Top 5 Ways on How to Reheat Ribs

By Kitchenistic

14 Nov 2019

Tasty succulent ribs are enjoyable served at a BBQ but often we overdo the amount we need and there are leftovers. When they are served fresh from the BBQ the meat should fall off the bone as it is so tender. But reheating them can but tricky and everyone has been in the situation where reheated ribs have ended as burnt BBQ sauce or undercooked meat. When you have heaps of ribs left over after dinner and need to reheat them follow these top 5 ways on how to reheat ribs.

Reheat Ribs in a Convection Oven

You are lucky to own a convection oven as it is brilliant for keeping your ribs tender when you need to cook them through again. A convection oven cooks slowly and powerfully and so this locks in flavor and keeps your ribs aromatic. All you require is a baking tray, some foil and sauce for flavor.

Preheat your oven to around 250° F and add sauce onto your ribs which you will have already placed on a baking tray.
Wrap up your ribs in a layer of foil to keep the flavor in your ribs. As soon as the oven is ready, put your ribs in the oven for about an hour or until the center of the ribs reaches a temperature of 155° F.
Next change your setting in your oven to broil, take the foil off your ribs and leave them to cook for a further 10 minutes when you start to see your sauce bubble.
Take out of the oven to rest leaving the ribs to cool for a few minutes.

A convection oven will give you a fresh from the grill sense of taste and it is the greatest technique to reheat ribs, but it should be said that an hour cook in the oven can feel like a long time when you are hungry.

BBQ spare ribs with herbs

Reheating Ribs in a Pan

This is an unpretentious method for reheating ribs and can be straightforwardly done. Cooking in the pan will lock in flavor and is so suitable to keep taste locked in. If you are searching for one of the best methods on how to reheat ribs, then pan cooking is fool proof.

A frying pan is suitable which needs to be about 3 inches deep. A pan like this will be robust enough to embrace leftover sauce but will not steam your ribs too much.
Add some boiling water to the pan to keep the ribs tender. But do this with care, as too much water can over cook the meat.
Place the ribs on a medium heat and as they begin to warm through cover them in your chosen sauce to keep the moisture in and prevent burning. Cover the ribs in your sauce continually as you turn them.
Leave the pan simmering for about 20 minutes.

This technique is so much faster than using an oven and lets you to add sauces as you cook your ribs. But then again it can be a bit too easy to dry out the ribs if you do not keep an eye on them.

Reheat Ribs in the Microwave

The microwave may not be the best choice for keeping ribs tender and moist however it is the best choice when you are in a hurry. Microwaving meat in general does have a tendency to dry it out, it is preventable however and if hunger will not let you wait then simply pop your ribs in the microwave. All you require for this method is a microwave safe bowl.

Place a wet paper towel underneath a microwave-safe bowl and also over your ribs to help lock moisture in as you reheat your ribs in the microwave. Ensure that you allow space between every rib to permit them lots of room to reheat all the way through.
Heat your ribs for one minute to warm through and then check on them, keep putting them back into the microwave for bursts of 30 seconds and continue to keep a watch on them.

This choice of reheating is the best if you need your ribs quickly, nevertheless it sometimes dry’s the ribs out which is not really what you want. If you pour BBQ sauce onto the ribs prior to placing them in the microwave, this should help to keep the ribs juicy and tender and will stop them drying out so much.

Reheat Ribs in an Air Fryer

A decision to use an air fryer is a good one as they are great for reheating tender ribs. The air fryer wins extra points as it reheats ribs to precision. Understanding how to reheat ribs and not have them dry out using an air fryer can be so useful if you have a house full of people to feed. All you require for this technique is your air fryer and some chosen seasoning.

Cut up your ribs so they fit comfortably in your air fryer, fryers are all different, so your own judgment is needed for this. Season as required.
Put your ribs in the fryer and allow them to cook for 30 minutes, or until they are tender. The ribs need to be cooked at a temperature of 350°F.
Try not to open your air fryer during the reheating process as loosing heat will affect the suggested cooking time. As soon as they are cooked through leave the ribs to sit for a few minutes before you serve.

This technique is rapid and will assure that you end up with delicious ribs however air fryers sometimes burn food very speedily and so must be watched carefully.

Reheat Ribs in a Slow Cooker

There is no refuting the fact that slow cookers will make anything taste better. Slow cookers will reheat ribs to total perfection as they usually turn the most ordinary dishes into really delicious treats. If you are thinking about using a slow cooker, it is going to be perfect when you have the time and is flawless if you want to leave the ribs overnight to cook.

Simply turn on your slow cooker to a medium setting and leave it to warm up. Where your slow cooker just has high or low selections then go low.
As well as any sauce that you may choose to use, add 1/2 a cup of water for more succulent ribs. Make sure that you add enough liquid to cover the bottom of your slow cooker so that your ribs do not stick and burn. Use tongs to put ribs into the slow cooker, put on the lid and leave your ribs to reheat for around six hours.

This technique of reheating your ribs promises to give you tender and juicy ribs, but the noticeable downfall is that it will take its time. It is best to use this process of cooking when you know exactly when you will be ready to eat and when you have family life to be getting on with as well as allowing the ribs to cook.

Roast ribs with barbecue sauce

Storing Leftover Ribs

Now that you understand a number of methods to reheat ribs to keep them as appetising as possible, you will probably need to know how to store them as this plays a big part in maintaining the lifespan of your ribs. Reheated your ribs should not end up sitting out on your counter for any longer than an hour after they have been reheated. Anything longer than this has the potential to generate an accumulation of harmful bacteria. To store your reheated ribs safely all you usually require is some foil and an airtight container. Everybody typically has these available in their kitchen as they are required to store most reheated meat products.

Wrap up your reheated ribs in the foil and put them in a container away from any other uncooked meat. Ribs will last in your fridge for around 4 days. It is also possible to freeze your ribs in a freezer safe container to save for another time. Frozen ribs will last for around 3 months in this way and still maintain their taste.

The Last Word on Reheating Ribs

So, ribs are brilliant for most events and even though no one will argue that eating them freshly cooked is the way to go, the assortment of choices of how to reheat them again will assist you make the most knowledgeable decision when you do want to know the best way to reheat your ribs.

More often than not, your oven will be the best way to reheat ribs and keep the tenderness, but the further reheating possibilities are great too. It is a personal choice and is all about discovering your favorite technique because everyone typically has a specific way that they enjoy reheating their ribs. The minute you find it, always ensure that your ribs are reheated all the way through by checking the temperature before you serve. Now you are armed with lots of reheating rib facts, go and find your favourite technique to reheat ribs.