Oven Baked Ribs are such an easy, fool-proof way to make fall-off-the-bone ribs without a grill or smoker! Cooking ribs in the oven is a great way to feed a crowd or get out of the heat!
The BEST Oven Baked Ribs
I based this recipe off of my other favorite way to cook ribs (See: Smoked Baby Back Ribs) and they are SO, SO good! I know not everyone has a smoker and this is such an easy way to make ribs in the oven at home that are bone tender and juicy! Feel free to try out our Homemade BBQ Sauce or use your favorite store-bought brand. Some of our favorite side dishes to serve with these are Corn on the Cob, Baked Beans, Creamy Coleslaw and Cornbread Muffins for a delicious meal!
Oven Baked Ribs Ingredients
- baby back ribs: we usually use two racks of ribs – leftovers are amazing!
- worcestershire sauce + yellow mustard + liquid smoke: these are rubbed all over the ribs and then the dry rub is added and together they make a paste.
- One batch of dry rub: I absolutely love our homemade dry rub for ribs which is a combination of spiced like kosher salt, ground black pepper, paprika, lemon pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and a little bit of cayenne.
- barbecue sauce: feel free to use any kind of bbq sauce you want – we do have a delicious homemade bbq sauce too!
How Do You Prepare Ribs Before Cooking
To prepare ribs before cooking you need to:
- Remove the membrane (see pictures below).
- Pat dry with clean paper towel.
- Rub with dry rub (we have a recipe below or you can use a store-bought version).
Do Ribs Need to be Washed Before Cooking
No. Ribs do not need to be washed or rinsed before cooking. According to the USDA, this not recommend as it can increase the risk of cross-contamination.
Should You Take the Membrane Off Ribs
Yes, you should take the membrane off of the ribs before cooking. If you do not remove it, the ribs will be much harder to cut apart after cooking and tougher to eat (see pictures below).
How Do You Remove the Membrane From Ribs
A lot of pre-packaged ribs already have the membrane removed, but if you bought your ribs straight from a butcher, it might be there (but you can always ask them before you buy it and if it is still there, ask them to remove it for you!). The membrane is the thin layer on the back of the ribs that is white(ish) in color. Simply take the tip of your knife and lift of the corner and slowly pull it off! Easy! (See picture below)
How Long Does it Take to Cook Ribs
With this recipe it takes approximately 6 hours to cook ribs in the oven. Ultimately, you are looking for your ribs to reach an internal temperature of 190 – 200 degrees F. Ribs are safe to eat once they reach 145 degrees F, but the meat would be much too tough. Once the meat reaches an internal temperature of 190 – 200 degrees F. the meat is tender and juicy!
Should Ribs be Cooked Covered or Uncovered
Ribs do not need to be covered when cooking. They have enough natural fat on them that the fat self-bastes itself while cooking. You CAN cover them with aluminum foil, but that may impact the cooking time. For this recipe we do not recommend covering with tin foil.
What Temp Do I Cook Ribs On
Ribs are generally cooked between 225 – 275 degrees F. For this recipe, we are starting off low at 225 degrees F. and gradually increase the temperature until it ultimately gets to 275 degrees F. Then, at the end we crank it up to 350 degrees F. to help caramelize the bbq sauce (you can also broil them for a minute or two instead if that is what you prefer)!
Oven Baked Ribs Side Dishes
- Spicy Purple Cabbage Coleslaw
- Classic Creamy Coleslaw
- Gluten-Free Cornbread
- Seven Layer Salad
- Grilled Corn on the Cob
- Grilled Broccoli
- Deviled Egg Potato Salad
How to Make Oven Baked Ribs
Remove ribs from packaging and place on a clean surface (like a large baking sheet).
Flip ribs over so the meat side is facing down. If there is a membrane still attached, use a sharp knife to help lift the thin membrane off of the ribs and then continue lifting and pulling until the whole layer comes off.
This is what they look like without the membrane attached.
Pat ribs dry all over with a clean paper towel.
Rub all over with worcestershire.
Rub all over with yellow mustard.
Rub all over with our homemade spice rub.
Place on foil-lined baking sheet and cook per the recipe card below! Don’t forget to brush on your favorite BBQ Sauce at the end!
