Yes, you can cook frozen ribs, but I don’t recommend it because it’s challenging to get delicious, juicy ribs this way.
As the designated BBQ expert, I frequently receive frantic calls from my friends. I responded “yes, but” to my friend’s question when she called me the other day and asked if I could cook frozen ribs. “. I decided that I should write a post about it after realizing that I have quite a bit to say on the subject.
I’ll explain why cooking frozen pork ribs is technically possible but ultimately not a good idea. I’ll also reveal the most effective techniques for thawing out your ribs. Lets begin!.
Can Ribs be Defrosted on the Kitchen Counter?
Defrosting ribs on the kitchen counter is not recommended. Due to their high fat content, ribs freeze thoroughly, which contributes to their delicious flavor. Many of the fatty juices will be released as they defrost and make a mess all over your counter. Because the water helps the meat to retain its flavorful juices, it is preferable to thaw them in a bowl of cold water.
The meat will be thawing at room temperature, which is the second and more serious drawback of thawing on the kitchen counter. When raw meat is at room temperature, bacteria begin to grow there. Thawing it to a lower temperature will be much safer.
Can You Cook Frozen Ribs Without Thawing?
You can certainly cook the ribs without thawing them first if you don’t want to. Just keep in mind that since cooking takes longer, you might not save as much time as you had hoped.
Cooking meat that is still frozen takes about 50% longer than cooking it that has been defrosted. You could be looking at a 7 to 8 hour cooking time since most ribs take 5 to 6 hours to cook anyway. 5 to 9 hour cooking process.
If you want to save time, I think it’s preferable to thaw the ribs in cold water. When compared to cooking them frozen, you’ll have more control over the temperature and it might even be quicker. Particularly if the rib racks are on the smaller side, this is true.
Make sure the ribs have reached an internal temperature of at least 195 degrees before you remove them from the heat, whether you’ve thawed them or not. When it’s time to serve them, the ribs will have a succulent and tender texture because they will continue to cook as they rest.
What is the Best Way to Thaw Ribs?
The best method for cooking frozen ribs is as I’ve already mentioned. Because of this, the cooking process will be much more efficient.
The refrigerator is now the most effective method for defrosting ribs. Place the ribs on a baking sheet or other sufficiently large container after removing them from the freezer. Then, keep it on the bottommost shelf of the refrigerator.
This eliminates the concern that the meat juices will contaminate other foods in the refrigerator, even if there is a runoff.
This method is fantastic because it is secure; the ribs are kept in a cold environment to keep them fresh until the rack is put on top of the ribs.
The drawback is that this approach is also among the most cumbersome ones. You can defrost the ribs completely using the refrigerator method in between 24 and 36 hours.
