These Baby Back Barbecue Ribs have a delicious smoky rub and a sweet barbecue glaze. Baked in the oven and finished in the grill or broiler, they are tender every time and are a year-round favorite.
What we love about these Baked Baby Back Ribs
My family loves ribs. This is our favorite recipe, and we’ve used the technique for preparing these for years. Rubbed with a smoky spice mixture with salt, pepper, sugar, chili powder, cumin, paprika, and a touch of cayenne, they are then baked low and slow for a couple of hours. The dry rub is so flavorful that they could be eaten prepared just like that.
We do love a delicious glaze or sauce on top to finish them. A quick few minutes on the grill or in the oven under the broiler caramelizes the barbecue sauce and takes these ribs over the top. This homemade barbecue sauce is our favorite. It is slightly sweet and has excellent flavor. You can double the sauce for dipping sauce if you want to serve the ribs with extra sauce at the table. If you’re in a hurry, your favorite bottled sauce can easily substitute.
Whether you are looking for a favorite 4th of July or summer main dish, or wanting some delicious ribs when it’s cold outside, these oven-baked ribs are a perfect year-round treat.
Looking for other summer main dishes? Try our Barbecue Ranch Chicken Salad or our Croissant Chicken Salad.
What you need to make these Baked Barbecue Pork Ribs
You will need the following ingredients:
- One to two racks of baby back ribs
- Sugar
- Paprika
- Chili powder
- Cumin
- Kosher salt
- Doarsely ground pepper
- Cayenne pepper
- Tomato puree
- Apple cider vinegar
- Vegetable oil
- Soy sauce
- Onion powder
- Mustard
- Salt
- Garlic powder
Baby Back Ribs Recipe Substitutions
I know what it’s like when you don’t have everything on hand and the last thing you want to do is run to the store and pick something up. Here are a few ideas to substitute items on the ingredients list if needed:
- If you have a favorite store-bought rib rub and want to save time, you could substitute it for the homemade rub.
- If you want to save time, you can use a store-bought barbecue sauce instead of the homemade sauce. We have used Sweet Baby Ray’s Original sauce, but my family actually prefers the homemade sauce when I have served ribs with both.
- I have used different spices to vary the rub based on different sauces I have used in the past; feel free to play with that. I have added coriander, subbed brown sugar for regular sugar, omitted the cayenne, used smoked paprika, etc. Feel free to adjust to your family’s preferences or what you have on hand.
- You can substitute baby back ribs for spare ribs, like St. Louis ribs. Spare ribs are meatier than baby back ribs and will take longer to cook.
Step-by-step Instructions
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil (a traditional 13×18 baking sheet works great) In a small bowl, whisk together the rub ingredients.
Step 2. Remove ribs from packaging and pat dry with paper towels. Place the ribs on the lined baking sheet. Turn the ribs meat side down to remove the membrane, called the silverskin. Slide a butter knife between the membrane and ribs about an inch in. This can be easier to do starting one or two ribs down from the top. Using a paper towel, take hold of the edge of the membrane and pull across the ribs and down. The paper towel helps grip the membrane to pull. Often, the membrane comes off all in one piece. If not, grab hold of the next piece and pull until completely removed.
Step 3. Spread rub across one side of the ribs, rubbing the spices into the meat. Turn and spread and rub the spice mixture onto the other side. Repeat if using two racks of ribs.
Step 4. Cover the ribs with aluminum foil and place them in the oven. Cook for 2 hours and 15 minutes and remove from the oven.
Step 5. While the ribs cook, prepare the barbecue sauce. In a medium saucepan, whisk together sugar, tomato puree, apple cider vinegar, vegetable oil, soy sauce, onion powder, mustard, salt, garlic powder, pepper, paprika, and cayenne pepper. Cook sauce on low heat, whisking occasionally for 15-20 minutes.
Step 6. Brush sauce onto the meat side of the ribs. Place the ribs meat side down on the grill (or about 5 inches under the broiler) and cook for 3 minutes. Brush sauce on the other side of the ribs and turn over. Brush additional sauce on the meat side of the ribs again and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Brush sauce on again if desired and remove from the grill. Let ribs rest for at least 10 minutes. Cut into slices by finding the soft spots in between the bones and cutting between each bone, or serve two at a time.
