Can You Freeze Short Ribs?

Last updated on September 22nd, 2022 at 04:25 am

Short ribs are a cut of meat from a beef animal that are in between a chuck roast and rib. They are tender and flavorful and make for a hearty and comforting meal. 

Similar to steak in their rich marbling and a lot like chuck roast because of their beefy flavor, short ribs are a good source of protein and delicious to eat. Short ribs can be cooked in several different ways. 

If you have fixed a lot of short ribs for your family or friends and end up with leftovers, can you freeze the rest?

Short ribs can be frozen to save for later. Properly freeze short ribs for them to stay good while being stored in the freezer. 

Freeze the short ribs separately or with their sauce. Uncooked or cooked short ribs can be frozen to use for meals in the future.

Short ribs are described as the perfect combination of chuck roast and steak. A very popular dish all over the world, short ribs are a tasty beef cut that can be braised, grilled, slow-cooked, barbecued, and marinated. 

Easy to prepare, short ribs are kind of pricey to purchase because their taste is so highly valued. They offer a delicious beefy flavor and juicy tender meat that is perfect for family and friend get-togethers. 

You can’t go wrong with some braised short ribs featured on your dinner plate. Taking advantage of a sale you couldn’t resist, you purchased several short ribs to cook for dinner.

After everyone is done eating and their stomachs are stuffed with the delicious short ribs, you may have leftovers. You did make a lot of short ribs and wanted to save them for later you decide to freeze them. 

If this is the case, freeze the remaining short ribs to save them to eat later on. Freezing food is a great way to preserve it and you can keep it frozen for weeks up to months. 

Short ribs that have been frozen, defrosted, and reheated will still taste good for future meals. Freezing short ribs, whether they are cooked or uncooked, can even save you time and effort in the long run.

How Do I Freeze Short Ribs?

After everyone has eaten their fill of the yummy braised short ribs there are some leftovers. Not wanting them to go bad, you decide to freeze them to use later on. 

You will want to properly package them for freezing so the short ribs will stay good. So, how do you freeze short ribs?

Freeze short ribs by storing in a freezer bag or airtight container. You can use the packaging they come in but it isn’t intended for long-term storage. Another option is to wrap the short ribs in heavy-duty plastic freezer wrap frog freezing.

According to Livestrong.com, “Short ribs are a tough meat but highly marbled in fat and full of flavor. Braising…tenderizes the meat while adding even more flavor. Braised short ribs are high in calories, total fat and saturated fat. Knowing the nutrition information can help you make adjustments to your diet to fit these ribs into your diet plan.” 

If the short ribs are fresh and you want to freeze them for longer than just a couple of weeks, it is recommended to remove them from the original packaging because the wrap they come in isn’t intended for long-term storage. 

If you have a large amount of ribs, portion them out and freeze in individual portions. This will make it easier for you when you go to defrost some for meal later on. 

To freeze short ribs, place them in an airtight freezer container or freezer bag separating layers with freezer paper. Or you can wrap the ribs in heavy-duty freezer wrap. 

Make sure whatever packaging is around the short ribs is sealed tightly and labeled with the current date so you know when you put them into the freezer. There is a certain amount of time you can freeze the short ribs which we will discuss later on. 

Then store the ribs in the freezer until you want to use them. 

How Long Can You Keep Short Ribs In The Freezer?

So, you can freeze short ribs. If you have uncooked or cooked short ribs that you need to save long-term, freezing is a great storage option. This is great if you want to save them for a meal in upcoming weeks or months. 

But how long can they be frozen?

For the best quality, you can freeze short ribs for about 6 to 12 months if they are properly stored. They will remain safe after this but over time they will lose quality in their taste and texture. So, it is best to use frozen short ribs after being frozen for 6 to 12 months.

StillTasty explains, “…You can maximize the shelf life of beef ribs in the freezer by overwrapping the original store packaging with airtight heavy-duty aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or freezer paper or place the package inside a heavy-duty freezer bag in order to prevent freezer burn.” 

You can keep short ribs in the freezer for a while. Frozen foods are usually safe indefinitely but their quality diminishes over time. It is best to use frozen short ribs within 6 to 12 months. 

Even though it is safe to keep the short ribs for longer than this in the freezer, the USDA says that they should be used in 4 to 6 months for the best quality. You can defrost short ribs using the microwave, cold-water method, or refrigerator. 

It is recommended that you use the cold-water method for defrosting the short ribs as it is less time consuming than the refrigerator and safer than using the microwave. 

The fastest way to defrost short ribs is using a microwave. Reheat the short ribs in the microwave on a microwave safe plate for about 7 to 8 minutes on the defrost setting. 

What is recommended as the best way is to defrost the short ribs in cold-water. Place the short ribs in a bowl of ice cold water, changing the water every 30 minutes for 2 to 3 hours. 

Then finally, using the refrigerator to defrost the short ribs takes about a day but is great if you are good at planning.  Just place the short ribs in the fridge overnight and it will be thawed by the time you want to use them.

Final Thoughts

Short ribs are easy to prepare for a meal. If you have a lot that you want to save long-term you can freeze them. 

You can freeze short ribs to save them for later. Properly package them for storing in the freezer and you can save the beef cuts for months. 

It’s easy to defrost and reheat later when you want to eat them for dinner. Cooked, or uncooked you can freeze short ribs. 

Freezing short ribs will save you time and effort in the long run.