Last Updated on: 5th November 2022, 01:32 am
Smoking ribs effectively is really worth the effort .
Ribs can be as good as premium cuts of meat if smoked properly.
But there is more to smoking ribs than just smoking them in a smoker.
You need to be careful about how long you let your ribs rest before serving.
Honestly, it is one of the most confusing topics about smoking ribs due to insufficient information available online.
But after testing different ribs with different resting times, I now have a predefined range for resting ribs and today I am going to share that with you.
As per general rule, the resting time of the ribs depends on the type of ribs you are smoking.
If you are smoking pork ribs, then 10-15 minutes will do the trick.
In the case of beef ribs, you should allow at least 30 minutes before serving.
As is obvious by the above mentioned time , the time required for resting depends on the size of the ribs you are smoking.
The larger the ribs, the more time they will need to rest.
For example, beef ribs require more time to rest due to being thicker than pork ribs.
Here are the main points of what we are going to discuss in this article.
- Ribs can be rested for 10–45 minutes, depending on size.
- You can use the faux cambro technique or oven if you want to maintain the internal temperature of the ribs.
- Resting has many benefits, ranging from redistribution of meat juices to enhancing the flavor of ribs.
- You should be careful about carryover cooking to avoid the ribs overcooking.
How long to let the ribs rest after smoking?
As mentioned earlier, ribs can rest for 10–45 minutes depending on the size of the ribs.
If you’re smoking smaller ribs, 10-15 minutes will suffice, but larger ribs will require at least 20-45 minutes to rest.
The size of the ribs is the main determinant of the time for resting.
The size of the ribs depends on the size of the cow or any other animal when it is butchered.
So, if the ribs are smaller, it means they are softer and require less rest.
During smoking, when the internal temperature of the ribs reaches the boiling temperature, the moisture starts evaporating.
It is also known as the stall phase.
So, due to evaporation, the moisture of the ribs is drawn towards the surface of the ribs.
Due to this, the deeper portion of the ribs becomes dry while the moisture is collected on the surface of the ribs.
If the ribs are sliced immediately after smoking, then the meat juices will spill out and affect the appearance of the ribs. That’s why we rest the ribs.
so that the moisture present on the surface of the ribs should sink in and be reabsorbed by the fibers of the meat.
This process varies depending on the size of the ribs, so it’s important to take the size into account before making the final decision.
In short, the ribs should be rested for at least some time in a butcher paper or other things before slicing to allow them to become tender and juicy.
The resting time of the ribs will vary depending on the size of the ribs.
Later in this article, we will discuss the most common sizes of ribs in correlation with their resting time.
Pork ribs
Pork ribs are usually shorter in size than beef ribs.
Due to being shorter in size, they don’t require much time for resting.
The moisture present on the surface of ribs will sink in quickly and will be reabsorbed by the meat fibers.
Due to being shorter in size , they usually need to rest for at least 10–15 minutes before serving.
It will provide the ribs with enough time to reabsorb the meat juices from the surface.
In addition , you also need to be careful about resting for too long because it can result in a cooling down of the ribs .
Beef ribs
While in the case of beef ribs, you need to be more patient because they are larger in size than pork ribs.
Due to this, the meat juices present on the surface of ribs will take more time to sink in and be reabsorbed by the meat fibers.
You need to let beef ribs rest for around 30 minutes to get the most of the smoking.
The reason is that the beef ribs are tougher in texture than the pork ribs.
So they will require more time to absorb the meat juices.
What does “carryover cooking” mean while resting ribs?
Carryover cooking means a continual increase in the temperature of ribs after they have been removed from the smoker.
Carryover cooking usually occurs in the resting phase.
The temperature of the ribs can increase by 5–15 °F depending on the size and texture of the ribs.
So it is really important to keep in mind that the cooking of ribs will not stop after you have removed them from the smoker. thats why your ribs are kept warm for longer time
A good way is to remove the ribs 5–10°F before they reach the target temperature .
For example, if you are aiming to cook ribs at 190°F , then it is a good idea to remove the ribs at 185°F and place them for resting.
Otherwise, carryover cooking will result in an increase in temperature and overcooking of ribs.
Resting is really a crucial part of smoking. You need to be careful about both the minimum and maximum range of the ribs to rest.
If you slice the ribs too early, it will result in the spilling of the meat juices.
If you leave the ribs to rest for an extended period of time, they will continue to cook or cool.
So it is important to set a defined range for the resting of ribs.
Ribs should be rested for at least 30 minutes and up to 45 minutes, depending on size.
This range is really important for ribs to rest.
You can’t rest each and every rib for 30 minutes or 45 minutes.
