This is hands down the best ribs recipe I’ve ever made! The secret to incredibly tender ribs is baking them low and slow. Baking ribs in the oven is so easy. 95% of the cooking time is spent relaxing while your ribs transform into fall-off-the-bone perfection.
My family loves this oven baked ribs recipe. It’s the best, easiest way to guarantee fall-off-the-bone tender ribs!
I bake my ribs in a 275°F oven for two to three hours. This simple recipe guarantees tender ribs every time! I use the same method when I make my Asian sticky ribs with a hoisin glaze.
Key Ingredients
- Pork ribs: I use baby back ribs, but other ribs, such as spare ribs, country-style, or St. Louis-style, will also work with this recipe. The cook time should be similar, but keep an eye on them to see how they’re progressing.
- Seasoning: A generous amount of salt and pepper is all you need, but feel free to use your favorite BBQ spice rub or seasoned salt.
- BBQ sauce: I make my own sweet and spicy BBQ sauce (recipe below), but you can use your favorite homemade or store-bought sauce for these ribs. We use a similar sauce for our BBQ chicken wings. I also love this sweet and tangy BBQ sauce.
How to Cook Ribs in the Oven
We learned how to make oven-baked ribs from Steamy Kitchen and haven’t looked back since! These baked ribs are incredibly easy! All you need is time.
For the most tender ribs, I remove the thin membrane covering the rack. It can be tough when cooked, and since we love ribs that fall off the bone, the membrane has to go.
Your butcher may have already removed it, but if not, here’s how to do it yourself: gently slide a knife under the membrane and use your fingers to peel it away from the bones. If it’s slippery, use a kitchen towel to grip and pull it off.
Once the membrane is removed (or if it was already gone!), I generously season both sides of the ribs with salt and pepper and then wrap them tightly with aluminum foil. Then, I bake the ribs low and slow at 275°F for 2 ½ to 3 ½ hours or until tender.
Finally, just before serving, I slather the baked ribs with barbecue sauce and broil (or grill) them for a few minutes until the sauce is caramelized. And that’s it! These will be some of the best ribs you’ll ever make!
Storing Baked Ribs
Baked ribs can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. They can also be frozen for 3 months (I double wrap them before freezing). Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
To reheat the ribs, place them, wrapped in foil, in a 275°F oven for 20 to 30 minutes or place them on the grill over medium heat. Slather the warmed ribs with BBQ sauce before serving (you can also broil or grill to caramelize the sauce, as shared in the recipe below).
What to Serve with Ribs
We love these ribs and always enjoy pairing them with some of our favorite sides! Potato salad, coleslaw, and cornbread are always a hit. Crispy roasted potatoes and mashed potatoes are also classics that pair well with ribs. For a twist, try mashed sweet potatoes for a touch of sweetness.
Pasta salad is another favorite side dish around here. Our readers love this veggie-packed pasta salad, and I’m a big fan of this classic macaroni salad. Both options are refreshing and complement the rich flavors of the ribs.
Finally, when serving heartier meat dishes like ribs, we love balancing them with a big, fresh salad. Just toss your favorite salad greens in a bowl and drizzle with one of our homemade dressings. We have a delicious honey mustard, a creamy blue cheese, and my all-time favorite homemade ranch.
More Popular Pork Recipes
For more pork recipes (we have many), look at our juicy skillet pork chops or these oven-baked pork chops. I also love this pork tenderloin recipe roasted on a bed of apples and onions. Try our easy ground pork tacos for a quick meal. They are FAST!
Easy Fall Off the Bone Oven Baked Ribs
- PREP
- COOK
- TOTAL
Baking low and slow makes these oven-baked ribs fall off the bone tender. Once baked, we add our sweet and spicy BBQ sauce to the ribs, but you can use whatever you love. For the most tender ribs, we remove the thin membrane covering the back of the rack. Depending on where you purchased the ribs, this may already be done for you. If not, instructions are in the tips below the recipe.
Watch Us Make the Recipe
You Will Need
2 to 2 ½ pounds baby back pork ribs
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup finely diced onion
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon hot chili sauce like Sriracha
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Salt and ground pepper, to taste
Directions
- Bake the Ribs
1Preheat the oven to 275°F (135°C). Set aside a large roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet and foil.
2If your ribs still have the thin membrane covering the back of the rack, remove it. The tips section below explains how.
3Season both sides of the ribs generously with salt and pepper. If you are using a spice rub, rub it over the ribs.
