Cooking ribs today, someone said to boil them before I roast them......why would I do that?

[KatyMac]

Are they better that way?

How does it change them?

Thanks

Par-boiling so they're semi-cooked means that you can crank the heat up to crispen the outside far higher than if you need to cook the whole potato from raw - in which case you need a lower heat to get an even cooking.

potato?

lol at potato!!

I think it tenderises the ribs so they are more melt in the mouth and less caveman-tear-it-apart.

Hmm - wonder if it's worth the effort (feeling knackered)

It is so worth it

It's a bit like cooking a gammon joint. The nicest way by far is to boil it for an hour and a half, then take the skin off, score the fat, wrap in foil, hot oven for 40 minutes, then unwrap, glaze with a marmalade/mustard mix and back in a hot oven for 20 minutes. Juicy, tender, not at all salty.

Oh I always boil ham/gammon so I guess I boil this

OMG! I just read the title again and PMSL!
I don't know how I read 'ribs' and understood 'potatoes'.

DH boils ribs in apple juice and water
(then cooks the juice right down while the ribs are roasting, with some other ingredients to make a sauce)

Like the apple juice idea

Might try it then make something with onions & peppers & sliced apples for a sauce

Great idea thanks

Yes I started doing this after I saw it on tv somewhere. It really does make them meltily tender, easier for dc's to eat I would imagine (mine too young yet to get the gist of not eating the bone!).

Also advantage that if barbequeing you can really get the heat up for a nice charry outside, without worrying if they're still raw in the middle.

I use water and usually some apple juice or cider to simmer slowly for an hour. If chinese-y sauce will add some root ginger/star anise/drop of soy to the water.
Pre-cooked ribs seem to take up the marinade or sauce more readily, esp if done whilst still warm.

I tend to cook lots then bag up with the marinade and freeze. By the time they are defrosted they are fully marinaded and take just half hour in very hot oven.

Any of Nigella's rib marinades have been a success here!

I burnt them