This recipe for Oven Baked Baby Back Ribs makes it easy to have BBQ on the menu anytime of year. A smoky spice rub and easy oven method create these tender, flavorful ribs.
Just like my BBQ Country Style Ribs and Oven Baked BBQ Chicken, you don’t need to fire up the grill for a taste of summer!
BBQ can’t just be a summer thing in our house. It doesn’t matter what season it is, we will not deny ourselves perfectly tender ribs slathered in BBQ sauce.
Once the sun begins to shine I’m all about my collection of grilling recipes. But, when it’s cold and rainy outside, this method for Oven Baked Baby Back Ribs is a game changer.
Table of contents
Recipe Highlights
- All-Season Recipe – This recipe works any time of year. A little rain or snow will not deny us our ribs!
- Feed a Crowd – Get a couple of racks of ribs cooking in the oven while your grill is loaded up with Classic Beef Burgers or Pineapple Chicken Kabobs.
- Hands Off – After just minutes of prep, these easy baby back ribs are completely hands off until a final basting of BBQ sauce.
- Incredible Result – This method creates ribs with a crisped, caramelized exterior and super tender meat.
Ingredient Notes
- Ribs – A couple of racks of pork baby back ribs.
- BBQ sauce – Your favorite brand of BBQ sauce. We love Kinder’s Mild.
- Pork Spice Rub – The smoky, flavor-packed dry rub consists of smoked paprika, granulated garlic (or garlic powder), onion powder, brown sugar, cumin, salt, black pepper, and a little cayenne pepper.
Pro Tip
This recipe makes enough spice rub for up to 3 pounds of ribs. If your ribs weigh more, I recommend doubling the spice rub to be sure there is enough.
How Do You Check for a Membrane on Ribs?
A membrane is a silvery, or whitish skin over the bony side of your ribs. If you see this on your ribs, you’ll need to remove the membrane since it is tough and chewy once cooked. You can do it yourself as described below, or ask the butcher at the store to do it for you.
Some brands of baby back ribs, like the ribs I purchase at Costco, come with the membrane removed. Great timesaver!
How to Make Oven Baked Baby Back Ribs
- Combine the ingredients for the dry rub in a small bowl.
- Remove the ribs from their packaging and rinse under cool water. Dry well with paper towels. If the ribs have a membrane intact, insert a knife under it to lift it, grab hold of it with a paper towel, and peel it off.
Season and Bake
- Place the ribs separate sheets of heavy duty aluminum foil that are large enough to enclose them. Sprinkle the spice rub over both sides, using your hands to rub it all over.
- Enclose the ribs in the foil.
- Place the foil packets on a foil-lined baking sheet. Transfer the ribs to a preheated 300 degree F oven. Bake for 2 hours, or until very tender when pierced with a fork.
Baste and Broil
- Remove the ribs from the oven and remove the foil packet containing the ribs from the baking sheet. Open the foil and use tongs to transfer the ribs to the empty foil-lined baking sheet, meaty side down.
- Brush the bony side with BBQ sauce, then flip and generously baste the meaty side with the remaining sauce.
- Return the baking sheet to the oven and broil for 4 to 6 minutes, or until the sauce begins to caramelize. Remove from the oven and let the ribs rest for about 5 minutes. Then, transfer to a cutting board and use a serrated knife to slice between the bones into individual ribs.
FAQ and Valerie’s Tips
It’s best to bake ribs at a low temperature for a long time to give the tough connective tissues time to break down. I have found 300 degrees F to be the optimal temperature.
Baby back ribs will be rendered perfectly tender in about 2 hours in a 300 degree F oven. Low and slow is the name of the game. They can, however, become too tender to the point of literally falling off the bone if you overcook them. You want the meat to be tender but still cling to the bone for the best result. Begin checking them towards the end of the baking time and remove them from the oven when they are very tender when pierced with a fork.
Covered! Enclosing the ribs in the aluminum foil creates a moist environment where the juices won’t escape and cook off. This is ideal for infusing flavor and tenderizing the meat. Don’t worry about how they look after the initial baking time. Basting the ribs with BBQ sauce and quickly broiling them before serving will crisp and caramelize the surface.
Yes. You can use spareribs, country-style, or St. Louis style ribs. As long as the total weight is similar, the cooking time should be about the same.
There are usually about 12 ribs in a rack of baby back ribs. You should count on half a rack, or 6 ribs per person, when ribs are the only entrée. If you are serving ribs as part of a large meal with other main course options, you can reduce this to 2 or 3 ribs per person.
What to Serve with Ribs
The list is endless but here are some of my all-time favorite BBQ side dishes.
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Oven Baked Baby Back Ribs
Ingredients
Pork Spice Rub
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 ½ teaspoons granulated garlic or garlic powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
For the Ribs
- 2 racks pork baby back ribs, 2.5 to 3 pounds total weight
- ½ cup BBQ sauce, or as needed, I love Kinder’s Mild
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. with an oven rack in the center of the oven. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil. Combine the ingredients for the dry rub in a small bowl.
- Remove the ribs from their packaging and rinse under cool water. Dry well with paper towels. If the ribs have a membrane intact, insert a knife under it to lift it, grab hold of it with a paper towel, and peel it off.
- Set the ribs, meaty side down, on a sheet of heavy duty foil that is large enough to enclose it. Sprinkle about one-third of the seasoning mix over the bony side of the ribs and use your hands to rub it all over. Flip the ribs over and sprinkle the meaty side with the remaining seasoning, spreading it out over the ribs with your hands. Enclose the ribs in the foil and place the foil packet on the foil-lined baking sheet. If using two racks, divide the seasoning between the two racks and wrap them in separate pieces of foil. Transfer the ribs to the oven.
- Bake for 2 hours, or until very tender when pierced with a fork.
- Remove the ribs from the oven and set the oven to BROIL with the oven rack still in the center of the oven. Lift the foil packet containing the ribs from the baking sheet. Open the foil and use tongs to transfer the ribs to the foil-lined baking sheet, meaty side down. Baste the bony side with BBQ sauce, then flip and generously baste the meaty side. Return the baking sheet to the oven and broil for 4 to 6 minutes, or until the sauce begins to caramelize.
- Remove from the oven and let the ribs rest for about 5 minutes. Then, transfer to a cutting board and use a serrated knife to slice into individual ribs.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.
More Pork Recipes
These were outstanding
What a great tasting and easy recipe for babyback ribs. This is now my 2nd time making them. Thank you!
I find that if you put the ribs in the foil with the meat side down it keeps them moist during the cooking process.
very tender and delicious
These were the best ribs I ever had!!!
I will be using this recipe from now on.
Hi Linda. So happy you loved the recipe and thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment. 🙂
I like the way you explain stuff. Very relatable!