Looking for an easy oven rib recipe? Then these finger-licking-good Baked Baby Back Ribs will be your favorite! With hardly any effort, the pork ribs are fall-off-the-bone tender. You can even meal prep ribs in advance and take the stress out of dinner time.
A quick look at this recipe
- Recipe Name: Baked Baby Back Ribs
- Ready In: 3 hours and 10 minutes
- Serves: 4 to 6
- Calories: 438
- Main Ingredients: Baby back ribs, barbecue seasoning, barbecue sauce
- Difficulty: Easy
- Why You'll Love This Recipe: Simple to make, fall off the bone tender, meal prep recipe.
If you love sticky, tender ribs that slide off the bone, then this is the recipe for you. These ribs are one of our family favorite pork recipes. Along with my 30 minute Pork Tenderloin Sliders and Maple Glazed Pork with Sauteed Apples, I make this baby back rib recipe year round.
It's a simple 3 ingredient recipe that I developed while working as the chef at a small gourmet shop. I perfected it cooking for my barbecue-loving personal chef clients. The ribs needed to be just as delicious when reheated as the day they're made.
It's one of those recipes that you can make in advance and to take some of the stress off dinnertime. You'll even have enough time to my a Peach Crumble Pie.
I just love how easy they're to make and turn out perfect every time. The key is to have some patience while the oven does the work slow roasting the baby back ribs.
Jump to:
- A quick look at this recipe
- What's to love about baked bbq ribs?
- Ingredients & substitutions
- Hint
- How to cook baby back ribs in the oven
- How to remove the membrane from baby back ribs
- How to prep ribs in advance
- Expert tip
- Frequently asked questions
- What to serve with barbecue ribs
- More recipes like this one
- One more thing
- Recipe
What's to love about baked bbq ribs?
- Easy to make ~ With very little prep and only 3 ingredients, cooking baby back ribs in the oven is so easy.
- Tender and flavorful ~ Baking ribs in the oven at a low temperature for a few hours makes for the best barbecue ribs. The low and slow cooking method allows for the connective tissue to break down so the ribs are guaranteed to be tender every time.
- Great make ahead recipe ~ Perfect for parties or if you like to meal prep, baked ribs are foolproof. It's the method I always used with my personal chef clients. Scroll down for my complete directions.
Ingredients & substitutions
Here's what you'll need to make baked baby back ribs. Scroll to the recipe card for full quantities of the ingredients.
- Pork ribs ~ My first choice when baking ribs is to use baby back ribs. They're small, tender, and lean. Spare ribs are also an option. They're meatier and more robust in flavor as they contain more fat. They take a little longer to bake.
- Barbecue spice rub ~ Use your favorite bbq spice rub either store bought or homemade. I love this all purpose All American Seasoning & Rub.
- Barbecue sauce ~ I've got an oh so simple, better than any store bought, and made with pantry ingredients homemade bbq sauce recipe. You'll want to keep this sauce on hand at all times. But in a pinch use your favorite store brand. To change up the flavor of your baby back ribs, try sweet Thai chili sauce, hoisin sauce or buffalo wing sauce.
Hint
When shopping for baby back ribs, it's best to buy fresh ribs as they're more flavorful than frozen ones.
How to cook baby back ribs in the oven
This is a brief overview for how to bake ribs. I've got full instructions in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Cut each rack of ribs in half. Use a knife to help remove the tough membrane on the underside of the rack.
Step 2: Generously rub the ribs with the barbecue seasoning. Place racks on a foil lined rimmed baking sheet.
Step 3: Tightly cover the baking sheet with foil. Bake the ribs in the oven at 275 degrees F for about 3 hours.
Step 4: Remove the ribs from the oven and baste with barbecue sauce. A basting brush makes this easy to do). Return the ribs to the oven and broil the for 5 to 6 minutes or until charred in spots. Remove the ribs from the oven and serve.
How to remove the membrane from baby back ribs
For the most tender ribs, remove the thin membrane covering the underside of the rack. Leaving it on can make the ribs tough. Break-apart tender ribs are the goal, so remove the membrane.
Use a knife and slide it between the membrane and the rib bones. Grab the end of the membrane with a paper towel (it can be slippery), pull it off, and throw it away.
How to prep ribs in advance
I used one of the two following methods when meal prepping barbecue ribs for my personal chef clients. Ribs can be refrigerated for 3 to 4 days. Use these tips and they'll taste just as good after a couple days in the fridge as the day they were made.
- Bake and store ~ Bake the ribs according to the recipe but don't add the sauce and broil. Let cool completely. Store in airtight containers for up to 4 days. I love these meal prep containers. When ready to serve, place the ribs on a foil lined baking sheet and cover with foil. Heat in a 300 degree F oven for 20 to 30 minutes. Remove the foil, brush the ribs with barbecue sauce and broil for 5 to 6 minutes.
- Bake, sauce and broil ~ Prepare the ribs according to recipe and cool completely. Store in airtight containers for up to 4 days. When ready to serve, place the ribs on a foil lined baking sheet and cover with foil. Heat in a 300 degree F oven for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Microwave ~ Place 3 to 4 baked and sauced ribs on a microwave safe plate. Cover with a paper towel. Heat on 60 percent power for 2 minutes. Continue heating at 30 second intervals until the ribs are hot.
Expert tip
- You'll want to broil the ribs with the barbecue sauce just until the sauce caramelizes. It only takes a few minutes. Watch them closely so the ribs don't burn.
Frequently asked questions
Take the guesswork out of knowing when ribs are flavorful and fully cooked by using an instant read digital thermometer. The temperature should be between 190 and 200 degrees F. Perfectly cooked ribs will be tender and easily pull apart.
Yes you can! Place the baked ribs meat side down on a hot grill and brush with barbecue sauce. Grill for about 5 minutes. Flip the ribs, brush with more sauce and grill another 4 to 5 minutes.
What to serve with barbecue ribs
Along with the baked baby back ribs, serve classic side dishes of buttered corn on the cob and our family favorite Homestyle Red Potato Salad. This broccoli salad is also a fave.
Try some of these side dishes too.
- Cheesy Mac and Cheese ~ stovetop recipe!
- Do Ahead Twice Baked Potatoes ~ these freeze beautifully too.
- Crispy Oven Fries
- Avocado, Corn, Cucumber and Tomato Salad
- Spinach and Blueberry Salad with Yogurt Honey Dressing
Finish off the meal with some Snickerdoodle Ice Cream Sandwiches or No Churn Oreo Ice Cream.
More recipes like this one
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
One more thing
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Thanks ~ Amy
Recipe
Baked Baby Back Ribs
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 racks of baby back pork ribs
- ¼ cup barbecue seasoning
- 2 cups barbecue sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 275 degrees F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil and set aside.
- Cut each rack of ribs in half.
- If the ribs still have a thin membrane on the underside, remove it. Slide a small knife between the membrane and the bones. Grab the membrane with a paper towel and pull it off the rack of ribs. Discard the membrane.
- Generously season all sides of the ribs with the barbecue seasoning.
- Place the seasoned ribs on the prepared baking sheet. Cover tightly with foil.
- Bake the ribs for 2 and ¾ to 3 and ½ hours or until the are tender. The internal temperature of the ribs should be 190 to 200 degrees F.
- Remove the ribs from the oven. Turn the oven to broil and place the oven rack at the highest level.
- Uncover the ribs and brush with some of the barbecue sauce.
- Return the ribs to the oven and broil for 5 to 6 minutes or until the sauce is charred and bubbly.
- Remove the ribs from the oven. Serve with more of the barbecue sauce.
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