Baby Back Pork Ribs with Barbecue Spice Rub and Barbecue Sauce

ovenbakedbarbecueribswithrub These classic baby back ribs are made in the oven and are much easier than you might expect. Plus, the prep is quick and they are fall-off-the-bone tender every single time.

Baby Back Pork Ribs:
3 lbs baby back pork ribs (2 slabs)
2 yellow onions, sliced
4 cloves garlic, sliced
extra-virgin olive oil

Barbecue Spice Rub:
1 Tbsp. ground paprika
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
¾ tsp. garlic powder
¾ tsp. onion powder
½ tsp. black pepper, freshly ground
½ tsp. lemon pepper seasoning
½ tsp. sea salt

Barbecue Sauce:
extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup barbecue sauce
½ cup chili sauce
¼ cup ketchup

Preheat the oven to 275°F (140°C/120°C fan, Gas Mark 1). In a small bowl, combine the spice mix and set aside. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil.

If present, remove the white membrane from the back side of the ribs. Pat the ribs dry and check for little bone shards or pieces. Cut into 4-6 rib pieces.

Make the Barbecue Spice Rub:
Gently massage the spice rub into both sides of the ribs. Place the ribs on the prepared baking pan, meaty side down. Cover the ribs with onion and garlic. Cover and seal with another piece of foil.

Cook the Ribs:
Bake the ribs for 2 hours. Carefully open the corner of the sealed foil and pull a small piece of meat off to ensure the ribs are tender. If they are not tender, bake for another 20-30 minutes and check again.

Make the Barbecue Sauce:
Combine all the Barbecue Sauce ingredients together. Mix well to combine.

Remove from the oven and unwrap ribs; discard foil and drippings. Place ribs directly on the wire rack; brush ½ cup barbecue sauce on top of each slab. Return to the oven; bake until the ribs are tender and the meat is pulling away from bones, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Remove from the oven; brush slabs evenly with remaining barbecue sauce. Increase oven temperature to broil and return ribs to middle rack. Broil until sauce bubbles and starts to caramelize, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from oven; let rest 5 minutes then serve.

Makes 4-6 servings.

Cook's Notes:

Rub: A store-bought rub can be substituted for the homemade rub, or salt and pepper can be used instead of a rub.
Sauce: Chili sauce is not spicy, it tastes like zesty ketchup and is found with ketchup in the store. If you'd prefer, use only Barbecue sauce in this recipe.
Membrane: Some racks of ribs come with the membrane removed. It is on the side of the ribs with less meat. To remove the membrane, slip a knife under the edge of the thin skin on the back of the ribs. Grip the edge of the membrane (use a paper towel if it's slippery) and gently pull it away from the meat. Discard the membrane.
Wrapping the ribs in aluminum foil locks in moisture. In the last hour of cooking, remove the foil and add barbecue sauce to caramelize the baby back ribs.
Low and slow is the name of the game when cooking baby back ribs in the oven. This recipe calls for the ribs to be cooked at 275°F (140°C/120°C fan, Gas Mark 1) and covered for almost three hours. (The final hour is uncooked so the ribs can get sticky and glazed with sauce.)
Baby back ribs should be cooked for four hours at 275°F (140°C/120°C fan, Gas Mark 1) or until they are tender. You can also cook your ribs at higher temperatures for a shorter time. Follow this quick guide next time you need to get a rib dinner on the table fast:

Temperature Chart:

275°F - 4 hours
350°F - 2 hours
400°F - 1½ hours

After cooking, if the ribs are not tender, they need MORE time. Seal them up and cook an additional 20-30 minutes if needed.
If the ribs are ready early, turn the oven off and let them sit for up to 1 hour in the warm oven.
Should ribs be covered or uncovered? Baby back ribs should be covered for most of the cooking time to lock in the moisture. Uncover the ribs at the end to ensure a nicely caramelized exterior. If left uncovered during cooking, the ribs will likely dry out and become difficult to chew.
Are baby back ribs from pork or beef? Baby back ribs are pork ribs. They're often smaller and leaner than spareribs. Beef ribs tend to be a bit larger, too.

Storing and Reheating:

Put any leftover ribs in an airtight container or zip-top plastic bag. Alternatively, you can wrap them in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Store the ribs in the fridge for 3-4 days.
When you're ready to reheat the ribs, don't go to the microwave. Instead, place the ribs in an oven-safe pan, cover with aluminum foil, then bake at 250°F (120°C/100°C fan, Gas Mark 0.5).
When the meat reaches an internal temperature 130-140°F, remove the ribs from the oven, apply a final layer of sauce and serve.