Freezing Ribs?

[BAD324]

The last time I smoked up some ribs for the family I made a couple racks too many. I split them into half racks and tossed them into freezer bags (I really need to get a food saver, its on my birthday list). Unless I'm forgetting what they tasted like when I originally smoked them up they seemed a bit "hammy"

Any tips or tricks for freezing ribs? I don't get to smoke nearly as much as I'd like so when I got a craving for ribs, I like to just unthaw some and reheat to temporarily satisfy my need for BBQ

[MS2SB]

I you're using freezer bags, I would wrap very tightly in plastic wrap, then into the bag. Then squeeze out as much air as possible before putting in the freezer.



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[Cayman1]

I use a Foodsaver. If you don't have one, a zip lock with as much air squeezed out as possible works.

[code3rrt]

I froze some up not to long ago, used the foodsaver and froze a couple ribs per package. I took them to work for lunches, and they thawed out real nice, certainly not as good as right off the cooker, but good.

[Bludawg]

Plastic wrap then aluminum foil, To reheat put the package into a 200 deg oven for 40 min, I got news for ya they where hammy before they got froze

[Mattmo]

I smoked some a couple weeks ago and did just as Bludawg did: plastic wrap then foil. Only difference is when I reheated mine, I had the oven at 300 with the foil just cracked open for half hour or so(yes, I did take off the plastic wrap!). I did also cut mine in half before freezing.

[shirknwrk]

I've got a rack of babybacks (vacuum sealed) in my freezer now. Will drop them (bag and all) in 140° water (just like sous vide) until they're hot all the way through... Then slide them out and eat. Always taste smokier when reheated. Probably because I'm not desensitized to the smoke.

[Dirt Daddy]

x2 foodsaver

[Sawdustguy]

Definitely a foodsaver. Then throw the ribs (still in the foodsaver wrapping) in to boiling water. When they are done they will be very moist and taste almost as good as when they were freshly smoked.

[Southstar Jeff]

I agree, love the boil in bags. Just make sure you are using the bags safe for that. And if you spend more upfront for a chamber type vacuum sealer, you will save a ton of coin on bags. My boil in bags cost 3-5 cents each, depending on size.

[rdenn_58]

I agree with the food saver. When I go to vac seal any cooked meats, as soon as the meat juices start to flow up toward the open end of the bag, I press the seal button. This keeps even more of the juices in the bag. When done, the bag has no air in it.

I also reheat the meat in the bag thrown into a pot of boiling water. I find that the meat is just a little juicier that when allowing the vac sealer to complete the vac and sealing process on its own.

[stephan]

If you can't afford a food saver look into a ziplock vaccuum system. They have special bags with a valve on it and a hand pump, they do a decent job.