Best BBQ Ribs Recipe

The BEST BBQ Ribs Recipe ever! Cooked low and slow in the oven and then finished on the grill or under the broiler right before serving. These fall off the bone ribs are seasoned with our signature dry rub and topped with your favorite barbecue sauce!

bbq ribs on plate with fries

Best BBQ Ribs Recipe for Easy Dinners and Parties

Ribs are so easy to make for a crowd because you can pre-cook them low and slow in your oven and then finish them off on the grill when it’s time for dinner.

We know there’s so many bbq ribs recipes out there from smoked ribs to competition recipes. But this is the Best BBQ Ribs Recipe that you’ll find for an easy way to make perfect ribs every time.

You can even cook these barbecue ribs a day or two before a party or cook out. Just let them hang out in the refrigerator until you’re ready to throw them on the grill, or finish under the broiler.

The secret to getting super tender, fall off the bone ribs is to cook them in your oven at a low temperature for a few hours before getting them on the grill with your BBQ sauce.

rack of ribs with bbq sauce on foil

What Kind Of Ribs Are Best For Making Barbecue Ribs?

Any type of pork rib will work for this easy barbecue ribs recipe, but baby back ribs are our preference. Spareribs are cut from the belly, same place that we get our bacon and pancetta from. This cut is meaty, fatty and super tasty.

Baby Back Ribs are also ribs that are taking from the belly area, but baby backs are taken from the loin. They’re smaller than other types of ribs, hence the name baby back. Baby Back Ribs have lots of lean meat on both sides of the ribs, making this type a fan favorite.

St. Louis Style Ribs are that perfectly rectangle cut of ribs most people are familiar with. They have a little less meat than the other types of ribs but the meat is delicious, fatty and full of flavor.

How Do You Make Oven Baked Ribs?

Prepare The Ribs: Prepare the ribs by removing the membrane on the back of the rack of ribs. Insert the tip of a knife under the membrane and peel it back until it’s removed. Sometimes you’ll need to do this in a few steps, but usually it comes of fairly easily.

Coat With The Dry Rub: Prepare the dry rub and then coat the ribs generously on both sides, patting the dry rub into the ribs to help it stick.

Bake: Wrap the racks of ribs tightly in heavy duty aluminum foil, or two sheets of regular foil. Place on a baking sheet and bake at 325 for 2 1/2 – 3 hours until the ribs are tender.

Add The Sauce: Brush on your favorite BBQ sauce and finish the ribs on the grill or under the broiler.

When Do You Put The BBQ Sauce On Ribs?

This is where a lot of people get confused, don’t want to add the sauce to your ribs too early on in the game. Most barbecue sauce has a good amount of sugar in it so if the sauce is on the grill too long it will burn.

Get your ribs on the grill and give them a few minutes to warm through first and then, once they warm up you can start basting the ribs with your favorite barbecue sauce.

Since the ribs have already cooked in the oven, the only job you’re doing on the grill is warming them up and basting them with sauce to finish.

Which is another reason why this is the Best BBQ Ribs Recipe! You can make these ribs in the oven a day or two ahead of time, let them cool and keep them in the refrigerator until you’re ready.

Throw them on the grill or place them under the broiler just to warm them up with the sauce.

bbq ribs stacked on a plate with fries

How Do You Reheat Leftover BBQ Ribs?

The oven is my favorite option, it warms the meat through again without making the meat tough like a microwave can. Microwaving is also fine, just do it in short bursts of time until the ribs are just warmed through.

You can also throw your leftover ribs back on the grill! Either right on the racks or wrap them in heavy duty aluminum foil. When we have leftover racks of ribs, it’s always a party.

section of bbq ribs on a plate

What Sides Go With Ribs?

Whether you’re serving this Barbecue Ribs Recipe for a party or just a family dinner, you’re going to need a few delicious sides!

barbecue ribs on plate with curly fries

Looking For More Rib Recipes?

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bbq ribs on plate with fries

Barbecue Ribs Recipe

  • Author: Dan
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 3 hours
  • Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes
  • Yield: 6 Servings 1x

The BEST BBQ Ribs Recipe ever! Cooked low and slow in the oven and then finished on the grill or under the broiler right before serving!

Scale

Ingredients

  • (2) 3 pound slabs of pork baby back ribs
  • 1 cup BBQ Sauce, your favorite kind

For the Dry Rub

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons garlic powder
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons paprika
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon cumin
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons kosher salt
  • 11 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper (depending on your taste, we use 1 1/2 teaspoons)
  • 2 teaspoons black pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
  2. Add all the ingredients for the dry rub to a small bowl and mix together. Divide the rub evenly between the 2 slabs of ribs and rub generously on both sides, patting the rub into the ribs to help it adhere.
  3. Wrap the ribs tightly in heavy duty aluminum foil, or two sheets of regular foil and then place onto a baking sheet.
  4. Bake in the oven for 2 1/2 to 3 hours until the ribs are fork tender.
  5. At this point you can cool the ribs, wrap in clean foil and keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days before finishing.
  6. When you’re ready to finish the ribs, preheat your grill to 350 degrees, then place each slab of ribs onto the grill, bone side down. (see NOTE if cooking the ribs after being refrigerated)
  7. Baste the ribs with bbq sauce and close the lid to let the sauce set and caramelize slightly, about 5 minutes. Watch for flare ups on the grill so the bottoms of your ribs don’t burn. You don’t need a super high temperature for this part of the cooking process, just a warm grill to set the sauce and add a slightly charred flavor.
  8. Remove the ribs from the grill to a cutting board, cut into sections and serve.

To Finish The Ribs Under The Broiler:

  1. Place the ribs on a clean sheet of aluminum foil on a baking sheet. Baste the ribs with the BBQ sauce and place under the broiler for 5 minutes until the sauce slightly caramelizes.

Recipe Notes

If you’re cooking the ribs after bring in the refrigerator, bring the ribs to room temperature for 30 minutes before placing on the grill or under the broiler.

Store: Store leftover ribs in a container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Reheat: Reheat leftover ribs in the microwave or in a low oven until warmed through. Serve with extra sauce.

  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American

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22 Responses
  1. Nicole Elliott ~ Client

    Oh yumm!!! Those ribs look so delicious and I love how you’re making it so everyone can have their BBQ just the way they like it! I’m pretty sure I’d have to try all of those sauces!






  2. Wendy

    I would like to make these for Christmas, am I biting off more than I can chew? I live in a cold climate and was wondering if I can start them on the grill to get that flavor a day early and then cook them long and slow in my oven Christmas Day. What do you think?

    1. Dan

      If you oven bake them first they’re pretty much done, so I do think this is an easy recipe for the holidays! If you do all the work the day before, all you’d have to do Christmas Day is get them on the grill for a few minutes and they’d be ready to serve! I think the grill flavor would be lost after they bake in the oven.

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