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Oven Baked Baby Back Ribs

Featured in Delicious Main Course Recipes for Every Occasion.

These Oven Baked Baby Back Ribs deliver restaurant-quality results with minimal effort. The secret is the long, slow cooking method that breaks down the tough connective tissues, resulting in ribs so tender they practically fall apart at the touch. The simple dry rub combines pantry staples like garlic powder, paprika, and onion powder to create a flavor foundation that's enhanced by your favorite BBQ sauce during the final cooking stage. What makes this method special is the foil wrapping technique, which essentially steams the ribs in their own juices, concentrating flavor while ensuring maximum tenderness. The final uncovered bake and optional broil creates that perfectly sticky, caramelized exterior that makes great ribs so irresistible. Best of all, this method works every time, even for beginners.
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Updated on Fri, 21 Mar 2025 17:12:25 GMT
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These Oven Baked Baby Back Ribs are a testament to the power of patience and simple techniques, yielding incredibly tender, melt in your mouth ribs. The low and slow cooking method allows the flavors to meld beautifully, creating a truly satisfying meal.

Ingredients

  • Baby back ribs: These tender ribs are the star of the show.
  • Olive oil: Helps the dry rub adhere to the ribs and adds moisture.
  • Salt, garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, black pepper: A blend of spices that creates a flavorful dry rub.
  • BBQ sauce: Adds a tangy, sweet finish.
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Easy Oven Baked Baby Back Ribs Recipe | homedeliciousrecipes.com

Cooking Instructions

Prepare the Ribs:
Preheat your oven to 275°F. Pat the baby back ribs dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Rub olive oil evenly over the entire rack of ribs. In a small bowl, combine the salt, garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, and black pepper. Rub the spice mixture generously over both sides of the ribs, ensuring they are fully coated.
Bake the Ribs:
Wrap the seasoned ribs tightly in aluminum foil. Place the wrapped ribs on a baking sheet. Bake the ribs in the preheated oven for 4 hours, or until they are fork tender.
Add BBQ Sauce:
Carefully open the foil, being mindful of any accumulated juices. Slather your favorite BBQ sauce generously over the ribs, coating them evenly. Return the ribs to the oven, uncovered, and bake for another 15 minutes, allowing the sauce to set.
Optional Broiling:
For a caramelized finish, broil the ribs for a few minutes at the end, watching carefully to prevent burning.
Rest:
Remove the ribs from the oven and allow them to rest for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Adding More Variety:

  • Experiment with different BBQ sauces to find your favorite flavor.
  • Add a touch of brown sugar to the dry rub for a sweeter flavor.
  • Add liquid smoke to the ribs, for a deeper smokey flavor.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the ribs with classic BBQ sides, such as coleslaw, corn on the cob, or baked beans.

Serve with a side of mashed potatoes.

Serve with a side of your favorite salad.

Variations

  • Use a homemade BBQ sauce for a more personalized touch.
  • Add a splash of apple cider vinegar to the foil packet for added tanginess.
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Oven Baked Baby Back Ribs Recipe | homedeliciousrecipes.com

Storage and Reheating

Store leftover ribs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.

To reheat, wrap the ribs in foil and bake at 300°F until heated through, or heat them in a covered skillet over medium heat with a little BBQ sauce and water.

This recipe provides a straightforward method for achieving tender and delicious oven baked baby back ribs, perfect for any BBQ or family gathering.

Frequently Asked Questions

→ Do I need to remove the membrane from the back of the ribs?
While not mentioned in this specific recipe, removing the membrane from the back of baby back ribs is generally recommended. To do this, slide a knife under the membrane at one end of the rack, grip it with a paper towel, and pull it off in one piece. This allows the seasonings to penetrate better and improves the texture of the finished ribs.
→ Can I use different seasonings for the dry rub?
Absolutely! The spice rub in this Oven Baked Baby Back Ribs recipe provides a classic base, but you can customize it with additional flavors like brown sugar for sweetness, cayenne or chili powder for heat, or smoked paprika for a deeper smoky flavor. Just maintain the same total amount of seasonings.
→ What's the best BBQ sauce to use for these ribs?
The beauty of these Oven Baked Baby Back Ribs is that they work with any BBQ sauce you enjoy. Sweet, spicy, smoky, vinegar-based, or mustard-based - all work wonderfully. You can use store-bought or homemade sauce. For extra flavor, consider mixing in a tablespoon of the same spices used in your dry rub.
→ Can I make these ribs in advance for a party?
Yes! These Oven Baked Baby Back Ribs are great for entertaining because you can do most of the cooking ahead of time. Cook them for the full 4 hours, but don't add the BBQ sauce. Let them cool, refrigerate, and then before serving, bring to room temperature, add the sauce, and finish the final 15-minute bake plus optional broil.
→ How can I tell when the ribs are done?
The most reliable test for these Oven Baked Baby Back Ribs is the bend test: pick up the rack with tongs in the middle. If it bends easily and cracks form in the crust, they're ready. You can also insert a toothpick between the bones - if it goes in with little resistance, the ribs are done. The meat should be pulling back from the bone tips by about ¼-½ inch.

Fall-Off-The-Bone Baby Back Ribs

These oven baked baby back ribs cook low and slow until the meat is fall-off-the-bone tender, with a delicious spice rub and sticky BBQ glaze.

Prep Time
10 Minutes
Cook Time
255 Minutes
Total Time
265 Minutes

Category: Main Dishes

Difficulty: Easy

Cuisine: American

Yield: 3 Servings (1 rack of ribs)

Dietary: Low-Carb, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free

Ingredients

→ Ribs & Rub

01 1 rack baby back ribs
02 2 Tbsp olive oil
03 2 tsp salt
04 2 tsp garlic powder
05 2 tsp paprika
06 1 tsp onion powder
07 1 tsp black pepper

→ Sauce

08 BBQ sauce

Instructions

Step 01

Preheat oven to 275°F.

Step 02

Pat ribs dry with a paper towel. Rub olive oil all over the rack. Combine all dry spices (salt, garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, and black pepper) in a small bowl, then rub the mixture thoroughly all over both sides of the ribs.

Step 03

Wrap the seasoned ribs tightly in aluminum foil, then place on a baking sheet. Bake for 4 hours, or until the ribs are fork tender and the meat easily pulls away from the bone.

Step 04

Carefully open the foil (watch out for hot steam). Brush or slather BBQ sauce all over the ribs, then return to the oven uncovered and bake for another 15 minutes.

Step 05

For caramelized, slightly charred BBQ sauce, turn the broiler on for the last 2-3 minutes. Watch carefully to prevent burning.

Step 06

Allow the ribs to rest for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Notes

  1. Low and slow cooking is the key to tender, fall-off-the-bone ribs.
  2. Leftover baked ribs can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
  3. To reheat, wrap in foil and bake at 300°F until hot, or heat in a covered skillet with a mixture of BBQ sauce and water to steam them.

Tools You'll Need

  • Baking sheet
  • Aluminum foil
  • Small bowl for spice mix
  • Pastry brush or spoon for BBQ sauce
  • Paper towels

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

It is important to consider this information as approximate and not to use it as definitive health advice.
  • Calories: 485
  • Total Fat: 32 g
  • Total Carbohydrate: 12 g
  • Protein: 38 g