Oven Baked Ribs
These oven baked ribs are fall-off-the-bone tender, coated in a sweet and smoky dry rub, and finished with sticky, caramelized BBQ sauce. They’re mostly hands-off and turn out perfectly every time!
Servings: 6
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
Serving: 3ribs with sauce | Calories: 537kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 130mg | Sodium: 1825mg | Potassium: 633mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 693IU | Vitamin C: 0.5mg | Calcium: 95mg | Iron: 2mg
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