Some recipes that instruct you to boil spareribs before finishing them on the grill or baking in the oven. Parboiling is done by bringing a pot of water just up to boiling. Then the ribs are immersed in the water for three to four minutes.
There are pros and cons to boiling spareribs. While it is a matter of personal taste, it is good to understand why boiling is used, how it will affect your spareribs, and what alternatives you can use.
Follow this tip: Pre-cooking the ribs before they hit the grill not only gives you more control over the cooking temperature, but it can also make for more tender meat. You can oven-bake, boil, or even use the slow cooker for pre-cooking before firing up the grill.
Cons
Boiling the meat not only renders out the fat but it also naturally releases the natural juices of the spareribs, both of which are important to maintaining the true flavor of the ribs. Parboiling doesnt remove much of the natural flavor, but there will still be some loss. Simmering for an hour will result in a large loss of flavor, which can be tasted in the water. The water itself may be used as a broth for rice or other dishes. Although spareribs are often served glazed or with a sauce, the meat itself can be dry after it loses its natural juices due to boiling.
A long time ago, the Texanist had a job flipping burgers at a joint on Lake Austin whose weekend menu featured barbecue, which was tended to by the renowned pitmaster C-Boy Parks. So famous for cooking was Parks that the legendary Austin blues band the Fabulous Thunderbirds immortalized him in song with “C-Boy’s Blues.” Give it a listen. The Texanist learned many things from C-Boy, but parboiling was definitely not one of them.
The Texanist mentioned parboiling to Texas Monthly barbecue editor Daniel Vaughn, who put it this way: “Ribs can be cooked by lowering them into boiling water just as a brisket can be braised in the oven, but no matter how much barbecue sauce you add to the finished product, it isn’t barbecue. Parboiling ribs and calling them barbecue is like microwaving a cucumber and calling it a pickle. It’s a shortcut for backyard cooks who don’t have the patience, equipment, or know-how to properly smoke a rack of ribs.” Further, Vaughn says that there are a few barbecue joints out there that engage in parboiling, but like the chupacabra, it is, thankfully, a rare thing to witness out in the open.
Parboilers, whether professionals or weekend warriors, do a disservice to the customers, friends, and family upon whom they foist their gummy and flavorless ribs. There’s just no place for shortcuts in the barbecue trade. The old saying, after all, is not “Good things come to those who cannot wait for good things to come” or “Good things come to those who don’t want to wait” or “Good things come to people who are so impatient that they are willing to put a perfectly good slab of pork ribs into a big pot of boiling water just so they can shave some time off the fire tending.” Barbecue is too important be fiddled with like this. Down with the potmasters! And hooray to the pitmasters, the barbecue chefs who do it right.
A: The Texanist probably need not waste words on the sacrosanctity of barbecue in Texas. The same goes for grilling. Suffice it to say, the cooking of meats with fire and smoke is something with which Texans don’t mess around. This stuff is serious business here.
Q: This backyard cooker of meats has always considered the parboiling of ribs before exposing them to the grill or smoker an act akin to putting beans in chili—just something honest, law-abiding Texans wouldn’t ever do. Is parboiling cheating? Do regular people parboil in public, or is it something only done behind closed doors? How does the Texanist feel about parboiling?
Baby Back Ribs – Boiled and Finished on the Grill
FAQ
How long should I parboil ribs before grilling?
Does par boiling ribs make them tender?
Why boil ribs in vinegar?
Should you boil meat before grilling?
Do you boil ribs before grilling?
Boiling Time Simmer for tenderness: Once boiling, reduce heat to a simmer and place the ribs in the pot. Boil for 60-90 minutes: Allow the ribs to simmer until they are fork-tender but not falling apart. Boiling country-style ribs before grilling serves a dual purpose: Tenderizes the meat: Ensures your ribs are juicy and tender after grilling.
What is the treatment for pain in the ribs?
Rib pain could be due to an inflammatory condition; anti-inflammatory medication and analgesics can bring down the pain. Home remedies include applying a cold compress on the area of pain.
Should you parboil spare ribs before grilling?
Since the ribs are fatty, many cooks choose to parboil spareribs for a short time or boil for an extended period of time to tenderize the rib meat. This renders some of the surface fat and makes it easier to remove the inner skin from the ribs before you grill them, too. This step is also used to shorten the cooking time.
Should you parboil ribs in advance?
Parboiling ribs cuts down on the cooking time too. It usually takes a long time to produce tender ribs, which can put you off cooking them as a midweek meal. But parboiling them up to 24 hours in advance greatly reduces the cooking time on the day, so you can easily enjoy dishes like Grilled Baby Back Ribs whenever the fancy takes you!