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a plate of meat, beans, corn and corn on the cob.
5 from 3 votes

Tender Baby Back Ribs Recipe (Grill or Oven)

Learn how to cook baby back ribs in both the oven and the grill with this simple marinated + dry rubbed baby back ribs recipe!
Prep 1 hour 30 minutes
Cook 1 hour 30 minutes
Total 3 hours
Fat
Carbs
Protein

Ingredients

Rib Marinade

Instructions

  • First, prepare your baby back ribs. Remove the membrane from the ribs by sliding a knife under the membrane (which is a white film layer) on the backside of a rack of ribs. Pull the membrane off with your fingers.
    a person holding a piece of meat on a tray.
  • Massage the kosher salt and pepper into the rib meat and set aside.
  • Make the rib marinade. Add all of the ingredients for the rib marinade into a bowl and whisk until combined.
    a hand holding a whisk in a bowl of brown liquid.
  • Transfer the ribs into a gallon-sized bag or a 9x13-inch pan. Pour the marinade over the ribs. Be sure the ribs are covered in marinade. Flip the ribs meat side down, cover, and refrigerate the ribs for at least 1 hour or overnight for more tender and flavorful ribs.
    A rib in a pan with marinade.
  • Preheat the grill or oven to 300ºF.
  • Remove the ribs from the refrigerator and let the excess marinade drip from the ribs. Season the ribs with aroubd 1/4 cup of the dry rub. Rub the spices into the ribs on both sides so that they’re completely covered.
  • Let the ribs sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes.
  • Grill Directions: Transfer the ribs onto the grill and cook meat-side-down, over indirect heat at 300ºF for 1 hour. Bring the temperature of the grill up to 400ºF. Move the ribs over to direct heat, making sure they are meat-side-up. Use a brush to coat the ribs with bbq sauce. Grill over direct heat for 10-15 minutes, flipping halfway through.
    a piece of meat is cooking on a grill.
  • Oven Directions: Transfer the ribs onto a baking sheet meat-side-down and cover with tin foil. Bake at 300ºF for 1 hour. Remove the ribs from the oven and use a brush to coat the ribs with bbq sauce. Bring the temperature of the oven up to 400ºF and cook for 10-15 more minutes.
  • Remove the ribs from the grill or oven when the internal temperature reaches 195ºF but you can also tell that the ribs are done because they will start to expose the bone.
  • Let the ribs rest for 10 minutes and serve.

Tips & Notes

  • Store any excess dry rub in an airtight container to use later.
  • The longer the ribs marinate the more tender and flavorful they will be.
  • You can use any type of bbq sauce that you’d like.
  • This recipe has only been tested with baby back ribs, no other kind of rib.
  • If you like more of a ‘crust’ on your ribs, add more dry rub before grilling.