This easy recipe for BBQ Baked Ribs results in the most flavorful, tender ribs with the best texture! If you love your ribs with just the right tenderness, without being too firm or too soft, this baked ribs recipe is for you!
A few months ago, I shared my recipe for Crock Pot Ribs, which turn out incredibly tender. Slow cooking ribs results in fall-off-the bone tender rib meat, which for some people is the best way of cooking ribs.
But like many things in life, there can be some division when it comes to how tender the best ribs are.
While I’m all about tender ribs, I do know several individuals (my partner included) who like just the right bite on a rib. Not too tough, not too tender, but just right.
In my experience, baking ribs in the oven yields that perfect texture each and every time. This goof-proof method I’ve laid out in this post results in flavorful, juicy ribs, with that amazing crispy fat.
We all know it’s the crispy fatty bits that make life more intriguing.
The key to perfect oven-baked ribs is to first bake them at a lower temperature with a dry rub in tin foil, then rub barbecue sauce all over them and broil them to crisp them up.
This easy ribs recipe is marvelous any time you’re entertaining guests (think: football food), or simply find yourself craving a rack.
The key is to bake the ribs covered in foil for a long time at a low temperature for perfectly tender meat. There’s no need for an outdoor grill or a slow cooker to make delicious barbecue ribs!
Let’s chat about the ingredients for bbq baked ribs.
Ingredients for BBQ Baked Ribs:
Dry Rub For Ribs: paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, sea salt, oregano, and black pepper are the seasonings I use in my dry rub for ribs.
This combination of ingredients just wins every time! If you have a homemade dry rub or store-bought rub you prefer, feel free to use it here.
You will need 4 tablespoons, assuming the rub includes salt (or 3 tablespoons if your rub does not include salt).
Rack of Ribs: Use baby back ribs, spare ribs, or St. Louis style ribs for this BBQ Baked Ribs recipe. The type of ribs you use is entirely up to personal preference.
Baby back ribs are leaner and tend to be more tender than spare ribs. They are also a little more expensive.
Spare ribs have a higher fat content than baby back ribs, with a meatier bite.
St. Louis style ribs are flatter in a near perfect rectangle and also fattier, which makes them easy to work with and also ensures a nice crispy fat layer.
You can double this recipe to make two racks of ribs if serving more than 4 people.
Barbecue Sauce: All of the success of this recipe hinges upon you making the right BBQ sauce selection. Just kidding. But in all seriousness, pick your favorite bbq sauce or a sauce you already know you love so that you don’t end up with a whole rack of saucy ribs that turn out lackluster to your standards.
I love Kevin’s Paleo BBQ Sauce, which is refined sugar-free and has amazing flavor. My Maple Bourbon BBQ Sauce is a winner for those of you who like making homemade bbq sauce.
Optional Additions:
Some people love using brown sugar in the dry rub, so feel free to add 2 to 3 tablespoons if you like sweet ribs.
For a kick of spice, add ½ teaspoon to 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, chipotle chili powder, or red pepper flakes.
Use your favorite spice rub if you have a favorite.
How to Make BBQ Baked Ribs:
Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Remove the silver skin (the thin membrane on the back of the ribs).
Stir together the seasonings (paprika, garlic powder, oregano, onion powder, salt, and pepper) in a small bowl.
Place the rack of ribs on top of the foil-lined sheet pan and sprinkle both sides of the ribs with the seasoning. Gently press the seasoning into the meat.
Wrap the ribs in foil, making sure they are completely encased.
For baby backs, bake for 2 hours, and for spare ribs bake for 3 hours or until the pork ribs are bone tender when poked with a fork.
Open the foil and brush the meaty side of the ribs with a generous amount of your favorite barbecue sauce. Broil for 5 to 8 minutes, or until the ribs are crispy.
Remove the ribs from the oven and allow them to rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Serve ribs with your favorite side dishes, and enjoy!
Store any leftover ribs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Looking for amazing sides to go alongside a rack of oven-baked ribs? Here are my favorite side dishes to serve with ribs.
Side Dishes for Ribs:
- The Best Potato Salad
- Italian Pasta Salad
- Amazing Avocado Salad
- The BEST Broccoli Salad
- Refreshing Greek Salad
- Gluten-Free Cornbread
- Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
- Black Bean Corn Salad
Enjoy the best bbq ribs the next time you’re entertaining guests or the craving for delicious ribs strikes!
Ingredients
- 3 lbs baby back ribs or spare ribs, 1 rack
- 1 1/2 Tbsp paprika*
- 1 Tbsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 Tbsp onion powder
- 1 Tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 8 ounces BBQ Sauce, plus more for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- Remove the silver skin (the thin membrane on the back of the ribs).
- Stir together the seasonings (paprika, garlic powder, oregano, onion powder, salt, and pepper) in a small bowl.
- 4, Place the rack of ribs on top of the foil-lined sheet pan and sprinkle both sides of the ribs with the seasoning. Gently press the seasoning into the meat with your hands.
- Wrap the ribs in foil, making sure they are completely encased. For baby backs, bake for 2 hours, and for spare ribs, bake for 3 hours or until the pork ribs are bone tender when poked with a fork.
- Open the foil and brush the meaty side of the ribs with a generous amount of your favorite barbecue sauce. Broil for 5 to 8 minutes, or until the ribs are crispy.
- Remove the ribs from the oven and allow them to rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
- Serve ribs with your favorite side dishes, and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission off items you purchase at no additional cost to you.