Take into account the size of ribs and decide based on the ranges given above.
At the same time, you should not get overwhelmed by decision-making because it’s the only way to properly master smoking.
Why do we need to rest the ribs?
Resting is a really important step for ribs.
It is not an optional phase, but it is mandatory for every rib to rest before slicing it.
There are several benefits of resting ribs. Some of them are given below.
allows redistribution of meat juices
Resting ribs allows the redistribution of the meat juices.
When ribs are rested, the meat juices sink in and are reabsorbed by the meat fibers.
Due to this, the meat juices will not spill out upon slicing.
Meat juices are one of the most important parts of smoked ribs. This is usually the moisture present in the ribs.
When smoking ribs, ribs are poked on the surface to check the color of the meat juices to check for doneness.
So you know that meat juices are present on the surface of ribs and spill out upon poking ribs.
But do you know from where these juices come?
The answer is that it is actually the moisture of the ribs that is drawn to the surface during evaporation.
It is drawn to the surface during the stall phase.
But once the ribs are done smoking, the sauce still remains on the surface.
So, if the ribs are sliced immediately after smoking, the meat juices will spill out and affect the texture of the ribs.
makes the ribs more tender
In addition to the redistribution of meat juices, resting also helps to make ribs more soft and tender.
The tenderness of ribs usually occurs for two reasons: due to carryover cooking and by retaining moisture if covered.
Carryover cooking is one of the most neglected phenomena in the smoking world.
For some time after taking the ribs out of the smoker, the temperature will continue to increase for some time.
This increase in temperature will break down the fibers of meat and make it more tender.
Secondly, if the ribs are covered during the resting, then it will retain the moisture of the ribs and cook them by steaming for some time.
It will help the ribs become even more tender and juicy.
After resting for some time, the ribs will be soft enough to be pulled off easily.
enhances the flavor
Resting ribs also helps in increasing the flavor of the ribs.
It’s like giving a final chance to the rub and other stuff to sink into the ribs completely.
The rubbed particles will sink deeper into the ribs along with the meat juices.
Rubs are really important for enhancing the flavor of ribs. usually you need to apply hem before smoking. but you can also spritz ribs during smoking to increase the flavor.
In addition, if you have applied sauce to the ribs by mopping during smoking, then resting will have an even greater effect on flavor.
The sauce and rub applied to the ribs will mix up and enhance the flavor of the ribs.
How to rest ribs with the faux cambro technique?
The Faux cambro technique is one of the most effective techniques for the resting of ribs.
It can help you store your ribs for up to 4–8 hours depending on how effectively you carry it out.
It might sound complicated, but it is really simple to store ribs using the faux cambro technique.
Here is a step-by-step guide to resting your ribs using the faux cambro technique.
- First of all , you should consider getting a good quality cooler that has no leakage.
- After that, fill the cooler with hot water. The concentration of the water depends on the size of the cooler.
But if you have a bigger cooler , then 3 gallons of hot water is enough. - After that, close the lid of the pot of water and leave it for 30 minutes.
- Now line the cooler with clean towels. Make sure to line the towels effectively to provide insulation.
- After that , take out your ribs from the smoker and place them on a table for a few minutes. It will help the ribs breathe.
- Now wrap the ribs in foil, but make sure to not wrap them tightly.
- Lastly, place your ribs into the cooler and close the lid. Make sure to check for any leakage before leaving it out there.
By resting your ribs this way, you can easily store them for 45 minutes in their original texture.
You can store it for an even longer time, but it will start to cool down and get messy due to the moisture trapped inside the foil.
It is an effective way to rest your ribs because it will keep the internal temperature of your ribs constant.
By wrapping ribs in foil and placing them in a cooler, we basically minimize the chances of heat loss and increase insolation.
Is there a difference between resting and holding while smoking meat?
Usually, resting and holding ribs are confused with each other and used interchangeably.
You can even see pro pitmasters using these terms alternatively because there is no information available on such topics.
The difference between holding and resting ribs lies in the internal temperature of the ribs.
In resting, we cool the ribs a little bit to allow redistribution of meat juices, while in holding, you need to maintain the internal temperature of the ribs for a longer time.
While resting ribs, we tend to place them at room temperature to allow the meat juices present on the surface to sink back into the ribs.
Moreover, we do it for a maximum of 45 minutes to avoid cooling it too much.
While in the case of holding, we are more focused on maintaining the temperature of ribs near 160°F to make sure the ribs are served fresh.
That is, we are more concerned with storing than with resting.
In short, resting can be done at room temperature to allow the meat juices to be absorbed back.
