My oven baked ribs are fall off the bone tender, seasoned with a flavorful dry rub and slathered with BBQ sauce. This easy recipe will have you making the best ribs of your life!
The Secret to the BEST Fall Off the Bone Oven Baked Ribs
I fondly remember being a kid, sitting around my grandparents’ table, eating Grandpa’s famous spare ribs. Today, I prefer baby back ribs, and this is how I cook them. They turn out incredibly tender and I just love the flavor, the sticky-sweet BBQ sauce, and those crispy caramelized edges. Like me, my oldest daughter has always loved ribs, and she’s declared these baby back ribs in the oven to be the best. This easy recipe has even gotten my other kids to love ribs, which makes me so happy!
The secret to making the best ribs you’ve ever tasted is to cook them low and slow in the oven. I cook these at 275° F for 3 to 3 1/2 hours and they turn out so tender they fall off the bone, every time. I bake them wrapped in foil to make them extra tender and juicy, then brush on some BBQ sauce and pop them under the broiler for just a few minutes to caramelize the exterior for a flavorful crust. Best ribs ever!
Ingredient Notes
- Ribs: I use 2 racks of baby back pork ribs in this recipe, which is about 4 pounds. You can scale the recipe down to use 1 rack of ribs to feed a smaller crowd, or double the recipe and bake on two baking sheets in the oven. Other types of pork ribs (spare ribs, St. Louis-style ribs or country style ribs) will also work in this recipe. The cook time range will be the same.
- Spice Rub: I use a mix of sweet paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, salt and pepper to season the ribs before baking. My Pork Rub also works great to season ribs.
- BBQ Sauce: I love to use my Homemade BBQ Sauce in this recipe. It takes about 15 minutes to make and has the perfect sweet, tangy, slightly spicy flavor. You can also use store-bought BBQ sauce.
Find the printable recipe with ingredient amounts below.
How to Cook Baby Back Ribs in the Oven
Plus, my best tips to ensure your ribs come out perfect, every time!
Remove the membrane. Ribs often have a thin white membrane on the back, and you want to remove it to make them more tender. It’s usually easy to pull it off with your fingers, but if not you can run a butter knife under the membrane and then use a paper towel to grip it and pull it off.
Season the ribs. I season them right on the foil lined baking sheet. Make sure the meaty side is facing up, then rub the spice mixture all over the meaty side of the ribs.
Cover and bake. Wrap a few sheets of foil tightly around the baking sheet. This traps steam and creates a moist environment for the ribs as they bake, making them extra tender and juicy. Bake in a 275° F oven for 3-3½ hours. To check if they’re done, unwrap the ribs and pull off a small piece of meat to check for doneness. They’re done when the meat is very tender.
Brush with BBQ sauce and broil. Since we baked the ribs wrapped in foil, now we need a quick broil to crisp the edges. Brush BBQ sauce all over the tops of the ribs, then put them under the broiler for 2-4 minutes, until the BBQ sauce just starts to caramelize. Don’t walk away – watch them carefully so that they don’t burn.
That’s it! The easiest and best ribs you’ll ever make.
What to Serve with Ribs
These are some of my favorite side dishes to serve with ribs:
- A creamy salad, like my Macaroni Salad, Red Potato Salad or Coleslaw.
- Homemade Mac and Cheese is a crowd-pleasing favorite.
- Boil some Corn on the Cob for the easiest side dish.
- Embrace the comfort food with my easy Homemade Biscuits.
- My grilled Corn Salad is a favorite for summer BBQs.
- Balance out the savory, meaty ribs with a fresh Green Salad.
More Ribs Recipes to Love
- Slow Cooker Ribs: Cooked low and slow till they’re fall-apart tender!
- Instant Pot Ribs: Those of you who are Instant Pot fans will love these!
- Braised Short Ribs: One of my favorite special occasion meals, these oven braised beef short ribs have so much flavor!
Made this recipe? I’d truly appreciate if you leave a comment and star rating below! Your review will help others who want to try this recipe. Thank you! 💛
How to make the BEST Fall Off the Bone Oven Baked Ribs
Ingredients
- 2 racks baby back pork ribs, about 4 pounds total
- 4 teaspoons paprika, I used sweet paprika
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup BBQ sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 275° F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil.
- If the ribs have the thin white membrane along the back, remove it. It is usually easy to pull off with your fingers, but if not you can run a butter knife under the membrane and then use a paper towel to grip it and pull it off.
- Place ribs on the foil lined baking sheet, meaty side up.
- Combine the paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Rub this dry rub mixture all over the meaty side of the ribs.
- Cover the ribs tightly with foil by wrapping a few sheets of foil around the baking sheet. (Alternatively, you can wrap each rack of ribs tightly with foil.)
- Bake for 3-3½ hours, until ribs are very tender. (Unwrap the ribs and pull off a small piece of meat to check for doneness.)
- Remove ribs from the oven. Preheat broiler to the low setting. Remove the foil covering the ribs and discard. Brush ribs with BBQ sauce. Place ribs under the broiler for 2-4 minutes, until the BBQ sauce just starts to caramelize. Watch them carefully so that they don't burn.
- Let rest for 5 minutes, then serve.
Notes
- Spare ribs, St. Louis-style ribs or country style ribs may also be used in this recipe. The cook time will be similar; check for doneness by testing if the ribs are tender.
- To reheat ribs: Place the ribs in a baking dish and brush them with BBQ sauce to keep them moist. Cover the dish with foil. Reheat in a 250° F oven for 15-30 minutes, or until the ribs are heated through to at least 145° F. Heating the ribs slowly, covered, at low heat helps to keep them moist.
