Does anyone boil ribs before putting them on the grill? I will be using a gas grill and just wondering the ribs will lose all flavor if I boil them before grilling. I had someone tell me to boil them in just enough water to cover the ribs, but add spices to the water while boiling. Anyone else tried this method?
It boils away flavor, if you ask me. I grill the ribs to sear them well and smoke them a bit, then I wrap them in foil and cook another hour slow until they are tender. That way they cook in their own steam and flavor isn't lost into the water. But I have a friend who cooks his in a pressure cooker before grilling them . . . and they ain't bad. On the other hand, some of the best barbeque I have ever eaten was goat meat, and they parboiled it in crab boil before putting it in the pit.
i do just the opposite. i wrap them in foil and slow cook them, then finish them off over a flame while basting to get the sauce somewhat caramelized and cooked sticky instead of just liquid saucy, and to smoke them a bit.
I haven't decided on a method yet but I have boiled them before. They come out very tender I can tell you that. Also seasoning the water is important but you have to be careful, you will get a pretty strong flavor for whatever you boil it in. Another great method is a couple of hours in a slow cooker with just ribs, a bottle of barbecue sauce and a bottle of grape jelly. They can be a little sweet for me but I enjoy a couple of them as a finger food before a football game or something.
I can't speak for those who use a gas grill because I have never saw the point in having one, but I would never under any circumstances ever boil ribs. Ribs are meant to be slowly cooked on low heat. My unsolicited advice for cooking ribs: Cut the membrane off the ribs and throw on your dry rub after slathering the meat with yellow mustard. I usually use a mixture of brown sugar, garlic powder, ground black pepper, etc. to taste. Add whatever you like out of the spice cabinet, but try it before you put it on the meat. If you use sugar, wait until the end or go easy with it because sugar burns pretty fast. For your fire, you don't want any direct flames. Some people like fruit wood, but I prefer pecan. You want a nice bed of coals for your damp wood chips unless you have unlimited access to wood like my dad. Now, I use the 2-2-1 method for baby backs. Cook them on the grill heated to between 225 - 275 (depends on your grill really) for two hours with lots of smoke. You should see the meat pull back away from the end of the bone about 1/4 inch. Wrap them in foil with water, applejuice, etc. and throw them back on the grill for two more hours. Then unwrap them and let them smoke for another hour. Keep in eye on them because you'll probably need to pull them off before the hour is up. Add bbq sauce during the last 15-20 minutes if you like them wet. The ribs are done when you can sink a toothpick into the meat like it's soft butter. Another tip: Keep lighter fluid far away from pork ribs. In fact, leave it at the store and use a chimney. Baby back ribs require nothing more than patience. A novice can come off as a grillmaster with a little patience. Have a seat outside, turn on the radio and have a six pack within arms reach. Throw the tennis ball to the dog, pull a cap over your eyes and nap, etc.
Ok, I tried the boiling method (and my buddy's recipe) simply because I had never cooked ribs this way. I boiled them for 45 mins with a variety of spices and flavors in the water (onion, garlic, salt, pepper, etc). Then put the ribs in a baking pan, covered them with Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce, covered them with foil and placed them in the frig for 2 hours. Then in the oven at 250 for 3 hours - broiling them for the final 15 mins. The result was mixed. The ribs had a good flavor to them but definitely not the same taste as slow smoking them on the grill or in a smoker. The ribs were tender but not fall off the bone tender. My buddy had said they would be like pulled pork - that's not the result I got - maybe I should have boiled them a little longer(?) . All in all, good ribs (the kids at them up) but not great.
That's how I roll !! Remove as much of the membrane (Peritoneal side) as possible...Mustard slather...Tons of rub (no salt)...smoke away. The slather and the rub make a crust that acts like Red's foil wrap. I keep them moist with an apple juice spray. Red's right about the boiling...the meat is tender but a lot less flavorful. MLU and Red know their stuff. :thumb:
ive had some that were boiled and were actually pretty good. but when you see them being boiled, you know something aint right. you shouldnt be boiling ribs even if they taste great afterwards. im not sure why.
Agreed. Ex brother in law did em that way once when I was there. Finished product was just "ok", but seeing them in a big pot boiling was just weird.
