Different Way of Parboiling Back Ribs

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summerf

Assistant Cook
Joined
Feb 8, 2008
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27
Location
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Hi, Recently, we were at a friend's home for dinner and they had back ribs on the menu. They were baked in the oven but first the ribs were parboiled in water with vinegar. I did not like to ask because I didn't know if it would be proper, but does anyone know why you would put vinegar in the water. I never heard of it. I must say the ribs were good.
Summer:rolleyes:
 
I do not parboil ribs. I believe it takes flavor out of the meat. After all, you make stock by simmering meat and bones in water, drawing the flavor out of the meat and into the water.

I prefer to apply a rub the day before then wrap in foil and cook low and slow for a couple of hours.
 
summerf said:
but does anyone know why you would put vinegar in the water?

A better question would be why put them in water in the first place?????????????:ermm:

Then there is a dish usually made with pork neck bones, where they are boiled down and added to a gravy with onions, peppers, garlic, and other seasonings, and simmered to the point of falling of the bone tender... Served with rice/mashed potatoes etc.
 
My mom always steamed them for 45 minutes, to render out a lot of the fat, before grilling. I used to do it that way, because she did, but DH doesn't like to do that, so he does the ribs ;)
 
Fat = flavor and if you're going to eat ribs they might as well be flavorful! :LOL:

summerf - the only reason I can come up with for the vinegar is just for flavor. You can also marinate baby backs in nothing but balsamic and grill them (s&P of course) - they are wonderful.
 
i know it seems retarded to most here to parboil meats, but like gg said, it's often done to remove fat.

it does remove flavor along with the calories, but sometimes it's the only way to get someone to eat something that "fatty".

that said, if no one's looking, they just get waved over the steam before going into the oven or grill to be certified parboiled in my house. :cool:
 
i know it seems retarded to most here to parboil meats, but like gg said, it's often done to remove fat.

it does remove flavor along with the calories, but sometimes it's the only way to get someone to eat something that "fatty".

that said, if no one's looking, they just get waved over the steam before going into the oven or grill to be certified parboiled in my house. :cool:

boilin is spoilin.... Wow! I thought that method had been given up in the 60's.. Slow and low.. with a 4-1-1 for spare and a 3-3/4-3/4 for Baby backs..

Now I can always learn something about things I don't know... but ribs... I know...

.
 
how do those numbers translate, gadget?

I'm not GadgetGeek, but I'm familiar with the term.

This is a standard term for cooking pork ribs in a ceramic type grill. "4" hours indirect at 225°-250°......"1" hour foiled indirect at approx 250° ....and "1" hour unfoiled, direct at 250-275°, flipping and adding sauce if desired.

There are many variations on this method (3-1-1 and 2-1-1, etc) and you will find out which one works best for you. Some foil, some don't. Some sauce, some don't. Some ribs don't take as long, etc...

Oh, and I cringe every time I hear "How long do you boil your ribs?" :shock:
 
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There was a time.... My buddy would boil the ribs, I would steam them. He would put all kinds of seasonings in the water and I would season the ribs and steam with beer (the way that hand hammered wok infomercial used to suggest). I think the main reason we did ribs this way was to make sure they were done, as at that time we did not want to cook for 4+- hours at a barbeque party. BTW, his ribs were always better :mad:
Most people I knew used to always parboil their chicken parts before placing on the grill, too. For the same reason. To make sure it's done and it cut down on your grill time. I did not grow up in a "low and slow" society ;)

That said, those shortribs I just cooked, using AAB's time parameters, was the first time cooking anything for that length of time and as I posted, they were fantastic, but it sure seemed like they could have been just as good in half the time. Even without boiling or steaming. Nowadays I don't mind all day cooking though :)
 
i know it seems retarded to most here to parboil meats, but like gg said, it's often done to remove fat.

it does remove flavor along with the calories, but sometimes it's the only way to get someone to eat something that "fatty".

that said, if no one's looking, they just get waved over the steam before going into the oven or grill to be certified parboiled in my house. :cool:


I'm guessing 4-5 hours in a grill/smoker will render a lot of fat as well.
 

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