Tips
- Ribs need to cook for a long time at a lower temperature, and oven cooking helps them to cook low and slow at a steady temperature without burning, which is one reason I love this oven-baked method.
- Finishing on the grill or under the broiler gets you that delicious caramelized sauce and smoky char that enhances the flavor of the ribs. It is best to apply the sauce to the ribs during the last few minutes of cooking. The sugar content in the sauces can easily burn. Applying the sauce too early can burn the sauce and affect the taste of the ribs. If you wait until after the grill, the sauce doesn’t caramelize or enhance the flavor of the meat when cooking.
- I highly recommend removing the membrane on the back of the ribs before cooking. It helps improve the tenderness of the meat because the membrane tends to toughen when cooking. It also increases the flavor of the ribs so the rub and sauce can permeate the meat. It is not too hard to pull off the membrane when you follow the instructions in the recipe; it just takes a minute or two and makes a big difference.
- I love my USA Pan Baking Sheets and use them for all my baking. They are the best for cookies, and for savory dishes like these ribs.
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Frequently Asked Questions
| Can Baby Back Barbecue Ribs be made in advance? |
| a. Ribs can easily be cooked in advance, up to two days before serving, which helps to minimize oven time on a busy holiday cooking day. You cook in the oven, refrigerate, and then finish on the grill with the sauce the day you are serving. They can even be easier to work with after chilling before moving to the grill. When cooking in advance, after they have cooled, cover them tightly in foil and place them in the fridge. The day you want to serve them, or later the same day, warm them in a 300-degree oven in the foil for at least 20 minutes, while you preheat the grill. Follow the instructions for steps 6-8 in the recipe to finish. b. Homemade barbecue sauce can last at least a week in the fridge and can easily be made in advance. |
| How to store and reheat Baby Back Barbecue Ribs? |
| a. The USDA recommends that cooked ribs will last covered in the fridge for 3-4 days after cooking. Make sure ribs do not stay at room temperature longer than 2 hours. Cooked ribs last up to 4-6 months in the freezer. b. To reheat the ribs, place them in an oven-safe dish, cover with aluminum foil, and reheat at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-30 minutes. The foil will keep the meat from drying out. You can reheat in the microwave, but I recommend reheating at 50% power to avoid cooking the ribs more or making them tough. |
Baby Back Barbecue Ribs
25
minutes20
minutes2 1/4
hours3-6
servings3
hoursThese Baby Back Barbecue Ribs have a delicious smoky rub and a sweet barbecue glaze. Baked in the oven and finished in the grill or broiler, they are tender every time and are a year-round favorite.
Ingredients
Pork rub:
One or two racks of baby back ribs (the sauce and rub makes enough for two)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons coarsely ground pepper
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Barbecue glaze:
1 cup sugar
½ cup tomato puree
½ cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 ½ teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon mustard
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
¼ teaspoon paprika
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil (a traditional 13×18 baking sheet works great).
- In a small bowl, whisk together the rub ingredients.
- I prefer to wear food-safe gloves when handling the ribs and using the rub mixture. Remove ribs from packaging and pat dry with paper towels. Place the ribs on the lined baking sheet. Turn the ribs meat side down to remove the membrane, called the silverskin. Slide a butter knife between the membrane and ribs about an inch in. This can be easier to do starting one or two ribs down from the top. Using a paper towel, take hold of the edge of the membrane and pull across the ribs and down. The paper towel helps grip the membrane to pull. Often, the membrane comes off all in one piece. If not, grab hold of the next piece and pull until completely removed.
- Spread rub across one side of the ribs, rubbing the spices into the meat. Turn and spread and rub the spice mixture onto the other side. Repeat if using two racks of ribs.
