Baked Baby Back Ribs (No Grill or Smoker Needed)

Looking for an easy oven rib recipe? Then these finger-licking-good Baked Baby Back Ribs will be your favorite low and slow rib recipe! I perfected this recipe for my barbecue rib loving personal chef clients and have made it for over 20 years. With hardly any effort, even the most novice home cook can make pork loin ribs that are fall-off-the-bone tender. You can even meal prep ribs in advance and take the stress out of dinner time.

Pork Loin Back Ribs in the Oven at a Glance

• Recipe Name: Baked Baby Back Ribs
• Ready In: 3 hours and 10 minutes
• Serves: 4 to 6
• Calories: 438 per serving
• Main Ingredients: Baby back ribs, barbecue seasoning, barbecue sauce
• Difficulty: Easy
• Why You'll Love This Recipe: Simple to make, fall off the bone tender, meal prep recipe.

If you love sticky, tender ribs that slide off the bone, then this is the recipe for you. These ribs are one of our family favorite pork recipes along with my 30 minute Pork Tenderloin Sliders and Maple Glazed Pork with Sauteed Apples. Since the pork loin ribs bake in the oven, I make them year round. No grill or smoker are needed.

It's a simple 3 ingredient recipe that I developed while working as the chef at a small gourmet shop. I perfected it cooking for my barbecue-loving personal chef clients. These ribs are just as delicious when reheated as the day they're made. They're never tough or dried out.

It's one of those recipes that you can make in advance and to take some of the stress off dinnertime. You'll even have enough time to my a Peach Crumble Pie.

I just love how easy they're to make and turn out perfect every time. The key is to have some patience while the oven does the work slow roasting the baby back ribs.

Why You'll Love These Baked Baby Back Ribs?

• Easy to make ~ With very little prep and only 3 ingredients, cooking baby back ribs in the oven is so easy.
• Tender and flavorful ~ Baking ribs in the oven at a low temperature for a few hours makes for the best barbecue ribs. Wrapping the ribs in foil and the low and slow cooking method allows for the connective tissue to break down so the ribs are guaranteed to be tender every time. The easy step of removing the membrane prevents the ribs from being tough and chewy.
• Great make ahead recipe ~ Perfect for parties or if you like to meal prep, baked ribs are foolproof. It's the method I always used with my personal chef clients. Scroll down for my complete directions.

Oven Baked Baby Back Ribs Ingredients

Here's what you'll need to make baked baby back ribs. Scroll to the recipe card for full quantities of the ingredients.

• Baby back pork ribs
• Barbecue spice rub
• Barbecue sauce

Substitutions and Ingredient Notes

• Pork ribs ~ My first choice when baking ribs is to use baby back ribs which are also known as pork loin ribs. They're small, tender, and lean. Pork spare ribs are also an option. They're meatier and more robust in flavor as they contain more fat. They take a little longer to bake.
• Barbecue spice rub ~ Use your favorite bbq spice rub either store bought or homemade. I love this all purpose All American Seasoning & Rub.
• Barbecue sauce ~ I've got an oh so simple, better than any store bought, and made with pantry ingredients homemade bbq sauce recipe. You'll want to keep this sauce on hand at all times. But in a pinch use your favorite store brand. To change up the flavor of your baby back ribs, try sweet Thai chili sauce, hoisin sauce or buffalo wing sauce.

Hint

When shopping for baby back ribs, it's best to buy fresh ribs as they're more flavorful than frozen ones.

How to Cook Baby Back Ribs in the Oven

This is a brief overview for how to bake ribs. I've got full instructions in the recipe card below.

Step 1: Cut each rack of ribs in half. Use a knife to help remove the tough membrane on the underside of the rack.

Step 2: Generously rub the ribs with the barbecue seasoning. Place racks on a foil lined rimmed baking sheet.

Step 3: Tightly cover the baking sheet with foil. Bake the ribs in the oven at 275 degrees F for about 3 hours.

Step 4: Remove the ribs from the oven and baste with barbecue sauce. A basting brush makes this easy to do). Return the ribs to the oven and broil the for 5 to 6 minutes or until charred in spots. Remove the ribs from the oven and serve.