While holding should be done by faux cambro or by oven to make sure the internal temperature of the ribs remains constant.
How to rest ribs in the oven
If you want to rest your ribs without cooling them down , then an oven is an effective tool to do that.
It can rest your ribs for up to 8 hours before serving.
It is usually used when you have finished your ribs and want to serve them immediately.
Although it is a good technique and can help you store your ribs for hours, there is still a risk while doing this.
While resting your ribs in the oven , you might end up overcooking them, which might affect the texture of your ribs.
If you’re going to rest your ribs in the oven, pick one with a low temperature of 160°F-170°F.
If you can’t find such a one, then make sure to find one with at least a lower range of no more than 180°F.
There are no complications involved in the process of resting your ribs in an oven.
You just need to set your oven at the lowest temperature and put your ribs in the oven.
You don’t need to wait for the oven to reach the desired temperature; rather, you can place the ribs inside the oven as soon as you remove them from the smoker.
While putting your ribs into the oven , make sure to place a temperature probe in the ribs.
It will help you to stay informed of the internal temperature of the ribs and avoid them from overcooking.
If the internal temperature of the ribs exceeds 160°F , then you should consider removing them from the oven.
Is it bad to let ribs rest for too long?
The simple and straightforward answer to this question will always be yes.
It’s a rule of nature that an excess of anything is hazardous, and so is the case with resting ribs.
You have to set a defined range for resting ribs.
As a general rule, ribs should be rested for no more than 45 minutes.
After 45 minutes, the ribs will start to cool down and become hardened.
So you should consider serving your ribs after resting them for a maximum of 45 minutes.
As discussed above, resting has many benefits, ranging from the redistribution of meat juices to making the ribs tender.
But if overdone, these benefits can turn into cons.
You should consider deciding on a range for resting ribs for only 45 minutes maximum.
The most common effect of resting ribs for too long is that they will start to cool down and become hardened.
If your ribs are cooled down, then they will not be very presentable while serving them to guests.
You can avoid the cooling down of ribs by resting them in an oven or by using the faux cambro technique.
But you might end up overcooking ribs if you rest them for too long.
You need to be really careful about the internal temperature of ribs while resting them in an oven.
In short, you should only rest ribs for a maximum of 45 minutes to make sure they retain their original texture.
If you count your resting point and flat portions separately, then the maximum range further drops down to 3 hours.
Should you wrap the ribs while resting?
Another hot debate topic in the bbq space is wrapping or covering ribs during resting.
There are thousands of schools of thought on this issue.
One prefers to cover their ribs, while the other prefers to leave them exposed.
And apparently, both of them are right.
There is no hard and fast rule about whether or not to wrap your ribs while resting. It’s your personal choice.
There are benefits to both approaches, and you have to decide which one you prefer, depending on your personal choice.
Covering ribs during resting makes them more tender and juicy because it allows easier redistribution of meat juices.
In addition, it also cooks ribs by steaming for some time, which makes ribs softer and increases their tenderness.
On the other hand, resting ribs without covering them helps us retain a better and crispier bark.
As mentioned above, while wrapping, the moisture trapped inside the foil can affect the bark of ribs and make them messy.
So it’s a personal choice whether you want to cover ribs or not.
If you want tender and soft ribs, then make sure to cover them.
If you want a crispy and good bark , then you don’t have to cover the ribs while they’re resting.
do you let ribs rest
yes, resting is really helpful for making ribs tender and more flavorful. it can allow the ribs to absorb the moisture present on its surface and become more tender over time.
but you need to keep in mind that, resting is done for specified time.
if you rest ribs for too long, then it can result in ribs becoming cold. usually , 10-30 minutes is best range to let ribs rest while retaining their tenderness
how long to let pork ribs rest after smoking
Resting times for ribs can vary from ribs to ribs. it usually depends on the toughness of meat you are smoking.
pork ribs are usually rested for 10–15 minutes to make them more tender.
you can rest them for up to 30 minutes depending on their texture. but make sure to not rest them for to long.
if you want to rest them for longer time, then make sure to use faux Cambro technique
how long to let ribs rest in foil
resting ribs is not recommended because it can affect the quality of bark. but if you prefer tenderness over bark , then you can rest ribs in foil.
you can rest ribs in foil for a maximum of 155 minutes, because resting them for longer time can make them wet. while resting ribs in foil you should consider tenting them instead of wrapping them to allow the passage of airflow.
Conclusion
You should rest the ribs for 10–30 minutes, depending on their size.
If you are smoking pork ribs , then you are good to go with resting them for only 10-15 minutes.
In the case of beef ribs, you should rest them for 15-30 minutes for best results.
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