Recipe Overview
Why you’ll love it: These oven baked ribs are fall-off-the-bone tender, coated in smoky dry rub, and finished with sticky, caramelized BBQ sauce. They’re hands-off once you get them in the oven, and turn out perfectly every time!
How long it takes: 3 hours, 25 minutes (including broiling and rest time)
Equipment you’ll need: small bowl, large rimmed sheet pan, foil
Servings: 6
No Grill, Still Great Ribs
I love grilled ribs, but I do not always feel like grilling ribs.
Between the weather, the timing, the monitoring, and just not wanting to deal with it, this is the version I make way more often (I also love my slow cooker ribs!).
You season them, put them in the oven, and let them do their thing for a few hours. A quick broil at the end gives you those sticky, caramelized edges that make ribs what they are.
What makes them special:
- Low and slow means ultra-tender. Baking the ribs at 300°F for several hours gives the connective tissue time to break down, resulting in meat that’s juicy and practically falling off the bone, just the way it should be!
- Big BBQ flavor without the fuss of the grill. The homemade dry rub builds deep, smoky-sweet flavor, and a quick broil at the end caramelizes the sauce just like a backyard barbecue would. (Instant Pot ribs are another way to get that flavor without grilling!)
- Works with different cuts. We’ve tested both baby back ribs and St. Louis spare ribs (over 6 pounds total!), and both turn out perfectly juicy and tender.
Ingredient Notes
You’ll find the full ingredient list for these oven baked ribs in the recipe card, but here’s what you’ll need for each component of the recipe.
- Ribs: You can use either baby back pork ribs or St. Louis spare ribs which are meatier and flatter. There’s enough rub for up to six pounds of ribs.
- BBQ dry rub: The homemade rub consists of dark brown sugar, kosher salt, coarse ground black pepper, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper.
- Yellow mustard: I rub yellow mustard over the ribs to bind the seasoning to the ribs. You won’t notice a strong mustard flavor since yellow mustard is fairly mild but it does add another layer of flavor to the ribs.
- BBQ sauce: Use your favorite BBQ sauce. I love this homemade BBQ sauce recipe!
How Many Ribs To Buy
The rule of thumb is 2 to 3 ribs per person, but rules are made to be broken—some people can polish off a whole rack of these oven baked ribs by themselves! The best advice I have is to know your family’s appetite and consider how many and what kind of sides you’re serving with the ribs. And leftover ribs are never a bad thing, either!
How to Make Oven Baked Ribs
Get ready. Preheat your oven to 300°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup.
Prep the ribs. Flip the ribs over and remove the silver skin (the thin membrane on the back) if needed. Slide a knife underneath it, grab it with a paper towel, and pull it off. It may tear, but just keep going until it’s removed. This step ensures that the ribs will turn out nice and tender. Pat the ribs dry with paper towels.
Season the ribs. In a small bowl, mix together all the dry rub ingredients. Rub a thin layer of yellow mustard over both sides of the ribs, and then evenly coat the ribs with the dry rub, pressing it into the meat so it sticks.
Prepare to bake. Wrap each rack tightly in foil. You can wrap them individually or together, just make sure they’re sealed well so moisture stays inside. I find that they’re easier to handle if they’re wrapped separately. Place the wrapped ribs bone side down on the baking sheet.
Cook. Bake the ribs on the middle rack for 3 to 3 ½ hours, or until the ribs are tender when pierced with a fork. The meat should pull back slightly from the ends of the bones.
Sauce and broil. Carefully unwrap the ribs (watch out for hot steam!) and discard the foil. Drain off the excess liquid from the pan. Brush the ribs with BBQ sauce and place them under the broiler on high for 3 to 5 minutes, until the sauce is thickened and caramelized.
Rest and serve. Let the ribs rest for about 5 minutes, then slice between the bones.
Perfect Pairings
- Side salads. I like to serve a creamy salad with ribs, like creamy coleslaw, dill potato salad, and ranch pasta salad. My German-style vinegar coleslaw or carrot salad would go well, too, if you’re looking for something lighter.
- Baked beans. A classic pairing for oven baked ribs! You’ll love my crock pot baked beans recipe.
- Cornbread. My healthy cornbread is great for soaking up any extra sauce.
- Mac and cheese. Another favorite for serving with ribs. I love this stovetop mac and cheese recipe, which is perfect since your oven will be occupied with the ribs!
Refrigerate: Store leftover oven baked ribs in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days.
Freeze: Wrap leftovers tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. I’ll usually wrap them in a layer of foil then place them in an airtight container or freezer bag for double protection against freezer burn. Thaw in the fridge before reheating.
Reheat: Wrap the ribs in foil (if they aren’t already) and warm them in a 300°F oven until heated through. You can also microwave in short intervals, covered, until warm, but the oven is best for keeping the meat tender and moist.
More Pork Recipes
Oven Baked Ribs
Ingredients
For BBQ rub (see note):
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons coarse ground black pepper (1 teaspoon if using a finer grind)
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
For ribs:
- 2 racks baby back pork ribs (4 to 6 pounds total, see note)
- ¼ cup yellow mustard
- ¾ to 1 cup BBQ sauce (use your favorite brand or make your own)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix together all ingredients for the BBQ dry rub (see note).¼ cup dark brown sugar, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, 2 teaspoons coarse ground black pepper , 2 teaspoons chili powder, 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 1 ½ teaspoons onion powder, ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Preheat oven to 300°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil (if desired, for easy clean up).
- Remove the silver skin (thin membrane) from the back of the ribs if it hasn’t already been removed. Pat the ribs dry with paper towels.2 racks baby back pork ribs
- Rub mustard over both sides of the ribs, then evenly coat the ribs with the dry rub mixture, pressing it into the meat.¼ cup yellow mustard
- Wrap each rack of ribs tightly in foil (you can do them individually or together) and place them on the baking sheet, bone side down.
- Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 3 to 3 ½ hours, or until the ribs are very tender when pierced with a fork.
- Carefully unwrap the ribs and discard the foil. Drain any excess liquid from the pan.
- Brush the ribs generously with BBQ sauce. Broil for 3 to 5 minutes on high, or until the sauce is bubbly and beginning to caramelize. Watch closely so they don’t burn.¾ to 1 cup BBQ sauce
- Let the meat rest for 5 minutes before slicing it between the bones and serving warm.
Notes
- BBQ rub: For an easy shortcut, swap your favorite pre-made spice blend for the dry rub. Our rub makes about ½ cup but does contain ¼ cup of brown sugar. If yours is all spices, use about ¼ cup (mixed with ¼ cup brown sugar, if you like). The homemade BBQ rub can be made ahead of time and stored in an airtight container for up to 6 months. It can be used on pork, chicken, or salmon, too.
- Ribs: We’ve made this recipe with both baby back ribs and St. Louis spare ribs, and they turn out equally well. There is plenty of rub for up to 6 pounds of meat.
- Yield: It’s a little tricky to calculate how many servings in one rack of baby back ribs. Generally, figure on 2 to 3 ribs per person but keep in mind that some folks may like to eat more.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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