Let rest for 5-10 minutes and then enjoy (cover or wrap ribs with tin foil while they are resting)!
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Other Recipes You Might Like
Fresh Lemon Pasta
The BEST Whole Roasted Chicken
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Easy Oven Baked Ribs (Ribs in the Oven)
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Total Time: 6 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Entree
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
Easy Oven Baked Ribs (Ribs in the Oven) – a delicious, moist and juicy oven baked rib recipe that is perfect for your next get together! So amazing!
Ingredients
Ribs:
- 2 racks of baby back ribs
- 1–2 tablespoons liquid smoke
- 1–2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
- 2–4 tablespoons yellow mustard
- 1 bottle of your favorite (smokey) barbecue sauce (we also like this homemade bbq recipe!)
Dry Rub:
- 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 1/2 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 2 1/2 tablespoons lemon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon smoked garlic powder
- 1/2 tablespoon onion powder
- 1/2 tablespoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 225 degrees F.
- Take ribs and remove the thin layer of connective tissue on the non-meat side (aka the membrane).
- Combine dry rub ingredients in a small bowl. and set aside.
- Pat ribs dry with a clean paper towel.
- Rub liquid smoke all over ribs.
- Rub worcestershire sauce all over ribs.
- Rub yellow mustard all over ribs.
- Rub dry rub all over ribs.
- Place ribs on a foil-lined baking sheet (or large roasting pan), meat-side up.
- Bake for 4 hours (middle rack, uncovered).
- Turn oven up to 250 degrees F and let ribs cook for another hour.
- Turn oven up to 275 degrees F and let ribs cook for another hour.
- Once ribs have reached an internal temperature between 190 – 203 degrees F (approximately 1 hour) remove ribs from oven and turn oven up to 350 degrees F.
- Sauce the ribs generously with your favorite BBQ sauce and place back in oven for 6-8 minutes, or until the BBQ sauce becomes tacky (you can also do this under the broiler – just watch them closely so the sauce doesn’t burn).
- Remove ribs from oven and let rest 15 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- FavBBQ Sauce: Feel free to use whatever sauce you want but we do have a smokey + sweet homemade barbecue sauce recipe if you want to use that or you can grab a bottle of Sweet Baby Ray’s or any other brand of your favorite barbecue sauce!
- Type of Ribs: feel free to really use any type of rib for this recipe: spare ribs, baby back ribs, etc.
- Brown Sugar: feel free to add a bit of brown sugar to our homemade dry rub – just a tablespoon or two works great!
- Liquid Smoke: Liquid smoke is amazing and can be found at most grocery stores typically by the bbq sauce, etc.
- Paleo/Whole30: to make Paleo/Whole30 simply omit the Worcestershire sauce and ensure your bbq sauce is compatible.
- Let them rest: don’t skip this step!
- Leftovers: store leftover pork ribs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 rack ribs
- Calories: 183
- Sugar: 28.5 g
- Sodium: 1661.6 mg
- Fat: 2.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 37 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 10.2 mg
Originally posted May 28, 2021.
Kimmy says
I have been making ribs a long time… but I came across your recipe and decided to try it your way. I am so glad I did. I forgot the liquid smoke but the slow cooking, gradually increasing the heat really takes them over the top! Tender, juicy and flavorful!
Erin says
So happy to hear that, Kimmy!!
Mike says
I’m trying this recipe again today, but changing it up because they came out really crusty and dry last time. I’m covering them for the first 4 hours, and will cook them uncovered for the second two hours, or however long it takes, so we’ll see how they turn out this time…
Mike says
Well, I made these last night. They certainly turned out better than mushy slow cooker ribs, or ribs that are covered the whole time cooking. Had a nice crust on the outside, but I have to say that they were a little dried out.. Next time, I think I might actually cover them for part of the time, though I’m not sure if it should be covered at the beginning or toward the end of the cooking time. No one else’s turned out kinda dry?
Erin says
Hi Mike – thanks for trying the recipe! It’s one I come back to over and over and I have never had an issue with dryness so I wonder what the issue was for you? It could just come down to a difference in brand of rib you are using and the fat ratio? But for sure try covering with foil for part of the cook time next time!