Here's How To Reheat Ribs So They're Nice And Crispy

It's not often we end up with leftover ribs. For the most part, there is always room for a couple more delicious oven-baked baby back ribs or smoky sweet short ribs. But when it does happen, you're often faced with cold ribs a day or two later. While they taste fine cold or zapped in the microwave, the meat loses its snap and the crispy, charred edges become soft. The experience just isn't the same. The great news is there are fixes for these problems. Rich Parente, chef and owner of the posh yet rustic Clock Tower Grill in Brewster, New York, chatted with Chowhound about all things ribs, and shared his reheating trick that might be the best and easiest yet.

The restaurant Parente runs with wife Cassie emphasizes locally and carefully sourced meat and produce. Dishes are simultaneously classic and inventive, like sauerbraten braised short ribs, or a lamb burger dressed with cardamom and coriander quick pickles. His trick for reviving leftover ribs involves a bit of steam and a lot of heat. It's a two-step process that can happen in the same pan. First, steam heat the ribs in a covered pan with a little water, and then pan fry them in a dry pan, so the exterior regains its crispy char. The whole thing shouldn't take more than 10 or 20 minutes. Before long, you'll be enjoying fall-off-the-bone barbecue ribs once again. 

There are couple of different ways to bring day-old ribs back to just-broiled life. First, you can wrap or cover them tightly in aluminum foil and bake on low heat. Alternatively, you can get fancy and use a steamer or sous vide system. You can even reheat ribs in your air fryer. For Chef Rich Parente, all that's needed is a pan and a lid.

"To reheat ribs at home," he says, "add them to a pan with a little bit of water and cover to let them steam through on the stove top." Steam over medium or medium-high heat until they're warmed up. "Once they're warm, transfer the ribs to a griddle or frying pan to develop a crispy exterior." Cooking on high heat, and turning them occasionally, will ensure crispy edges on all sides and moist, juicy meat inside.

The nice thing about this method, according to Parente, is that you can also do all of this cooking in one pan. Doing it this way also helps with timing. When the water has boiled off, your ribs should be warm and ready to fry. It won't take much on each side, since they already have a sear. If you're using a glass lid, make certain it fits well, as there is a risk of shattering if the pan is touching the glass itself rather than the metal rim.