My favorite way to make juicy, fall-off-the-bone tender pork ribs is to start them low and slow in the oven and finish them on the grill, smoker, or under the broiler! This is an easy method for perfectly cooked pork ribs every single time.
These oven-baked pork ribs are ultra-flavorful and can be slathered with your favorite bbq sauce as they finish cooking. Perfect for backyard bbqs, game day meals, and low-effort weeknight dinners!
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The Best Method for Cooking Pork Ribs
Living in Texas for the last (almost) decade means I’ve had A LOT of barbecue. And while we’re well-known for our brisket, I tend to gravitate towards pork ribs always! They’re tender and succulent, without being too fatty, and absorb flavor so well.
After so much recipe testing, I’ve really come up with the absolute foolproof way for making perfect ribs every time. The trick is rub them ahead of time, cook them low and slow in the oven with some liquid (like beer, soda, or stock) and once the ribs are pliable and tender, finish them on the grill, under the broiler, or in the smoker after smothering them with your favorite bbq sauce.
The finished ribs are perfectly juicy and absolutely slide off the bone. I’m partial to slathering them with my Carolina gold-style bbq sauce because I love the tang, but you can use your favorite sauce!
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Key Recipe Ingredients
full list of ingredients, quantities & method in the recipe card at the end of the page.
- Spice rub – I like to make my own with a mixture of brown sugar, paprika, chipotle powder, onion powder, garlic powder, mustard powder, and salt and pepper. However, you could always use your favorite rub! Some of my favorite pre-made rubs come from SpiceWalla and Spiceology.
- Pork ribs – I prefer St. Louis-style pork spare ribs because they’re meatier, but you could use baby back ribs here too.
- Liquid – Cooking the baked pork ribs in the oven in a bit of liquid (beer, soda, stock) essentially braises them and keeps them ultra-tender and juicy.
- BBQ sauce – You can make your own or use store bought, but brushing the ribs before they finish on the grill/smoker/under the broiler adds so much great flavor.
How to Cook Oven-Baked Pork Ribs
- Prep and rub the ribs. Because I’m using St. Louis-style ribs, they tend to be a bit fattier. I like to trim a bit of the excess fat off the ribs so that the meat really shines. Mix up your rub and make sure to liberally coat the ribs all over. They’re best if you give them at least 12 hours, up to 48 hours.
Jenny’s Tip: This is an optional step, but removing the thin layer of silver skin from the back of the ribs (sitting over the bones side) makes the ribs even more tender and easy to eat.
- Bake the ribs. Always remove the ribs from the fridge 1 hour before you plan to cook them. Pour the liquid (beer, soda, or stock) over the ribs so that they’re partially submerged, then cover them with another piece of foil to make a sealed packet. Bake them until they’re tender and flexible.
- Finish the ribs. After you pull the ribs from the oven and let them rest, you can finish cooking them on the grill, smoker, or under the broiler (instructions in the recipe card!). Make sure to brush them liberally with your favorite bbq sauce as they cook. The ribs are done when they’re very flexible.
Baby Back vs St. Louis-Style Ribs
When it comes to making oven-baked pork ribs, you have a couple of different options! I personally gravitate towards St. Louis-style ribs (spare ribs without the rib tips) because they have a much better flavor and are meatier with a bit more fat.
However, if you prefer baby back ribs, you can use those instead! Keep in mind that they’re smaller and leaner so they may not need as long in the oven.
How to Serve Oven-Baked Pork Ribs
I serve up my oven-baked pork ribs finished on the grill with my homemade Carolina gold bbq sauce. It’s my go-to for backyard BBQs and here are some of my favorite sides to serve up alongside juicy ribs:
- Lemon Dill Potato Salad
- Mom’s Classic Potato Salad
- BLT Pasta Salad
- Italian Grinder Pasta Salad
- Bacon Shells & Cheese
- Dressed up Baked Beans
- Skillet Cornbread
- Tender Corn on the Cob
Storage & Reheating Instructions
This recipe makes great leftovers so I always make two racks of ribs! Any leftover ribs can be cut into smaller sections (2-3 ribs) and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
To reheat, I place the ribs in a small foil package and spritz them with a bit of water. Then they go into a 350 F oven until they’re warmed through.
If you do give this recipe a try, I love hearing about it! Leave a comment with a star rating below. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter and never miss a new recipe! You can also snap a photo & tag @JENNYGOYCOCHEA on Instagram.
More Summery Pork Recipes to Try
Grilled Hoisin Pork Chops
Dutch Oven Pulled Pork
Grilled Beer Brats
Italian Picnic Sandwiches
Pork Banh Mi Sandwiches
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Juicy Oven-Baked Pork Ribs
Ingredients
- 2 racks st. louis-style pork ribs
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon chipotle powder
- 2 cups beer, soda, or stock* see notes
- 1 1/2 cups bbq sauce, homemade or store bought
Instructions
- Before you start this recipe: Know that the ribs should sit in the rub for 12-48 hours so keep that in mind before you start!
- Prep the ribs. Trim any areas that have an excessive amount of fat. Remove any silver skin from the back of the ribs (optional). Pat the ribs dry and set them bones-side down side by side on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. I recommend using heavy duty foil that can cover the baking sheet with a single sheet.
- Rub the ribs. In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, mustard powder, paprika, and chipotle powder. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the ribs, on both sides, and gently rub the spices into the ribs. Loosely cover the ribs with plastic wrap and transfer to the fridge for 12-48 hours.
- Braise the ribs. Let the ribs come to room temperature for 1 hour before cooking. Set an oven temperature to 325 F. Pour the beer or soda over the ribs so that they’re partially submerged. Lay another sheet of heavy duty foil over the ribs and crimp the edges of the two pieces of foil together to create a sealed package. Place the ribs in the oven for 2 hours. Remove the ribs from the oven, vent the foil, and let the ribs rest for 20 minutes.
- Grill the ribs. Preheat a grill to medium heat for at least 15 minutes, so that the internal temperature sits between 400-450 F. Liberally brush the ribs with bbq sauce and place them on the grill meat-side down. Grill the ribs for 20 minutes, flipping them every 4-5 minutes, and continuing to brush them with more sauce. Once the ribs are really tender, remove them from the grill and serve with more sauce on the side.
- For smoker cooking: preheat an outdoor smoker to 250 F. Brush the ribs liberally with sauce and put them on the smoker for 1 hour, brushing with sauce every 20 min and spritzing with a mixture of water and cider vinegar. For finishing under the broiler: Preheat a broiler on high. Transfer the ribs to a new foil-lined baking sheet and brush both sides with sauce. Make sure the rack is set in the center of the oven. Cook the ribs for 15-20 minutes, flipping occasionally, until very tender.
Notes
- If you’re using beer for this recipe, opt for a lager or bock–something not too hoppy.
- If you’re using soda, pretty much any soda works but I prefer Dr. Pepper or Cola.
- If you’d prefer to use neither, chicken stock or water works but will have less flavor than soda or beer.
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