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Baby Back Ribs · Oven-Baked

Oven-Baked Barbecue Baby Back Ribs

Spice-rubbed ribs baked low and slow in foil until tender, then brushed with barbecue sauce and broiled until sticky. No smoker or grill needed. A good weekend project.

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Prep
20 min
Cook
2 hr 45 min
Total
3 hr 10 min
Serves
4
Level
Medium

Ingredients

Ribs

  • 5 lb baby back pork ribs, 2 racks

Rub

  • 3 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp smoked paprika
  • 2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • ½ tsp mustard powder

Glaze

  • 1 cup barbecue sauce
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Cook to 145°F inside (check with a thermometer).

Steps

  1. Heat the oven to 275°F with a rack in the middle.
  2. Set a rack bone side up. Slide a butter knife under the thin, shiny membrane on one end bone, grip it with a paper towel and peel it off.
  3. Repeat with the second rack.
  4. Stir the rub ingredients together in a small bowl and rub them all over both racks.
  5. Lay each rack meat side up on a large sheet of heavy-duty foil. Fold the foil over and crimp the edges to seal tightly.
  6. Set the foil packets on a rimmed sheet pan.
  7. Bake until the meat is tender and has pulled back from the bone ends by about 1/2 inch.
  8. Carefully open the foil (hot steam will escape). The ribs are at least 145°F (63°C) by now and need to be very tender before you go on.
  9. Stir the barbecue sauce and vinegar together and brush a thick layer over the meat side of the ribs.
  10. Fold the foil open so it forms a tray under the ribs. Move an oven rack about 6 inches below the broiler and turn the broiler to high.
  11. Broil until the sauce bubbles and caramelizes in spots. Watch closely; sugar burns fast.
  12. Let the ribs rest, then cut between the bones and serve with more sauce.

Tip: Ribs are safe at 145°F, but they only turn tender at about 190°F to 200°F, so go by how easily the meat bends and pulls from the bone.

Tip: Gluten-free if your barbecue sauce is.

Tip: Finish on a medium grill instead of the broiler for a smoky edge, about 3 to 4 minutes per side.

Tip: Use a separate cutting board for raw meat, and wash hands, boards and knives in hot soapy water after handling it.

Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container within 2 hours, up to 4 days. Reheat wrapped in foil at 300°F until hot, about 20 minutes.

Make ahead: Bake the ribs in foil a day ahead and refrigerate. Rewarm in the foil at 300°F for 25 minutes, then sauce and broil.

Estimated nutrition per serving: 1070 calories · protein 77 g · carbohydrates 42 g · fiber 2 g · sugars 34 g · fat 66 g (saturated 23 g) · sodium 1,980 mg. Estimate from USDA FoodData Central; not medical or dietary advice. Based on 11 of 11 ingredients.