4Place the ribs, meatiest-side up, in a large roasting pan. You may need to cut the ribs in half to fit them into the pan. Cover the pan or baking sheet tightly with aluminum foil. Alternatively, wrap the rack in tight foil packets and place them on the baking sheet.
5Bake the ribs until the meat falls easily from the bones, 2 ½ to 3 ½ hours. I check the ribs after 2 hours to see how they’re doing. Ribs are ready to come out of the oven when the meat is cooked through and tender. To check, pierce them with a sharp knife. There should be little to no resistance. You can also gently bend the ribs. If the meat looks like it will easily pull away from the bone, they’re ready.
- Make Homemade BBQ Sauce
1While the ribs bake in the oven, make the barbecue sauce. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until soft and translucent, 5 to 8 minutes.
2Stir in the cumin and cook for an additional 30 seconds.
3Add the ketchup, hot chili sauce, brown sugar, and apple cider vinegar. Stir to combine, season with salt, then cook for 2 minutes. Set aside while the ribs finish baking.
- To Finish
1Remove the ribs from the oven, discard the aluminum foil, and generously brush both sides with barbecue sauce.
2(Optional) Move an oven rack near the top of the oven. Turn the broiler to high and broil the ribs until the barbecue sauce begins to caramelize, 3 to 4 minutes. Keep a close eye on the ribs while they broil so the sauce does not burn.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Ribs: We call for baby back ribs in the recipe, but other ribs (spare ribs, country-style, St. Louis-style) will work with this recipe. Cook time should be similar. We recommend you check on the ribs while they cook to see how they are progressing.
- Remove the membrane: Place the ribs meat-side-down on a cutting board. Locate the thin membrane covering the rack. Use a knife to gently slide under the membrane, then pull the membrane away from the bones using your fingers. If the membrane is slippery or difficult to remove, use a kitchen towel to hold it and pull.
- Multiple racks of ribs: Cooking time should stay the same with multiple racks of ribs. I prefer to wrap each rack tightly with foil and then place them onto a large baking sheet. You can fit two racks on one baking sheet, so my oven can bake four racks at a time.
- Ketchup: The BBQ sauce is best when made with thicker varieties of ketchup with no high fructose corn syrup added. You can use homemade ketchup, or we have found that organic or natural options like Hunt’s 100% Natural or Heinz Simply work nicely in this recipe.
- Back in the day, we were contributors to Betty Crocker. We shared a similar version of this recipe with them. We loved it so much we had to share an adapted version with you.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates, which include the barbecue sauce and 1 teaspoon of salt.
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OMG ! Those ribs are the best I ever ate, so tender ! Slow cooking is definitely a game changer. Thanks for the recipe.
I was afraid to cook ribs for the longest time because I am generally vegetarian. But my husband bought two large racks of pork ribs at Sam’s Club and he didn’t have time on the weekend to cook them so I looked up a recipe and found this one. I made the ribs pretty much following this recipe exactly, except I used Kinder’s ancho chili instead of sriracha. I also used a lot more ketchup (organic, no sugar added) and I added some garlic. I also blended the BBQ sauce so the onions and garlic were well mixed. When my husband took a bite, he literally shouted because he loves ribs! I have only tried ribs once before and he was shocked how good they are. He said that they were the best ribs he’s ever eaten! My uncle is 87 years old and ribs are his favorite food. He said that these were the best ribs he’s ever tasted in his entire life!!! I am so grateful for this recipe, the video, and the easy way you helped me to find a way to make ribs. I can’t wait to make this for my children when they come for Christmas!!! BEST RIBS AND BBQ SAUCE RECIPE EVER!!!
We are so glad we could inspire you for the upcoming holiday season.
I tried this recipe and it is absolutely delicious. Easy to make, sauce was so good and easy as well.y husband said these were one of the best ribs he has ever eaten. Thank you fornsharing this wonderful recipe.
I have this recipe bookmarked and use it every time I make ribs. These ribs fall off the bone every time. Taking the membrane off the ribs before doing anything makes all the difference.
I’ve tried many ways to cook ribs. This recipe is the best I’ve found hands down. Simple and straight forward – no messing around the a half dozen steps. I do use a rub with rack(s) wrapped in saran for several hours before the oven cooking (6 – 8 hrs or overnight). The carmalizing step is important but watch them closely so not to burn. I actually keep the oven door open while watching broiler step – bringing the oven rack in and out to keep the the sauce bubbling until it carmalizes.