These have been dubbed the “best ribs ever” by almost everyone who has tried them.
Making baked ribs in the oven ensures they are fall-off-the-bone tender and literally, perfect every single time.
Below is my mom’s step-by-step method that our family has used for years.
These are the best oven ribs because…
- They come out super tender every time (check out the reviews!).
- They are actually easy to make – the prep takes less than 10 minutes.
- The rub is made from scratch, it’s packed with flavor and not just salt.
- Slow-roasting ribs in the oven (instead of boiling) ensures they have lots of flavor.
- No smoker or grill is required; since they’re made in the oven, they’re perfect all year.
Ingredients for Oven Ribs
Ribs: I always use Baby Back (or Pork Back Ribs) because they’re the most tender. They do cost a bit more but, in my opinion, it is worth the extra money if it is in your budget. You can use side ribs in this recipe, but you may need to add a little more cooking time.
Onion & Garlic: Onion and garlic are added to flavor the meat during roasting.
Seasonings: I use a homemade dry rub as I like to control the amount of salt in these ribs. You can change it up with other spices (try cumin, cayenne pepper, or dry mustard). Swap the homemade seasoning for salt & pepper or a prepared rub (this is our favorite pre-made rub).
Barbecue Sauce (or not!): Use your favorite bottled barbecue sauce, make your own, or opt out completely! My husband loves salt and pepper ribs, while I love barbecue sauce mixed with chili sauce for zesty and delicious sticky ribs.
How to Remove the Membrane from Ribs
The membrane does not have to be removed from the ribs, but I prefer the texture. On the back of a rack of ribs, there is a very thin layer of the membrane (photo above). If you don’t see it, it is sometimes it has already been removed at the store.
To remove the membrane, slip a knife under the edge of the thin skin on the back of the ribs on one end. Grip the edge of the membrane (use a paper towel if it’s slippery) and gently pull it away from the meat. Discard the membrane.
How to Make Ribs in the Oven
- Prep Ribs: Remove the membrane if present and season the ribs (recipe below).
- Bake: Place the ribs, meat side down, on a baking sheet, smother with onion and garlic, and seal with aluminum foil.
- Bake (optional): Bake the ribs until tender and then grill or broil to brown a little bit if you’d like.
Our favorite side dishes with ribs are corn on the cob and of course classic coleslaw and beans!
Holly’s Top Tips
- Use baby backs and ensure the pan is well sealed so the ribs steam with the onions. This will make them tender and add flavor.
- Cook them low and slow in the oven until they become really tender.
- These can be made with any sauce (my fave is below) or even just salt & pepper.
- Once the meat is tender, broil or grill to get a little bit char.
How To Check if Ribs Are Done
Oven baked ribs will need at least 2 hours. After 2 hours, check the ribs by opening a corner of the foil (be careful; steam will escape) and pulling off a little bit of meat.
If the meat is not tender, it needs MORE time. Seal them back up, bake for an additional 20-30 minutes, and check again.
If the ribs are tender, they are ready to enjoy. You can either serve them immediately or turn the oven off and let them sit for up to 1 hour – don’t open the oven.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat them in the oven, microwave, or air fryer.
What to Serve with Ribs
Did you love these BBQ Ribs in the Oven? Be sure to leave a rating or a comment below!
Tender Oven-Baked Barbecue Ribs
Equipment
Ingredients
Ribs
- 3 pounds baby back ribs 2 slabs
- 2 yellow onions sliced
- 4 cloves garlic sliced
Spice Rub (optional)
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¾ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
BBQ Sauce
- ½ cup barbecue sauce
- ½ cup chili sauce *see note or additional BBQ sauce
- ¼ cup ketchup
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 275°F. In a small bowl, combine the spice mix and set aside. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil.
- If present, remove the white membrane from the back side of the ribs (see notes). Pat the ribs dry and check for little bone shards or pieces. Cut into 4 to 6 rib pieces.
- Gently massage the seasoning mix (or salt and pepper) into both sides of the ribs.
- Place the ribs on the prepared baking pan, meaty side down. Cover the ribs with onion and garlic.
- Cover & seal with another piece of foil.
- Bake the ribs for 2 hours. Carefully open the corner of the sealed foil and pull a small piece of meat off to ensure the ribs are tender. If they are not tender, bake for another 20-30 minutes and check again.
- Meanwhile, combine BBQ Rib Sauce ingredients together.
- Remove the ribs from the oven and discard the juices, onions, and garlic. Brush ribs with olive oil and brush generously with BBQ sauce.
- Grill or broil over medium high heat 5-10 minutes or until charred.
Notes
- Rub: A homemade rub can be substituted for a purchased rub, or salt and pepper can be used instead of a rub.
- Sauce: Chili sauce is not spicy it tastes like zesty ketchup and is found with ketchup in the store. If you’d prefer, use all bbq sauce in this recipe.
- Membrane: Some racks of ribs come with the membrane removed. It is on the side of the ribs with less meat. To remove the membrane, slip a knife under the edge of the thin skin on the back of the ribs. Grip the edge of the membrane (use a paper towel if it’s slippery) and gently pull it away from the meat. Discard the membrane.
- Cutting the ribs into pieces (about 4-6 ribs) makes them easier to grill and serve.
