Let me tell you, my Oven Baked Baby Back Ribs are hands down the BEST! They cook low and slow, until the meat is so tender that you don’t even need teeth.
For me, cooking perfect baby back ribs is a breeze. I just spend a few minutes getting them ready, then I pop them in the oven and let it handle the rest.
All you need is one secret ingredient: patience…
In case you didn’t know by now, low and slow is the only way to go when cooking naturally tough cuts of meat.
Some of our top recipes use this method, including the oven roasted Puerto Rican Pernil, slow braised Flemish Beef Stew, and a variety of slow cooker recipes like Barbacoa Pork and Hawaiian Chicken.
Now ribs… they can stir up a little debate at times. Some people do like to have a little something to chew on. That’s fine.
But I like them melt in your mouth tender. If you agree, read on…
How to Prepare Ribs For Baking
The first step many people undertake is to remove the whitish membrane on the underside of the ribs.
Having tried both ways, I have found this to be an unnecessary step, which doesn’t impact the quality of the end product. If you wish to do it, feel free.
Before baking, I always make sure to season them. This allows the flavors to seep into the meat during the long cooking duration. If nothing else, use some salt and pepper, but I have included a simple dry rub that I use in the recipe card.
Once I’ve seasoned the ribs, I wrap them in aluminum foil. This helps to lock in the moisture so the ribs don’t dry out during cooking.
If I’m using a sheet pan, it’s usually large enough to wrap the entire rack of ribs in one piece. However, if I’m using a smaller baking dish or sheet, I cut the ribs into 3-4 bone sections to fit.
I make sure the foil loosely tents the ribs, but I also tightly seal it to prevent too much moisture loss.
How Long to Bake Them at What Temperature?
Although I have used lower temperatures at times, 275 degrees for about 4 hours works perfectly for baby back ribs. It’s a low enough temperature for them to become very tender, without drying out, but is not so low that they take an excessive amount of time.
As ovens do vary, check the ribs to make sure they are tender. It’s better to wait and let your appetite grow for a bit than chew on tough ribs.
Towards the last 15 minutes of cooking, I remove the foil cover, and slather them with BBQ sauce.
I also like to broil them for a few minutes at the end to caramelize the sauce.
What is the Best BBQ Sauce to Use?
This is a question that can have a lot of answers. Some like sweet BBQ sauce, some prefer tangy. Some like thick and paste-like, some prefer a thinner sauce.
For a bunch of different options, so you can coat your ribs in just the right sauce for you, check out our collection of favorite homemade BBQ Sauce Recipes.
Serving Suggestions
For a ton of different options, you can check out our post on the best Side Dishes for Ribs.
Some of our top favorites:
- Southern Squash Casserole
- Creole Coleslaw
- Rainbow Pasta Salad
- Mexican Street Corn Salad
- Hawaiian Mac Salad
- Dirty Rice
The next time you’re craving a barbecue night, try my version of these awesome oven baked ribs. They’re just as good as any you’ll get in a restaurant.
Just remember to be patient. They’re going to be worth the wait!
Oven Baked Ribs, on our Gypsy Plate… enjoy!
Try these recipes for your game days and summer!
Cajun Pulled Pork
Garlic Parmesan Wings
Sticky Asian Wings
Chicken Souvlaki Skewers
Loaded Hummus Dip
Surf & Turf Nachos
Birria Tacos
Oven Baked Baby Back Ribs
My Oven Baked Baby Back Ribs are the BEST, hands down! They cook low and slow, until the meat is so tender that teeth are totally optional.
Ingredients
- 1 rack baby back ribs
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp black pepper
- BBQ sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 275°F.
- Pat ribs dry with a paper towel. Rub on olive oil. Combine dry spices, then rub all over ribs.
- Wrap ribs in foil, then place on baking sheet. Bake 4 hours, or until the ribs are fork tender.
- Open foil. Slather BBQ sauce all over ribs, then bake uncovered another 15 minutes. If desired, broil for a few minutes at the end to caramelize the sauce.
- Allow to rest for 10 minutes before cutting.
Notes
Leftovers: Leftover baked ribs can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
To reheat, you can wrap them in foil and bake at 300 degrees till hot. Alternately, heat them in a covered skillet over medium heat with a mixture of about a quarter cup each of BBQ sauce and water. This essentially steams them, so they don't dry out.
Welcome to GypsyPlate! I'm Alpana, former wordwide tour manager and professional caterer, now full time blogger. I love exploring cuisines from around the world, and my recipes have been featured on sites such as MSN, Parade, Brit + Co, CNET and AOL. You can explore my entire collection of sortable recipes in my Recipe Index or learn more about me here.
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This look delicious, but you lost me when I saw the aluminum foil wrap. I can’t use foil wrapping as I believe the aluminum is poison for us humans. Is there an alternative to foil paper/aluminum? Thanks. And I have made a few dishes. My favourite is that Sunday sauce. I add that sauce on everything lol.
Hi Nelson. You might be able to get away with using parchment paper. Personally though, I’ve never cooked anything for that long in parchment, so I can’t say whether it would hold up for that long. I would lean more towards using some kind of covered baking dish, like a dutch oven or cast iron braiser.
Remember, the main point of the wrap is moisture retention. You could bake them on their own on a baking sheet, and they will still come out tender, but they will be drier than I prefer.
Whatever you try, let me know how it turns out!