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Oven Baked BBQ Ribs

Oven baked BBQ ribs with tender, fall-off-the-bone pork that pulls apart at every joint. Low-and-slow foil baking followed by a broiled, deeply caramelized sticky BBQ glaze.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
resting/drying 30 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 45 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 1100
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Ribs
  • 2 lb baby back pork ribs about 2 lbs each
Dry Rub
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 0.5 tsp cayenne
  • 0.25 salt to taste
  • 0.25 black pepper to taste
BBQ Glaze
  • 1 cup BBQ sauce plus more for serving

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Prep and dry rub
  1. Preheat the oven to 275°F. Set out a baking sheet and heavy-duty foil for wrapping.
  2. Remove the silver membrane from the back of each rack. Pull it away with a firm grip so the rub can penetrate.
  3. Mix all dry rub ingredients together in a bowl. Coat the ribs thoroughly on all sides, pressing the rub into the meat.
Low-and-slow bake
  1. Wrap each rack tightly in heavy-duty foil and place it on a baking sheet. Make sure the foil is sealed to trap moisture.
  2. Bake for 2.5–3 hours at 275°F until the meat is tender and pulls away from the bone. Look for shrinking at the ends and a soft, joint-yielding texture.
  3. Unwrap the ribs carefully and let them rest for 30 minutes to dry slightly before glazing. The surface should look less wet and more tacky as it rests.
Broil and serve
  1. Brush the ribs generously with BBQ sauce. Add a thick, even layer so the glaze can caramelize.
  2. Broil 5–7 minutes until the glaze is caramelized. Watch for bubbly, sticky edges with a shiny finish.
  3. Serve with extra BBQ sauce on the side. Slice into individual pieces and serve while hot.

Notes

For maximum fall-apart tenderness, keep the foil wrapped tightly during the 2.5–3 hour bake so the ribs steam and soften evenly. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3–4 days; reheat covered at 300°F until hot. Freezing is best done before glazing—freeze baked ribs after the low-and-slow step, then thaw and broil with BBQ sauce. For a lower-sugar option, use a sugar-reduced BBQ sauce in the glaze.