Tender Oven Baked Ribs [VIDEO] - The Recipe Rebel (2024)

These Oven-Baked Ribs are fall-off-the-bone-tender, incredibly flavorful, and take a quick 5 minutes to prep! They’re made with baby back ribs, smothered in a homemade dry rub, and slathered with BBQ sauce.

Can you have too many methods for cooking ribs? I don’t think so! I’ve perfected my Slow Cooker BBQ Ribs and Instant Pot BBQ Ribs, so I thought it was about time I figured out the best way to cook baby back ribs in the oven.

Well folks, I’ve done it.

These Oven Baked Ribs start with a homemade spice rub and a low and slow roast in tin foil to achieve an incredible flavor and tender texture.

They end with a few minutes under the broiler at high heat and plenty of BBQ sauce for even more moisture and a perfect crispy crust.

The result is tender, juicy, ridiculously delicious baby backs that will have the whole family going back for seconds! Just don’t forget the Air Fryer Baked Potatoes, the Homemade Coleslaw and the Instant Pot Baked Beans!

Ingredients Needed:

• Baby Back Ribs: you’ll need 3-4 pounds of baby back ribs for this recipe (about 1 rack of ribs). I have only tested this recipe with pork ribs and not beef ribs. You can easily double or triple this recipe to cook multiple racks of ribs.
• Spice Rub: we’re making a homemade spice rub made up of brown sugar, chili powder, seasoning salt, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper
• BBQ Sauce: you can use your favorite store-bought bottle (we love Sweet Baby Ray’s) or whip up a batch of homemade BBQ sauce.

How to Cook Ribs in the Oven

These easy Baked Ribs take a quick 5 minutes to prep before a low and slow cook time! Find the detailed recipe down in the recipe card.

1. Prep the ribs: remove the membrane (the silver skin) from the back of the ribs (check out this video for help), wrap ribs and place on an aluminum foil lined baking sheet.
2. Make the spice rub: In a bowl, combine the brown sugar, chili powder, seasoning salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper.
3. Prep the ribs: Trim the membrane from the back of the ribs, then rub the seasoning all over the meat side of the ribs. Wrap in foil.
4. Bake: Place the wrapped ribs onto a baking sheet and bake at 300ºF for 2-3 hours. A low temperature makes for truly tender ribs! When the ribs are done, remove from the oven, brush with your favorite barbecue sauce, and broil at 475ºF for 3-4 minutes to crisp the top. If you prefer, you can also finish them on an outdoor grill.

FAQs for Oven Baked Ribs

Tips, tricks, and notes for Baked Ribs

• Bring the meat to room temperature. I like to set the ribs out on the counter around 30 minutes before cooking. Room temperature meat cooks more evenly.
• Remove the membrane. Leaving the membrane on prevents the meat from being able to absorb the seasonings and results in a much less tender texture.
• To remove the membrane, slide a knife under the silver skin on the back side of the ribs, then pull it off with your fingers.
• Broil it. Broiling the ribs uncovered for just a few minutes after they cook gives them that delicious crispy texture. Don’t skip this step!
• Let it rest. After the meat is done cooking, let it rest for 10 minutes before cutting into it so the flavor and moisture can redistribute throughout.
• Make it your own: this is a great recipe to customize to your own tastes! You could add dry mustard, cayenne pepper, or more or less of the listed spices to create your own rub.

Our Favorite Side Dishes for Ribs

Serve these oven-baked ribs next to any of your favorite classic side dishes! Here are a few of my go-to’s:

• Mashed Potatoes
• Mac and Cheese
• Roasted Potatoes and Carrots
• Homemade Coleslaw

More Oven-Baked Recipes to Try