Perfect Ribs in the Oven
Published 6/9/2023
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Learn how to make ribs in the oven! First, dry rub your baby back ribs, bake them to perfection, and finally slather them with a delicious BBQ sauce.
This oven baked ribs recipe is seriously the best on the internet. Your ribs will turn out so tender and the flavors are unreal all thanks to a dry rub and bbq sauce.
There is seriously nothing better than saucy, perfectly cooked ribs with a big fluffy baked potato on the side. Today we are sharing one of our favorite oven baked ribs recipes. They’re slow-cooked in the oven and come out so yummy.
The Tastiest Oven Baked Ribs
There are so many different ways to prepare baby back ribs. Ribs on the grill in the summer, sous vide ribs when you’re feeling fancy, and ribs in the oven for a classic, yet foolproof variation.
These perfectly cooked pork ribs come out so flavorful all thanks to a rib dry rub and homemade bbq sauce recipe.
In this post, we’ll teach you how to make the most perfect oven baked ribs every time with just a few simple steps. You’ll be wowing your guests with the texture and flavor of these incredible pork ribs!
Why We Love these baked Ribs
- So flavorful: The flavor is pretty unbelievable because there is a tasty dry rub AND homemade BBQ sauce.
- Amazing texture: These ribs in the oven leave you with tender ribs that are juicy, but not quite fall all the bone. And the skin on the outside is so crispy and delicious.
- Versatile: You can serve these ribs for a weeknight dinner or at a dinner party!
Cuts of Pork
Not sure where all the different cuts of pork come from on the pig? We made it easy. Check out more details on everything pork in our pork recipes round up
What You Need for Baked Ribs
- Baby back ribs (~3 lbs.) – you can find a rack of ribs pretty much anywhere these days, just make sure you buy pork ribs.
- Spices- garlic powder, brown sugar, dried thyme, chili powder, paprika, black pepper, salt
- Olive oil
- Homemade bbq sauce: the homemade bbq sauce for these baked ribs is delicious. You’ll need: tomato sauce, white onion, garlic, Worcestershire, ketchup, molasses, brown sugar, butter, and apple cider vinegar.
Missing some of these spices? Other spices that would be delicious are cumin, dried mustard, or even cayenne pepper! You can even try using our homemade pork rub.
Ribs in the Oven 101
We suggest using baby back pork ribs for this recipe. We do not suggest using spare ribs for this recipe.
We cook the baby back ribs at two different temperatures in this recipe. We suggest baking the ribs at a low temperature (300ºF) and then at a high temperature for the last 15 minutes (400ºF) to caramelize the ribs!
Making sure you have a little sugar (we used brown sugar and molasses) that you brush over the ribs is important because when you turn the temperature up in the oven it will caramelize that sugar!
These ribs in the oven are done when they reach an internal temperature of 195ºF but you can also tell when ribs are done because they will start to expose the bone or if they start to fall off the bone.
#1 Tip when cooking ribs in the oven
Trust us when we suggest cooking these ribs low and slow. It’s similar to our slow-roasted pork shoulder or smoked pork shoulder in that they come out similar to smoked meat – tender, but with a bite.
Then, in the end, up the temp to caramelize that delicious bbq sauce!
At a Glance: How to Cook Ribs in the Oven
- Remove the membrane. Start by removing the membrane from the ribs and discard.
- Salt Salt Salt. Massage kosher salt into toe ribs and set aside. This will start to draw the juices out of the ribs and begin to tenderize the ribs.
- Add the Dry Rub. We use a combination of delicious spices. Mix the spices together and then shake them over the ribs. Massage the spices into the ribs and the wrap the ribs in plastic wraps. Place them in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
- Bake. Place the ribs on a greased baking sheet and cover with tin foil. Bake at 300ºF for 2.5 hours.
- Make barbecue sauce. When the ribs are almost done prepare the bbq sauce by adding all the ingredients for the sauce to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn heat to low and let the sauce simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Broil. Remove the aluminum foil from the ribs and turn the heat up to 400ºF. Slather the ribs in bbq sauce and then place them in the oven to caramelize for 10-15 minutes.
- Enjoy. When the ribs are caramelized remove them from the oven and let them rest for 10 minutes.
