Oven Baked Ribs
These Oven-Baked Ribs are the easiest and most delicious ribs recipe made without a smoker! With a handful of ingredients and about 10 minutes of prep time, the oven does the majority of the work for you. They’ll be fall-off-the-bone tender every time.
Oven Baked Ribs have been a recipe on our July 4th menu for as long as I can remember. I love that I can easily prep them in advance and even bake them the day before to feed a crowd stress-free. I love to add a store-bought or homemade rub to the base then use my favorite store-bought bbq sauce for ease.
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I’ve made these ribs both using baby back or St. Louis-style and give you instructions for both! Even my husband, who is an expert smoker, says he loves these baked ribs. Serve them alongside Creamy Cucumber Salad or Queso Mac and Cheese for a standout meal.
Table of Contents
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Less than 10 ingredients to feed a crowd. Oven baked ribs are the best barbecue recipe any time of the year. Picnics, July 4th parties, or just an easy weeknight dinner, the ingredients are usually all found in your pantry.
- Minimal prep time and minimal clean up. It’s so simple to prep the ribs in 10 minutes before they bake over the day. The foil makes it quick and easy for cleaning.
- Make them your own! Use your favorite rubs and sauces to change the flavors of these ribs over and over.
ingredients
Scroll Down for Ingredient Amounts Listed in the Full Recipe Card Below
- Baby back ribs or St. Louis-style ribs: Pork ribs, baby back, and thinner cut than St. Louis-style which tend to be meatier.
- Olive oil: Cooking oil for the ribs.
- Barbecue sauce: Use your favorite brand here.
- Dry BBQ Rub: You can use your favorite store-bought barbecue rub or homemade.
Tools You’ll Need
how to make oven baked ribs
- Preheat to 300°F.
- Remove the thin membrane from the back of the ribs. Pat dry with paper towels. Rub both sides lightly with olive oil.
- If not using a pre-mixed barbecue rub, make the dry rub by mixing all dry rub ingredients together in a small bowl.
- Generously coat both sides of the ribs, pressing it in.
- Place ribs meat-side up on a foil-lined baking sheet Cover tightly with foil. Bake for 2 to 2.5 hours (baby backs closer to 2-2.5, St. Louis closer to 2 1/2-3). You’ll know they’re almost ready when the meat is tender and has started pulling back from the bones.
- Remove the ribs from the oven and carefully uncover. Brush generously with barbecue sauce on both sides. Return to oven uncovered meat side up at 425°F for 10–15 minutes, or until caramelized.
- Broil for 2–3 minutes for a stickier, slightly charred finish (watch closely!)
expert tips
- Removing the membrane on the back of the ribs helps to make them extra tender. This is a step to never forget before baking the ribs. It helps them to fall off the bone in tenderness while baking.
- Always wrap the ribs in foil for majority of the baking. It not only makes clean up so quick and easy, but it helps them to cook evenly in the oven.
- Press the rub onto the ribs. You almost want a crust of seasoning, this will almost caramelize onto the baked ribs as they cook to make for a bite with the most flavor.
- Make a homemade sauce or use your favorite store-bought. This recipe is all about versatility. I’ve made it both ways just depending on how much time I have to prep. You can easily make your own sauce ahead of time.
- Finish the ribs on the grill. Another option is to glaze the ribs on the grill to give them a little bit of extra charred flavor. Broiling also works nicely, as I mention in the recipe, to add caramelization.
- To test if your baked ribs are tender enough, use a paring knife. Gently poke the tip of the knife in between the ribs and if the meat easily gives, then they’re ready to go.
- To make about one cup of homemade BBQ seasoning, combine ¼ cup brown sugar, 3 tablespoons smoked paprika, 2 tablespoons kosher salt, 1 tablespoon black pepper, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon chili powder, and ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (adjust to your heat preference). Simply mix everything together well and store in an airtight jar or container. It keeps fresh for up to 6 months and works beautifully as a dry rub for ribs, chicken, pork, or anything headed to the grill!
storage
Store any leftover ribs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave until warmed through.
You can freeze cooked ribs as well. Wrap them in foil and plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat according to the instructions above.
If you want to make these ahead of time, you can roast the ribs the day before, cool and store them without the sauce. Then reheat in the oven with the barbecue sauce and broil right before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
For baby back ribs, they can take 2 to 2 1/2 hours, while St. Louis-style take more like 2 1/2 to 3 hours to bake until tender.
You probably didn’t bake them for long enough. If they aren’t fully tender, then return them to the oven and continue to bake until they’re further cooked through.
Make sure you pat the rub onto the ribs before baking, this will help it to form a flavorful crust.
More easy barbecue recipes
Oven Baked Ribs
Ingredients
- 2 racks baby back ribs or St. Louis-style ribs
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1-1 1/2 cups barbecue sauce
- 1 cup dry rub barbecue seasoning store-bought or see note for homemade
Instructions
- Preheat to 300°F.
- Remove the thin membrane from the back of the ribs. Pat dry with paper towels. Rub both sides lightly with olive oil.
- If not using a pre-mixed barbecue rub, make the dry rub by mixing all dry rub ingredients together in a small bowl.
- Generously coat both sides of the ribs, pressing it in.
- Place ribs meat-side up on a foil-lined baking sheet Cover tightly with foil. Bake for 2 to 2.5 hours (baby backs closer to 2-2.5, St. Louis closer to 2 1/2-3). You'll know they're almost ready when the meat is tender and has started pulling back from the bones.
- Remove the ribs from the oven and carefully uncover. Brush generously with barbecue sauce on both sides. Return to oven uncovered meat side up at 425°F for 10–15 minutes, or until caramelized.
- Broil for 2–3 minutes for a stickier, slightly charred finish (watch closely!)
Notes
- Removing the membrane on the back of the ribs helps to make them extra tender. This is a step to never forget before baking the ribs. It helps them to fall off the bone in tenderness while baking.
- Always wrap the ribs in foil for majority of the baking. It not only makes clean up so quick and easy, but it helps them to cook evenly in the oven.
- Press the rub onto the ribs. You almost want a crust of seasoning, this will almost caramelize onto the baked ribs as they cook to make for a bite with the most flavor.
- Make a homemade sauce or use your favorite store-bought. This recipe is all about versatility. I’ve made it both ways just depending on how much time I have to prep. You can easily make your own sauce ahead of time.
- Finish the ribs on the grill. Another option is to glaze the ribs on the grill to give them a little bit of extra charred flavor. Broiling also works nicely, as I mention in the recipe, to add caramelization.
- To test if your baked ribs are tender enough, use a paring knife. Gently poke the tip of the knife in between the ribs and if the meat easily gives, then they’re ready to go.
About Laura
Taught by some of the best, cooking and entertaining has always been my favorite hobby. Food is my love language! The conception of Dinner in 321 came from my family talks that sharing our dinners would help others learn new skills, tasty recipes, and make cooking fun! Read more…
Recipe sounds great. Did I miss your recipe for the BBQ rub?
Thank you SO much!!!🥰 I have it listed under the “Expert Tips” section. I hope you LOVE them!!