I used to believe ribs were something that you only ate out at restaurants. They just seemed intimidating to me. But I'm not afraid to admit just how wrong I was. It turns out it is really simple to make fall of the bone BBQ ribs at home and you don't even need a smoker to get perfect results!
These oven-baked ribs are so tender that the meat just falls right off the bone. I've used spare ribs, but baby back ribs will also work fine. The base flavor comes from my homemade dry rub, after they're fully cooked the ribs get finished with your favorite barbecue sauce.
If you need some BBQ side dish suggestions, I recommend my copycat Jiffy corn muffins, these perfect gluten free baked beans, or my gluten free corn casserole.
Ingredient Notes
This easy oven baked ribs recipe only requires mixing together some pantry ingredients to make the perfect dry spice rub. It doesn't get any simpler than that!
- Pork Ribs - I used St. Louis Style ribs for this recipe. Spareribs are a littler meatier than baby back pork ribs and also has a bit more fat. Baby back ribs are very tender when cooked, but they are also more lean. You can use whichever you prefer, but you will need to reduce the baking time for baby back ribs.
See recipe card for full ingredient list and quantities.
How to Make Oven Roasted Ribs
There is virtually no hands on time to make these tender ribs. Once you wrap the ribs up, all the magic happens in the oven during the slow cooking time.
STEP 1: Combine the brown sugar, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt, black pepper and dry mustard to make your dry rub.
STEP 2: If your butcher hasn't done so, you need to remove the thin membrane on the back of the ribs. Begin pulling back the edge of the membrane with your fingers, then use a paper towel to grip while pulling.
Once it's removed and discarded, pat both sides of the ribs dry with a paper towel.
STEP 3: Lay out a piece of heavy duty aluminum foil on top of a rimmed baking sheet. Place the ribs on top of the foil.
NOTE: Heavy Duty aluminum foil is wider than regular rolls of foil. If you only have standard aluminum foil, you will need to use a few sheets to full wrap the ribs.
STEP 4: Generously coat both sides of the ribs with the spice mixture.
STEP 5: Wrap the foil around the ribs making sure to seal and seams tightly.
Bake in a 300F oven for 2-2 ½ hours or until the temperature reads 195F-200F on a meat thermometer.
STEP 6: Remove the baked ribs from the oven and allow them to rest inside the foil packet for 30 minutes.
Then open the packet, brush with your favorite BBQ sauce. Leave the foil open and place under a broiler for 5-7 minutes to caramelize the sauce.
Expert Tip
It is important that the meat reach an internal temperature of at least 195F, which is hot enough to dissolve the connective tissues. This is what makes the meat so tender and juicy. An instant read thermometer is important to make sure you don't undercook or overcook the meat.
Storage
Store any leftover ribs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can reheat them by wrapping in foil and baking at 350F until the internal temperature reaches 165F. Or if you are just reheating 1-2 ribs at a time, about 2 minutes in the microwave on 50% power.
More BBQ Recipes to Try:
If you try this recipe, please leave a 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 star rating and let me know how you liked it in the comments below.
Recipe
Fall Off The Bone BBQ Ribs
Equipment
- Baking Sheet
- Heavy Duty Aluminum Foil
Ingredients
- 4 pounds St. Louis Style Spareribs 1 rack, size may vary
- ⅔ Cup BBQ Sauce of choice
For the Dry Rub
- 3 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
- 2 teaspoons Onion Powder
- 2 teaspoons Paprika
- 2 teaspoons Kosher Salt
- 2 teaspoons Black Pepper
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ teaspoon Dry Mustard
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300 °F (149 °C)
- Combine the ingredients for the dry rub in a small bowl.
- Turn the rack of ribs over and remove the thin membrane from the bottom side. Pull a bit at the corner to start, then use a paper towel to grip the membrane and pull the remainder off. The paper towel helps keep your hands from slipping when pulling.
- Pat the ribs dry on both sides with paper towels.
- Lay out a sheet of heavy duty aluminum foil and place the ribs on top. The foil should be large enough to overhang the ribs by several inches on all four sides.
- Generously coat both sides of the ribs with the dry rub.
- Wrap the foil around the ribs, sealing any seams well.
- Place the wrapped ribs on a baking sheet to catch any leaks. Bake in the preheated oven for 2-2 ½ hours or until the internal temperature reads 195 °F (91 °C) on a meat thermometer.
- Remove the cooked ribs from the oven and allow them to rest for 30 minutes. Keep the foil sealed.
- Open the foil and brush your favorite BBQ sauce all over the ribs.
- Turn the oven to broil and move the oven rack to the top position.
- With the foil still open, place the baking sheet with the ribs back in the oven and broil for 5-7 minutes to caramelize the sauce. Remove and enjoy!
Notes
Tiffany is the recipe developer, stylist and food photographer behind Well Fed Baker. As a lifelong baker who had to go gluten free and dairy free in 2016, Tiffany strives to share allergen friendly recipes that never feel like they are free from anything.
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