How To Remove The Membrane from pork ribs
The membrane of the ribs holds the ribs together and if you’re looking for tender ribs that are easy to eat, we suggest removing the membrane.
To remove the membrane you slide a knife under the membrane on the backside of a rack of ribs and then pull the membrane off with your fingers.
Grilling Directions
Looking to fire these babies up on the grill? Here’s a quick rundown on what to do after you’ve dry-rubbed them!
- Grill the ribs at 300ºF for about 1 hour.
- Up the heat to 400ºF and then slather on the bbq sauce. Allow the ribs to grill and caramelize for an additional 30 minutes.
For a more in-depth tutorial on how to grill pork ribs, check out our post.
Try it!
Thermoworks Thermapen
We swear by using a meat thermometer when cooking any cut of meat. The Thermapen is our go-to meat thermometer that works every time.
What to Serve with Our Perfect Oven Ribs
Ribs in the oven go with so many delicious side dishes. Choose from one of the side dishes below and you won’t be disappointed.
Couscous Salad- This Mediterranean couscous salad is the perfect addition to any summer meal. Serve this veggie-packed salad as a delicious side dish or a colorful main dish. Enjoy
Grilled Corn in Foil- Grilled corn on the cob is a summer staple! Get perfectly cooked corn every time with this easy Grilled Corn in Foil recipe. Enjoy!
Smoked Baked Potatoes- Smoked baked potatoes are such an easy way to complete any meal. They come out perfectly slow-cooked and are so easy to make!
Grilled Cauliflower- This grilled cauliflower is steamed for 10 minutes and then perfectly grilled for an amazing side for any meal!
Street Corn Salad- Our Mexican Street Corn Salad is made with grilled corn, tomato, onion, and the most delicious cotija yogurt sauce with lime juice.
Storage Suggestions
Store leftover ribs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-5 days. Option to also wrap them in a piece of tin foil.
Oven Baked Ribs (How to Cook Ribs in Oven)
Ingredients
BBQ Ribs
- 1 rack baby back ribs, ~3 lbs.
- 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
BBQ Sauce
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons grated white onion
- 1 tablespoon grated garlic
- 1 tablespoon worcestershire
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- 1 tablespoon molasses
- 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Begin by removing the membrane from the ribs and discard the membrane.
- Next, sprinkle the ribs with kosher salt and massage the salt into the meat. Set aside.
- Add the garlic powder, brown sugar, dried thyme, chili powder, paprika, and black pepper into a bowl and mix until combined.
- Sprinkle the spices over the ribs and be sure the whole rack of ribs is covered.
- Wrap the ribs in plastic wrap and place them in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (but up to overnight).
- Preheat the oven to 300ºF and spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
- Unwrap the ribs and place them on the baking sheet.
- Drizzle the ribs with olive oil and cover them with tin foil.
- Place them into the oven and bake the ribs at 300ºF for 2.5 hours.
- When there is 30 minutes of bake time left, add all the ingredients for the bbq sauce into a sauce pan and whisk all of the ingredients together until combined.
- Bring the BBQ sauce to a boil over high heat and then reduce the heat to low and let the BBQ sauce simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat.
- When the ribs have baked for 2.5 hours, remove them from the oven and unwrap them from the tin foil.
- Increase the heat to 400ºF and slather the bbq sauce over the ribs.
- Return the ribs to the oven and bake them at 400ºF for 10-15 minutes or until the BBQ sauce begins to caramelize on the ribs.
- Remove from the oven and let the ribs rest for 10 minutes and then enjoy.
Tips & Notes
- Instead of making your own bbq sauce, feel free to use store-bought.
Watch It
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Don’t forget to tag your posts on social media with the hashtag #fitfoodiefinds, we’d love to see what you’re up to!
Photography: photos taken in this post are by Erin from The Wooden Skillet.
My go to rib recipe! Perfect everytime!
Yay!
These ribs come out so perfect and delicious!
Phenomenal. Plenty of BBQ sauce left for dipping. I forgot to cover in tinfoil and they still turned out great. I broiled for a couple mins at the end too. Chefs kiss.
This is a really great recipe and during the cold months, it is way easier to do oven ribs as opposed to my grill.