Avoid This Common Shortcut If You Want Tender, Flavorful Baby Back Ribs

The prevalence of supposed baby back rib-making shortcuts is no surprise, given how long they can take to make. Prep work aside, you're typically looking at a couple of hours on the grill or in the oven for maximally tasty, juicy baby back ribs that you actually won't mind waiting for. (As much.) It can still be tempting to avail oneself of those purportedly time-saving tips, but some actually come at the detriment of your fine swine. Boiling your baby backs to shorten their overall cook time, whatever your method, can actually do more harm than good, for example.

Some have come to believe that boiling can successfully tenderize ribs faster before continuing onto proper heat sources. And the ribs will get cooking quicker this way, but they won't finish with the effect that most folks desire. There's a reason why boiled meat in general is something of a tropey sitcom joke. Boiling meat gets you as close to the polar opposite of the Maillard reaction that creates flavorful color and texture once animal protein gets to sizzling. A water bath is a great way to totally wash away an otherwise delicious rub, and boiling actually leeches whatever flavor is present in a given item out of its fibers (tightening them to toughness in the process) and into the liquid — which is more appropriate when you want to make a stock or broth. Being that you want your baby back ribs to keep their flavor, you know, in the meat, not to mention hold your seasonings, and develop a lovely crust that's best acquired over time, simply skip the boil and embrace your patience for a delicious reward.

Most professional and unofficial pitmasters alike will probably tell you to stick to low and slow for this and all of your barbecue endeavors. And those hours do amount to time well spent for ideally executed baby back ribs and plenty of other marvelous meats. But home cooking efforts do not always exist in those textbook ideal conditions, and some workarounds that do not require soaking your poor protein in pots of H2O can actually be pretty effective and even more diner-friendly in some serving scenarios. Party ribs are just the thing worth celebrating on all accounts.

Party ribs are simply baby back ribs that have been separated by the bone into handheld pork wands. They cook faster than a whole rack thanks to their reduced mass, rather than due to some unwelcome jacuzzi treatment. Unlike those larger, unbroken portions, party ribs will finish in no more than an hour on the grill or in the oven. You might even prefer the additional surface area for your rub or sauce, which gets a 360-degree coating with the party variety. And you'll almost definitely prefer to taste the ribs' full flavor, rather than swirling some of it down the drain.