Oven Baked BBQ Ribs

Boil and Bake BBQ Ribs are super tender with sticky BBQ Sauce that’s glazed during baking. A great alternative to outdoor BBQ during rainy days.

Oven Baked BBQ Ribs

I know BBQ Ribs are traditionally prepared on the grill, but I’m not always up for spending 4 hours watching the grill. During inclement weather I turn to a great oven baked BBQ ribs recipe like these Boil and Bake BBQ Ribs that are tender, tasty, and only take 15 minutes of hands-on time.

These ribs simmer in seasoned boiling water to tenderize the meat before being slathered in your favorite BBQ Sauce and baked until caramelized. This boil and bake BBQ Ribs recipe is hands-down my favorite method for preparing ribs in the oven.

You’ll find these tender and tasty ribs will easily rival any BBQ’d ribs.

Ingredient Breakdown

Any kind of ribs will do. Baby back ribs are a bit more expensive, have smaller bones, and less fat making them a bit of a leaner cut.

They also take less time to cook. Spare ribs have more meat on them and are generally less expensive.

Spare ribs take 15-20 more minutes to cook and have more fat. Look for St.

Louis Cut spare ribs which are uniform in shape making them easier to cook. If the ribs are too big for your pot ask your butcher to cut them in half, it’s free and takes him/her only 30 seconds.

I know it seems odd to boil meat in salted water because it sounds like you’d lose all of the meaty flavors, however, seasoning the water helps add flavor to the meat. If you want to go a step further add 4 smashed garlic cloves and 1 quartered white onion (cheap and great for making broth!).

Bay leaves are used sparingly and lend a subtle, herbal note to this dish. BBQ sauce, You can make your own BBQ sauce from scratch or grab a bottle of your favorite from the store.

Sweet Baby Ray’s is a favorite and I’ve been known to reach for Stubb’s or KC Masterpiece when we’re in a pinch.

Directions Breakdown

Place ribs in a large pot and cover with water, add 2 Tbsp salt and 1 Tbls whole peppercorns and bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cover for 1 hr. Seasoning the water helps add flavor, otherwise you’d be boiling them in plain water.

This step breaks down the fat and connective tissue making the meat super tender. Skip this step and your oven baked ribs won’t be near as tender as these.

Remove ribs from pot and place in oven, pour BBQ Sauce over ribs and bake until caramelized. This step bakes the BBQ Sauce onto the ribs giving them a delicious, sticky glaze.

Preparation time: 15 min

Use a very sharp knife to cut between the bones into smaller pieces if necessary, or ask your butcher to cut the rack for you.

Smash garlic cloves with the side of a knife to loosen the skins.

Peel the onion and cut into chunks.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil; set aside. Preheat the oven to 325°F while the ribs are boiling.

Combine ribs, peppercorns, garlic, bay leaves, onion, salt and enough cold water to cover ribs in a large stockpot. Bring to a high boil, then lower the heat so that the water is barely bubbling, as boiling too vigorously will batter the meat.

Cover and simmer for 1 hour, adding more water as necessary to keep ribs submerged. The ribs are cooked when a fork can be inserted into the thickest part of the meat without any resistance, just as it would go into a cooked chicken thigh.

If the meat seems a little tough, simmer 10 minutes longer, then check again.

Drain ribs; pat very dry with paper towels to help the BBQ sauce stick. Lay ribs in prepared pan.

Make the rub: If using, combine brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Coat ribs with rub, pressing to adhere.

Set aside. The rub isn’t necessary, but gives the ribs a sweet & savory crust and helps the BBQ sauce to stick.

Apply the BBQ sauce in three stages while baking. By baking in stages, the BBQ sauce dries down and lacquers over the meat.

If all of the sauce is added before baking, it’s more of a smear.

Preparation can be made ahead of time by boiling and then refrigerating ribs (see tip below).

Place ribs, meaty side up, in a large, lightly greased baking sheet. Cover ribs with about 1/2 cup barbecue sauce.

Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and spread another 1/2 cup of barbecue sauce on ribs.

Bake another 20 minutes so the first application of barbecue sauce will dry and caramelize a bit and the second application of barbecue sauce will darken. Remove from oven and spread on final 1/2 cup of barbecue sauce.

Bake another 10 minutes.

If you like a caramelized, sticky finish on ribs, then after the ribs have been out of the oven, you may broil ribs for 2-3 minutes, checking often. Remove from oven when the high spots of ribs begin to have dark spots.

Ribs can easily go from looking perfect to burnt in less than 60 seconds in the broiler, so keep a close eye.

Meat should be cooked through and start to pull away from ends of bones, pulling back about 1/2 inch when done. Sauce should be very dark and shiny.

Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes before removing from pan, cutting into individual ribs, and serving. Serve with additional barbecue sauce on the side.

Storage and Make-Ahead Tips

Tips for storing cooked ribs: Cooked ribs may be stored in refrigerator for up to 4 days. It is best to keep the ribs intact as this will keep the meat from drying out.

To reheat, wrap rack(s) tightly in foil and bake at 300°F for 15 minutes. Cut and serve.

Cooked ribs may be stored in freezer for up to 3 months. Wrap tightly in foil and store in freezer bag.

To serve, remove from freezer, unwrap, and follow directions above for reheating ribs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will boiling the ribs take away flavor?

If ribs are boiled, flavor will indeed seep out of ribs and into cooking liquid. To combat this, season the boiling water with salt, garlic, onion, peppercorns, etc.

If making ahead of time, boil the day before. Drain and allow to cool before storing in refrigerator.

Take out of refrigerator on the day you plan to bake and continue recipe.

Boiling guarantees tender ribs. There’s no sitting by the oven waiting for those suckers to cook.

Add some BBQ sauce in the second phase and any lost flavor will be replaced. Boiling also reduces baking time almost half.

What is the best way to cook ribs?

If you insist on not boiling your ribs, plan on 3 hours in a reliable 275°F oven. Cover tightly with foil for the first 2-1/2 hours then uncover, add the sauce, and bake another half-hour.

This method requires patience and faith. Faith in your oven that it’s the right temperature.

Patience to sit around while they bake.

After boiling, the membrane is much softer and can be removed much easier. Cover one hand with a paper towel for traction.

With the other, insert a butter knife under the membrane. Work the knife all the way to the other end lifting the membrane as you go.

Then just pull. Removing the membrane makes it easier to eat, allows the underside of the meat to be coated with BBQ sauce and allows the seasonings to penetrate the meat during baking.

What kind of BBQ sauce is good?

Depends on personal preference. You can never go wrong with a supermarket staple like Sweet Baby Ray’s or take it up a notch with Stubb’s.

If you have the time, nothing compares to a good homemade BBQ sauce. Choose one you like, whether sweet, tangy, smoky, or spicy.

How will I know when the ribs are done?

The meat should shrink back 1/2-inch on the ends of the bones and be coated with a dark, sticky BBQ sauce. To be sure, insert a fork in the thickest part of the meat.

If it goes in easily the ribs are ready for a couple of minutes on the grill. If you encounter significant resistance when pressing down with the fork, give them a little more time.

More Recipes You’ll Love:

Slow cooker pork roast – Make pulled pork in a sweet and savory braising sauce that’ll have you wondering what smoking secrets are hiding in this recipe.

Crock Pot French Dip Sandwiches – These sandwiches with perfectly cooked beef are the best. Chuck roast cooked in a crock pot then piled onto hoagie rolls with provolone cheese and au jus.