These oven baked barbecue ribs are fall off the bone delicious and are hands down the best way to enjoy summer!
Tender and meaty, these ribs are loaded with flavor. Coated with a homemade dry rub, these pork ribs are then slow roasted before being slathered with a sweet bbq sauce and finished off on the grill.
They are so good, you’re going to need lots of napkins when you sit down to feast on this barbecue favorite.
What’s the secret to these fall-off-the-bone baby back barbecue ribs? Actually, it’s a question I get asked all the time.
Any time I serve these up I always get asked, “Come on…how do you do it?”
Make award winning ribs at home
My baby back ribs have even been ruled the winner in a friendly neighborhood party barbecue pork rib cook-off.
They are blue ribbon. No kidding!
I serve these tender, meaty, finger-lickin’, sweet and tangy baby back pork ribs all year round.
And, I am happy to share the recipe because delicious food should be enjoyed!
The secret is an ice cube. Yes, an ice cube! The ribs are baked first in foil packets each containing one piece of ice.
After the ice melts in the foil pack, the water creates a steam bath for each packet resulting in tender, fall-off-the-bone, delicious pork.
After spending time in the oven, the ribs finish off on the grill. We slather on our favorite topper – Montgomery Inn barbecue sauce.
These ribs are finger licking good so make sure you have plenty of napkins. Or if you are like my family, you’ll be licking your fingers instead!
The basic barbecue dry rub I make to coat the meaty tops of these delicious ribs is no secret.
I promise, you will use this dry rub recipe on so many cuts of meat because it adds the right flavors of salty and spicy to beef ribs, country ribs, St. Louis spare ribs, pork shoulder, chicken and more.
It’s grilling season, so be sure you are firing up that grill and using this rub all season long.
How to make oven baked barbecue ribs in the oven
How to remove silverskin from ribs
You’ll need to remove the silverskin from the back of the ribs before sectioning the rack.
I usually slide a finger or the tines of a fork under the membrane in the middle of the rib.
Once you loosen the membrane off the bone, use a paper towel to pull the skin off the back of the ribs. It should come off easily.
What you’ll need to make these oven baked barbecue ribs:
Baby back pork ribs. Count on 4 to 6 ribs per person when determining how many racks to purchase. And remember there’s a difference between pork spare ribs and baby back or loin ribs. Make sure you are purchasing baby back ribs, which are shorter, curved and meatier than spareribs.
Barbecue rub. I always keep a tub of Steven Raichlen’s famous rub recipe on hand. It’s delicious on pork or chicken.
Barbecue sauce. I’m a fan of Montgomery Inn barbecue sauce, But any style will do. Grab a bottle of your favorite sauce.
Ice cubes. You’ll need one cube for each foil packet.
Napkins. Because they are finger licking good!
What to serve along side Oven Baked Barbecue Ribs
- Tomatoes Caprese Salad
- Summer Sweet Corn Salad
- Tortellini Caprese Salad
- Summer Veggie Pasta Salad
- Red, White & Blue Trifles
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Baby Back Barbecue Ribs
Ingredients
- 1 rack or more of pork baby back ribs
- Basic barbecue rub
- Ice cubes
- Aluminum foil
- Barbeque sauce
Instructions
- When preparing the ribs, cut each rack into three sections to individually wrap in foil. Be sure to remove the silver skin from the back of the ribs before sectioning if necessary.
- This is where the ice cube comes into play. Add one ice cube to each rectangle of aluminum foil and place each rib section on top of the ice cube.
- Season each rib section with dry rub and fold up each piece of aluminum foil into a tight packet. Place each packet on an aluminum foil covered rimmed cookie sheet.
- Bake for three hours at 250°F. Then remove the ribs from the oven and let them sit for about a half an hour. Now the ribs are ready to go on the grill.
- Remove the ribs from their foil packets and place on the grill at medium heat. Brush on your favorite barbecue sauce and grill for about 8-10 minutes flipping and reapplying barbecue sauce.
Notes
If you make this recipe, be sure to snap a photo and hashtag it #homeandplate. I’d love to see what you cook!
These are the definition of a perfect warm weather meal!
I would agree. This is perfect summer bbq food.
We get all of our meat from a local farmer and he has ribs – I will get some and try this one!
I promise you will not be disappointed.
OMG!I wish I can dig through the screen, the ribs are looking so delicious 🙂
Thanks Meghan…they certainly are the best and favorite in my house.
I can’t believe the secret is in the ice cube, but the steam to tenderize makes so much sense!! How delicious!!
Yup…best kept secret but I am happy to share 🙂
We adore ribs just about any old way but these look extra juicy and delicious! They can be dry when you do them on the grill. I’m going to try your oven technique!
Definitely try this recipe. You’ll never go back to the old way 🙂
After I’ve tried these ribs, I’ll never make them another way again! They were perfect!
They are the best fall off the bone ribs I’ve ever had…Thanks Tayler 🙂
This looks and sounds so delicious and tempting! As BBQ season is almost here can’t wait to to make it.Yum!
Thanks Sonia…it is a neighborhood favorite recipe. Perfect for summer!
Will this technique work with St. Louis ribs too?
Yes…it sure will! Let me know how they turn out. Likely fall off the bone and delicious 🙂