Oven-Baked Baby Back Ribs and Dry Rub

Name: Oven-Baked Baby Back Ribs and Dry Rub Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 120 min
Total time: 160 min
Ingredients: 2 slabs baby back pork ribs, (about one and a half pounds each); 1 cup barbecue sauce, (we like Sweet Baby Ray's Hickory and Brown Sugar Barbecue Sauce); ½ cup light brown sugar; 1 teaspoon cumin; 1 teaspoon chili powder; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1 teaspoon onion powder; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

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This easy Oven-Baked Baby Back Ribs and Dry Rub recipe is just what you need if you are looking for a delicious and convenient way to enjoy BBQ ribs without the hassle of standing outside for hours over a hot grill. With a mouthwatering dry rub, these pork ribs are cooked to perfection in the oven.

What sets this recipe apart from my Smoked Beef Short Ribs or Oven-Baked Short Ribs, besides the fact that it is made with pork ribs, is my tantalizing and spicy dry rub for ribs in the oven, making them a simple and tasty meal perfect for any occasion.

Sliced baby back ribs on a cutting board.

This unique oven-baked ribs dry rub infuses the pork ribs with just the right balance of sweet and savory flavors. It’s also what makes them ever so mouthwateringly juicy and fall-off-the-bone tender.

Slather on your favorite barbecue sauce, and these rich, meaty ribs are finger-lickin’ good!

Check out the easy recipe below, including step-by-step instructions and photos, as well as a video, to find out how to make my special dry rub for ribs in the oven and these incredible oven-baked baby back ribs.

I’ve also included instructions to make this recipe in a crockpot or slow cooker or finish them up on the grill instead of the oven, so let’s get cooking!

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📋 Ingredient notes:
♨️ How to make oven-baked baby back ribs and dry rub:
🥘 Optional: How to finish the ribs on a grill:
🍖 Different types of pork ribs:
⏲️ Cooking times for baby back ribs in the oven:
📖 How to remove the membrane on the back of the ribs:
🥗 What to serve with this recipe:
💬 Recipe FAQs
🔪 How to slice ribs before serving:
💭 Top tips:
Recipes for the grill:
📋 Recipe:

📋 Ingredient notes:

Two racks of ribs along with spices to make a dry rub.

Baby Back Ribs – lean and meaty, with a mild pork flavor; baby back ribs are easy to cook and a favorite of BBQ aficionados everywhere.

Oven-baked ribs dry rub ingredients:

Brown sugar – forms the base of the dry rub and adds a sweet, mild taste to the ribs.
Cumin – adds a warm, earthy aroma and slightly smoky taste to the dry rub.
Chili powder – is a blend of spices and peppers that adds just a bit of heat to the rub and packs a lot of flavor into its characteristic reddish powder.
Garlic powder – an essential ingredient that makes everything taste better, including the dry rub. You can substitute garlic salt.
Onion powder – is made from dehydrated ground onion and brings a mild onion flavor to the party.
Kosher salt and pepper – enhance all of the other flavors of the dry rub and brings them all together to give the pork an unparalleled taste.
Barbecue sauce – my favorite is Sweet Baby Ray’s Hickory and Brown Sugar BBQ sauce, and that’s what I recommend. But, use what you like or have on hand, including thick, sweet, and tangy tomato-based or thinner spicy mustard-based sauces.

(Specific measurements can be found in the recipe below.)

♨️ How to make oven-baked baby back ribs and dry rub:

Prepare the ribs by removing the thin membrane or silverskin on the bone side. Discard the membrane and set the ribs aside.

Two racks of baby back ribs with the silver skin removed.

Combine all dry rub ingredients in a small bowl.

Ingredients for a dry rub for ribs in a bowl.

Sprinkle the dry rub liberally all over both sides of the ribs and gently rub it in. Be especially generous on the meat side. For the best flavor, let the meat sit with the rub on them for a minimum of 30 minutes. Or, you can refrigerate the pork and let it sit for up to 12 hours.

Two racks of pork ribs topped with dry rub.

When you are ready to bake the racks, preheat the oven to 300 degrees °F.
Before cooking, wrap the racks securely in two layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Then, place the package on a rimmed baking sheet.

Two racks of baby back ribs on a baking sheet.

Put the baking sheet in the oven and bake the ribs for one hour and thirty minutes. Or, cook until an instant-read meat thermometer reads 190 °F or the meat starts pulling away from the bone and is tender.

Two racks of ribs wrapped in aluminum foil on a baking sheet.

When the ribs are done, open the foil packet and pull it back. Liberally brush on your favorite barbecue sauce. Turn up the heat to 350 °F and let the pork cook for an additional 30 minutes or until the sauce has caramelized.

Using a pastry brush to top cooked ribs with BBQ sauce.

Optional, if you like a little char on your meat, turn on the broiler and let it cook for a minute or so until the outside is charred in places.

Two oven-baked racks of ribs on a baking sheet.

Use a sharp knife and slice the rack before serving.

A rack of baby back ribs sliced for serving on a cutting board.

