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Baby Back Pork Ribs (Easy)

babybackporkribseasyNo smoker no problem. You don’t have to own a smoker or a grill to make delicious baby back ribs. This fool proof method takes about 2 hours and results in tender, juicy, ribs with a beautiful char on the outside. Use your favourite BBQ sauce and brush that onto each rib. Then drizzle each rib with honey, flip your ribs and repeat the process.

1 rack baby back ribs (1-1.5 kg)
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp. BBQ seasoning
¼ cup BBQ sauce
4 Tbsp. pure honey

Preheat an oven to 350°F (180°C/160°C fan, Gas Mark 4).

Trim up any excess fat and bone fragments from your rack of baby back ribs.

Remove membrane from the back of the ribs (optional) then cut between each bone to cut ribs individually.

Place ribs in a bowl, coat with olive oil and add BBQ seasoning. Toss or mix well together to combine.

Place ribs on a wire rack and on a baking tray and cook for about an hour an a half in a preheated oven or until the internal temperature of the ribs reach between 175-185°F. Make sure to flip the ribs half way through so they cook evenly on both sides.

Remove ribs from oven and brush on BBQ sauce and drizzle honey on both sides. Then broil the ribs for a few minutes on each side. Check the ribs often during this process to make sure they don’t burn. You may need to flip a few times or move the ribs down to a lower rack.

Once the ribs reach an internal temperature of 200°F (95°C) they are done and should be bite through tender. Allow the ribs to cool down for a few minutes before serving.

Makes 3-4 servings.

Cook's Notes:

  • Baby Back Ribs vs Spare Ribs: ​Baby back ribs are cut from the top of the rib cage and are generally meatier than spare ribs.
  • Spare ribs are cut from the bottom of the rib cage and have more intramuscular fat running through them.
  • You will also notice that baby back ribs have a very curved bone while the spare ribs are a lot more straight.
  • Can I use liquid smoke on my ribs? ​Please don’t. Liquid smoke tastes very artificial and does not imitate anything close to real smoked BBQ. In my opinion I would avoid it or use very little.