Can You Smoke Frozen Ribs? Do This Instead

Can You Smoke Frozen Ribs?

Everyone enjoys fresh ribs every now and then but on days you can’t make your ribs immediately, they have to be frozen to keep them healthy. If you have never smoked your ribs before then it can sound a bit complex but with the right tips, you should have juicy and tender ribs in no time.

Ribs are quite a popular dish for lots of activities and BBQs.

In Short: Yes, you can smoke your frozen ribs directly, but note that the smoke point is unlikely to penetrate the meat due to the ice, and you can end up with unevenly cooked ribs You can put your frozen ribs in the oven to thaw them, but frozen ribs are best cooked in the grill or oven.

Ribs can be bought fresh and smoked immediately however if you forget to bring them out of the fridge, you simply need to find a faster way to thaw them.

The thicker the ribs, the longer it will take to thaw which must explain why thawing hours earlier is recommended. There is quite a bit of misconception on how to cook thawed meat. However, this popular type of meat has some easy methods that can be used in cooking.

Cooking frozen ribs requires a certain procedure or can simply follow the required method on your recipe. Regardless, smoking frozen ribs can be easy to do if you have all the right guides. Read on to learn how to cook frozen ribs and more.

Can You Smoke Frozen Ribs?

can you smoke frozen ribs?
Source: 123RF

Smoking frozen ribs can take quite a long amount of time. No matter how high the heat of your smoker is, it penetrates through the coldness of the ribs very slowly. The center of the ribs will only turn out tough while the outer part won’t even get cooked.

However, you can find a way around this but take note that this can take you close to 5 hours.

It’s best to cook your frozen ribs on the grill rather than go with a smoker. Smoking ribs generally takes 5 hours and smoking frozen ribs will take even more time than that. You can go ahead and cook frozen ribs in a grill, slow cooker, or even oven, but the smoker is not the best option.

How To Cook Frozen Ribs In The Grill

You can cook frozen ribs directly on your grill instead of taking time to thaw it. Cooking ribs in the oven can take half the day compared to having them thawed first however it can be done.

You can cook frozen ribs in a short time, but there are procedures you will have to follow. The wrong process can lead to an overcooked or undercooked rib and also the oven is the ideal place to cook frozen ribs evenly.

There are so many ways you can enjoy your ribs, and you just have to ensure not to cook the juice in it away. So, if you forget to take your ribs out of the fridge to thaw, no reason to worry, below is an easy guide on how to cook frozen ribs in the oven.

  • Turn up the heat of your grill to 250 or 275
  • Coat with a thin layer of mustard if you want the rub to stick
  • Season the meat
  • Place the frozen ribs on your grill and close the lid
  • Cook for 4 hours
  • Remove from the grill
  • Wrap the frozen rib(if you can cut the ribs into manageable sizes then do that)
  • Put back in the grill and smoke till temp reaches 180-195 degrees
  • Remove the foil and let it rest before slicing.
How To Cook Frozen Ribs In The Grill
Source: BBQ Host

3 Methods For Defrosting Frozen Ribs Quickly

How do you defrost frozen ribs quickly? One of the ways you can avoid ruining dinner is to find ways to thaw your meat efficiently and quickly. If you are planning to smoke your frozen ribs and get the best result, there are quick methods for thawing them, 3 of them are listed below.

1. Thaw At Room Temperature

If you do have some time on your hands, you can simply have frozen ribs thawed on your kitchen counter. Defrosting frozen ribs takes 7 minutes or more depending on the pound. However, do not leave it on the counter for more than an hour as bacteria can perch on it causing it to spoil.

2. Defrost In Cold Water

Defrosting in cold water might sound surprising, but it’s a method that has saved lots of late-night dinners from going wrong. Simply fill a large bowl with cold water and submerge the wrapped frozen ribs in it. Defrosting using this method should take 30 minutes. Cook it as soon as possible.

3. Thaw In The Microwave

A microwave is an efficient appliance so if you do have it, it can come in handy in defrosting your frozen ribs. This is one of the fastest ways you can thaw any kind of meat. Defrosting in the microwave can take 7 minutes or more based on the pound.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you smoke ribs not completely thawed?

Yes, you can smoke meat that is not completely thawed, but this requires a careful procedure. Smoking meat requires low temperature and meat not thawed completely can eventually get cooked. This can take a very long time and avoid smoking completely frozen ribs.

Will smoke penetrate frozen ribs?

The smoke might eventually penetrate frozen ribs, but it’s going to take a long while. In addition, you can end up with an uncooked rib and also expose your meat to bacteria due to the cooking process.

How long should I defrost ribs before smoking?

Defrosting your ribs before smoking is highly recommended. 24 hours is the best amount of time you should thaw your ribs before smoking however this depends on your thawing method. Cook your ribs as soon as it is thawed completely.

Wrapping Up

You can go ahead and smoke your frozen ribs if you have all the time for that.

However, the smoker is not the only way you can enjoy your frozen ribs, although they do produce awesome ribs, grills are another great slow and low cooking appliance you can try.

So, if you are going to smoke frozen ribs, add an extra 50 minutes to the initial cooking time.

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