- Cover the ribs with aluminum foil and place them in the oven. Cook for 2 hours and 15 minutes and remove from the oven. Check with a meat thermometer. Ribs should be at an internal temperature of 195-205 degrees Fahrenheit to be perfectly tender. Place back in the oven for a few minutes if necessary. 2 hours and 15 minutes has always been enough in our oven for baby back ribs. The meat should be pulled back a bit from the edges of the bones. I like to let the ribs cool for 10-15 minutes, uncovered, before finishing with the sauce.
- While the ribs cook, prepare the barbecue sauce. In a medium saucepan, whisk together sugar, tomato puree, apple cider vinegar, vegetable oil, soy sauce, onion powder, mustard, salt, garlic powder, pepper, paprika, and cayenne pepper. Cook sauce on low heat, whisking occasionally for 15-20 minutes. Refrigerate for later use or brush on ribs.
- Preheat a gas grill to medium-high heat or preheat your broiler. Brush sauce onto the meat side of the ribs. Place the ribs meat side down on the grill (or about 5 inches under the broiler) and cook for 3 minutes. Brush sauce on the other side of the ribs and turn over. Brush additional sauce on the meat side of the ribs again and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Brush sauce on again if desired and remove from the grill. Watch carefully under the broiler; 2 minutes may be sufficient.
- Let ribs rest for at least 10 minutes. Cut into slices by finding the soft spots in between the bones and cutting between each bone, or serve two at a time. The bones can be at a slight angle, and it can help to look at the rib side, versus the meat side, when cutting.
Notes
- I highly recommend removing the membrane on the back of the ribs before cooking. It helps improve the tenderness of the meat because the membrane tends to toughen when cooking. It also increases the flavor of the ribs so the rub and sauce can permeate the meat. It is not too hard to pull off the membrane when you follow the instructions in the recipe; it just takes a minute or two and makes a big difference.
- Ribs should be at an internal temperature of 195-205 degrees Fahrenheit to be perfectly tender. They are safe to eat at a lower temperature, but need to be cooked to a higher temperature to be tender enough to eat. The meat should be pulled back a bit from the edges of the bones. 2 hours and 15 minutes has always been enough in our oven for baby back ribs.
- You can double the sauce for dipping sauce if you want to serve the ribs with extra sauce at the table.
- If you are short on time, a favorite store-bought barbecue sauce can replace the homemade one in the recipe.
The perfect balance of smoky and sweet, definitely a crowd-pleaser any time of year! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you, we all love these ribs! Thanks for taking the time to reach out with the great feedback!
Oh, these sound so delicious! Perfect for Father’s Day coming up, I will bookmark this and put it on my menu.
Thanks so much for stopping by and for the great feedback! We love these ribs, hope you enjoy them!
Love the sweet and smokey flavors! I bet these ribs must be delicious!
Thank you so much! Kids and adults love them, I appreciate you stopping by with great feedback!
My sons love ribs! This one will be a hit for sure!
This is a huge hit with my boys as well! Thanks for the great feedback!
My daughter says these were the best ribs ever so I guess I know what recipe I’ll be using forever 🥰
I love hearing that! We just served these to family over Memorial Day weekend, its a huge favorite with kids, teens, and adults. I’m so glad you (and your daughter) like the recipe! Thanks for your great feedback!
Tried this recipe earlier this week and the family loved it, thanks for sharing! Kids are fighting over the last of the leftovers now in fact!
I love hearing that Sam! Thanks so much for letting me know! Its a super favorite here too and I always feel like I need to make more to have enough. I appreciate you taking the time to leave the feedback, thank you!
“Gimme those baby back, baby back ribs…” was all I heard from my husband while they were cooking. He was finally quiet as he devoured the ribs. The sweet BBQ glaze was a hit, too!
LOL, love this! These ribs are a huge favorite here and I’m so glad you enjoyed them as well! Thanks for trying the recipe and taking the time to share your feedback!
We love making ribs on Saturdays. Can’t wait to try this recipe!
Thank you! It’s a great summer weekend meal, I always have to make several because the kids love it. Let me know if you try it! Thanks for taking the time to share your feedback!
I can’t wait to try this recipe! It sounds amazing!
Thank you! I always make a few to have enough since everyone loves them. I appreciate you taking the time to stop by and let me know!