Serve immediately with plenty of napkins and extra barbecue sauce!

Baby back ribs and a bowl of barbecue sauce

🥘 Optional: How to finish the ribs on a grill:

If you love the char from a grill, bake the racks as directed, and then finish them on the grill instead of the oven.

To do this, preheat the grill to 350 degrees. Grease the grill grates well and place the racks on the grill. Generously coat with your favorite BBQ sauce. Grill the slabs on both sides until the BBQ sauce is browned and caramelized, about five to ten minutes per side.

🍖 Different types of pork ribs:

There are several types of pork ribs, each with its own characteristics and cooking methods.

Baby Back Ribs: These are smaller and more tender than other rib cuts, taken from the upper part of the ribcage. They are also known as “loin ribs” or “back ribs.”
Spare Ribs: These are larger and meatier than baby backs and are taken from the lower part of the ribcage.
St. Louis-style Ribs: These spare ribs have been trimmed down to a rectangular shape, making them easier to cook and eat.
Rib Tips: These are the small, meaty pieces that are trimmed off spare ribs when they are being prepared for cooking.

⏲️ Cooking times for baby back ribs in the oven:

Cooking chart graphic showing how long to cook ribs at certain temperatures

📖 How to remove the membrane on the back of the ribs:

The thin membrane on the back of ribs, also known as the silver skin or connective tissue, can be tough and chewy when cooked, affecting the texture and tenderness of the meat. For this reason, it is recommended to remove the membrane before cooking.
Removing the membrane also allows any seasoning or rub applied to the racks to penetrate the meat more effectively, resulting in more flavorful and delicious meat. Additionally, removing the membrane can prevent it from curling up during cooking, which can cause the meat to cook unevenly.
To remove the membrane, you can use a butter knife or a paper towel to pry it up, then grip it with a paper towel and peel it off. It may take a bit of effort to get it started, but once you get a good grip, it should come off relatively easily.

Pulling the thin membrane off a slab of baby back ribs.

🥗 What to serve with this recipe:

These delicious oven-baked baby back ribs lend themselves to more casual side dishes and pair nicely with any of these easy choices:
Southern Potato Salad
Southern-Style Baked Mac and Cheese
Southern Fried Green Tomatoes
Summer Pasta Salad
Southern Cheesy Corn Pudding
Easy Southern Corn Salad
Southern Cornbread Salad
Smoked Baked Beans, or
Potato Broccoli Salad with Vinaigrette

💬 Recipe FAQs

How to store leftovers?

Leftovers can be stored tightly covered in the fridge for three to four days or in the freezer for up to three months.

How to reheat leftovers?

To reheat leftovers in the microwave, place them on a microwave-safe plate, top them with a spoonful or so of barbecue sauce and a piece of wax paper, and heat for a minute or two or until they have warmed up. I also usually add a drop or two of water on each rib to keep them from drying out.

To reheat leftovers in the oven, top with a few spoonfuls of barbecue sauce and a few drops of water and wrap securely in aluminum foil. Then, pop them in a 350 °F oven for about 10 minutes or until they are warm.

Ribs that have been frozen should be defrosted in the fridge overnight before reheating.

How to get a smoky taste?

While oven-baked ribs may not have the same smoky flavor as those cooked on a grill or smoker, there are still ways to achieve a delicious smoky taste. Here are a few tips:

1. Add a drop or so of liquid smoke to your BBQ sauce.
2. Add smoked paprika or smoked salt to the dry rub.
3. Or, purchase barbecue sauce with a hickory smoke flavor.

Finally, check out my tips to finish this recipe on the grill to get that smoky taste.

How many ribs per person?

In general, you can plan on most folks with average appetites consuming five to six baby back ribs or about one-half of a slab. But, of course, this depends on what other sides you are serving.

Can you cook the ribs in a slow cooker or crockpot?

If you prefer, you can cook the meat in a slow cooker or crockpot. After marinating in the rub, add the racks to your slow cooker and cook on low for eight hours or on high for four hours.

When the ribs are done, remove them from the slow cooker and place them on a rimmed baking sheet. Brush on your favorite barbecue sauce and bake at 350 degrees for an additional 30 minutes or until the barbecue sauce caramelizes.

🔪 How to slice ribs before serving:

Before serving, do you always slice the ribs down the middle between the bones and hope for the best? What generally happens is you have an uneven amount of meat on each rib. Try this method instead:

After the ribs have rested, place them meat side down on a cutting board. Take a sharp knife and slice as close to the right of the bone on the first rib as you can. Then go to the next rib and cut next to the bone again.
Slice the next rib in the same way and continue until all of the ribs are sliced. This method ensures that each rib has a maximum amount of meat attached.

It’s important to note that baby back ribs are a bit more delicate than other kinds, so be careful not to pull the meat away from the bones when slicing.

💭 Top tips:

When you remove the racks from the oven, let them rest for a few minutes before slicing. This will help to lock in the juices and ensure the meat is tender and juicy.

The key to perfectly cooked baby back ribs is low and slow cooking with the right dry rub and then finishing with a delicious BBQ sauce.