’s Nick Solares the difference of reheating meat by pan and by sous vide.
From the video, it’s clear that the sous vide method keeps the meat’s juices intact, so you’re left with a juicy and delicious dish. Watch the complete video here:
Compared to other methods, you don’t need to thaw your meat before placing it in the sous vide machine. However, I still prefer to do this because it cuts my reheating time by a couple of minutes.
To reheat sous vide, place your ribs (frozen or thawed) in an air-tight bag and seal the bag using a vacuum sealer. Add water in the sous vide machine and place the vacuum-sealed ribs in it for a water bath.
Set the machine to 160°F (71°C) and let the ribs cook for half an hour (for thawed meat) to 45 minutes (for frozen ribs). Using a pair of tongs, remove the ribs from the sous vide machine and cut away the plastic bag. Place the meat on a plate and serve.
Conclusion
I love reheating ribs sous vide because it keeps all the juices and flavors of the meat intact. It is also the simplest method among the four: Just drop the vacuum-sealed ribs in the sous vide machine, wait for 30 to 45 minutes, and you’re done!
If you don’t have a sous-vide machine, the oven, broiler, and grill methods work well, too. Just make sure you monitor the time and temperature of your meat, so you don’t lose any of its flavors.
Do you know other ways to reheat ribs? Share them in the comments’ section below. I’d love to hear from you! And please take the time to share this article with your family and friends. Now go and enjoy those juicy ribs!
My family loves ribs! I’ll have to try this method next time.
What a wonderful and in-depth look at reheating ribs. Sous vide would be a great way to reheat quite a few dishes, not only ribs, to keep them moist. Well done on the research.
lol, leftover ribs… You are sooooo funny 😉 😀 Just kidding, great post!
Great to know… Love ribs! I’ll give your methods a go next time. Thanks.
Not that I ever get leftover ribs (it’s always the first thing to end!), but these tips are great! Thanks for an informative post!