How to Remove the Membrane from Ribs

For the most tender ribs, remove the thin membrane covering the underside of the rack. Leaving it on can make the ribs tough. Break-apart tender ribs are the goal, so remove the membrane.

Use a knife and slide it between the membrane and the rib bones. Grab the end of the membrane with a paper towel (it can be slippery), pull it off, and throw it away.

Personal Chef Tips on How to Make Ribs in Advance

I use one of the two following methods when meal prepping barbecue ribs for my personal chef clients. Use these methods at home when prepping for a party (great for feeding a small group or crowd) or entertaining family and friends too.

Ribs can be refrigerated for 3 to 4 days. Use these tips and they'll taste just as good after a couple days in the fridge as the day they were made. The ribs will be tender and flavorful when reheated. There's no need to worry that they'll be dried out and tough.

• Bake and store ~ Bake the ribs according to the recipe but don't add the sauce and broil. Let cool completely. Store in airtight containers for up to 4 days. I love these meal prep containers. When ready to serve, place the ribs on a foil lined baking sheet and cover with foil. Heat in a 300 degree F oven for 20 to 30 minutes. Remove the foil, brush the ribs with barbecue sauce and broil for 5 to 6 minutes.
• Bake, sauce and broil ~ Prepare the ribs according to recipe and cool completely. Store in airtight containers for up to 4 days. When ready to serve, place the ribs on a foil lined baking sheet and cover with foil. Heat in a 300 degree F oven for 20 to 30 minutes.
• Microwave ~ Place 3 to 4 baked and sauced ribs on a microwave safe plate. Cover with a paper towel. Heat on 60 percent power for 2 minutes. Continue heating at 30 second intervals until the ribs are hot.

Tips for Fall-Off-the-Bone Tender Ribs

• Remove the membrane: Pork loin ribs have a thin, tough membrane on the underside. by removing it, the ribs will be more tender.
• Cook the ribs low and slow: Cooking ribs at a low temperature (275 degrees F) for hours (about 3 hours +/-) ensures that the tough collagen breaks down and the fat renders.
• Wrap the ribs in foil: To seal in the juices and the moisture, wrap the ribs in foil. It traps the steam and heat so the ribs don't dry out and are fall-off-the-bone tender.
• Check if the ribs are tender: Pork ribs are a forgiving meat to cook. Use a digital thermometer to check for an internal temperature between 195 and 205 degrees F. The meat will begin to pull away from the bone and can be easily pierced with knife.

Baked Baby Back Ribs FAQs

Yes they can! Overcooked ribs are flavorless, mushy, and can dry out.

Yes you can! Place the baked ribs meat side down on a hot grill and brush with barbecue sauce. Grill for about 5 minutes. Flip the ribs, brush with more sauce and grill another 4 to 5 minutes.

Ribs are a forgiving meat. You can definitely check to see if they're done during the cooking time. A knife should slide easily into the meat and the internal temperature should be between 195 and 205 degrees F.

Yes! After baking, cool the ribs completely. I suggest brushing the ribs in barbecue sauce to help seal in the moisture. Wrap the ribs in heavy duty foil and place in a resealable freezer bag. Ribs can be frozen for up to 2 months. When ready to serve, thaw overnight in the fridge. Heat wrapped in foil in a 300 degree F oven for 20 to 30 minutes.

What to Serve with Pork Loin Back Ribs

Along with the baked baby back ribs, serve classic side dishes of buttered corn on the cob and our family favorite Homestyle Red Potato Salad. This broccoli salad is also a fave.

Try some of these side dishes too.

• Creamy Stovetop Mac and Cheese
• Do Ahead Twice Baked Potatoes ~ These freeze beautifully too.
• Crispy Oven Fries
• Avocado, Corn, Cucumber and Tomato Salad
• Spinach and Blueberry Salad with Yogurt Honey Dressing

Finish off the meal with some Snickerdoodle Ice Cream Sandwiches or No Churn Oreo Ice Cream.