- 275°F – 2 hours to 2 ½ hours *preferred method
- 300°F – 1 ½ hours to 2 hours
- 350°F – 1 ¼ hours to 1 ½ hoursAfter cooking, if the ribs are not tender, they need MORE time. Seal them up and cook an additional 20-30 minutes if needed.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Entree, Main Course, Pork
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Sides to Serve with Ribs
- Crock Pot Corn on the Cob – Easy!
- Homemade Mac and Cheese Casserole – BEST EVER!
- Old Fashioned Bean Salad
- Slow Cooker Baked Beans
- Creamy Apple Slaw Recipe – Fresh and crisp!
First time ever making ribs at home and they turned out great!
Didn’t have the sliced onion or garlic topper, just the dry rub and barbecue sauce. Still turned out really tender and flavorful. Low and slow! Will def make these again and will have to try the grill finish instead of the broil next time.
I’m in process of about to start to make this but question Is it just Sliced onion and mince garlic out on top or all around the pan while cooking??
I cover the ribs with the sliced onion and garlic. Enjoy Aymee!
Hello,
I made the oven baked ribs yesterday and they took, for my oven, the extra 30 min and still weren’t tender.
I used baby back ribs and followed the recipe to a tee…they felt tender when I poked them with a fork, so I continued to broil them.
When we went to eat them, they weren’t tender, so will finish them in the slow cooker.
I’d made the same recipe before, but did them in the slow cooker. I wondered when the recipe said 275, as usually ribs are long and slow. Ribs made with the recipe and slow cooker were great tasting, so I will continue to cook them that way.
Oh no! I am sorry to hear this didn’t work out for you Donna.
BEST ribs ever!! My family of six devoured three racks of these! we finished them on the grill for a nice charcoaled outer! 10/10 would recommend this recipe!
Hi thanks for the oven baked pork ribs recipe.
Do you put bbq sauce on after when serving??
Thanks warren
I brush BBQ sauce on right before broiling and then serve them like that. If you prefer you can absolutely serve them with more BBQ sauce.
A little TOO spicy. If I make these again I think I will just stick with the BBQ sauce instead of adding gochujang for the chili sauce. I like spicy but that was just too much. I had to leave half the ribs without sauce for the kids.
Hi Amber, the chili sauce I use is not spicy, it tastes like a very zesty ketchup with more tang and less sweetness. You can find chili sauce near the ketchup at the store. You can also make homemade chili sauce. I hope this helps!
Instead of discarding the juices, onions and garlic, I pour all the liquid, garlic and onions into a small saucepan, defat it, blitz it with an immersion blender and then boil it down until it is a rich, very flavorful sauce. Can be used instead of barbecue sauce – Keto friendly.
Wow these were fall off the bone fantastic! My husband said “we are never going out for ribs again!” Followed the instructions, added an extra 20 mins until the meat was tender and skipped the broil step. Spread the BBQ sauce on top and yum! We will be making these again-thank you!
I made these ribs today, and they were absolutely delicious! They were fall-off-the-bone tender, and were some of the best we’ve ever eaten! Usually, I add BBQ sauce to my ribs when I am ready to eat them, but the flavor was great with just a small amount of sauce, or even none at all! I’ll definitely make them again and again!
Did these today, followed the recipe exactly. I am quite happy with the result. I used
your bbq sauce recipe as well, and a friend had given us homemade chili sauce that went
in as well. My my my. Served it with freezer steamed corn (gotta have a shortcut or two),
twice baked potatoes and a green salad (lettuce from the garden.) Yep, will make this
again. Thanks for developing these great recipes!
You’re so very welcome Beth! Happy to hear that you love these ribs!
I get near perfection ribs by cooking them in the Instapot for one hour & then basting them with bbq sauce under broiler for 10-12 minutes. Fall off the bone tenderness
Thanks for sharing, David! That sounds delicious.
These look amazing. I have that zesty ketchup and it is very good. My question is do you separate the ribs after they are done cooking? My guess is yes. Thank you.
Once ready to serve we often cut them into single riblets for easy serving but that step is totally optional. They can be served as whole racks as well.
Why do you put onion& garlic on the ribs to bake?
Thanks for your reply.
For extra flavor.
I tried this today. It worked well with side ribs with about 2 hours 45 minutes in the oven. While I liked the spice level, it was a little too intense for my wife, so I will probably lower the amount of chili sauce in the BBQ sauce. Overall excellent.
So glad you enjoyed these! A note on the chili sauce, the one we use has no spice at all, it’s more like a zesty ketchup and can be found at the grocery with the ketchup. I buy Heinz and the bottle looks like this. I hope that helps!
Can I make two packs or racks at a time?
Yes! Just ensure they aren’t overlapping.
These were amazing!!!
Can I used side ribs? It’s all my grocery store had.
Other types of ribs (including side ribs) can need a little bit longer to cook. If they’re still not tender, cover them back up and let them cook a little bit longer as directed in step 4. Hope that helps, DW.
Yeah, as a farm wife I can say with 100% confidence this is by far the best way to cook ribs in the oven. My farmer is RAVING, and that is huge!
I never much cooked ribs because I never liked the end result (as a Canadian I am not BBQ’ing anything in February), but this?!? It’s how I will cook them forever. Thank you!
Kate, this is such a huge compliment! I’m so glad you both loved them!
What meat are these ribs?
These are pork back ribs (baby back ribs).
Best ribs ever!
This is how I make my baby back ribs several times a year. However, they always take at least 4 hours. I like them super tender, almost falling off the bone. Yum!
Another great recipe! Hubby loved it. Please keep up the excellent work!