Cooking these slow-roasted baby back ribs in the oven, or on the outdoor BBQ, you can achieve maximum flavor with minimum ingredients that will ensure great meaty flavor, and quality tenderness.
As much as I enjoy eating pork ribs, I never order them in restaurants. Ever. I just can't seem to bring out my cannibal cave-woman side in public.
At home, however, all bets are off, and you can find me gnawing on the bones of these delicious oven barbeque ribs with the best of them.
**Please Note - The printable recipe card with detailed instructions, complete ingredient measurements, and nutritional information for making easy bbq baby back ribs is available at the end of this post. OR you can hit the "jump to recipe" button (found above) to be taken directly to the recipe.
The ingredient list:
**Note - The following lists of ingredients plus kitchen tools and equipment contain affiliate links (highlighted in blue) for your consideration and shopping convenience. #CommissionsEarned
Kitchen tools and equipment needed:
- Baking Sheet
- Aluminum Foil (optional, for easier cleanup)
- Paper Towels
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Basting Brush
- Meat Cleaver (optional, but fun for serving)
- Cutting Board
- Meat Thermometer
Visit Snake River Farms for quality family-owned, humanely raised, and sustainably focused meats.
What makes this pork rib recipe special?
Whenever I see baby back ribs for sale in the market, I make sure to buy a few slabs to keep on hand in the freezer for when our desire for sweet and smoky pork ribs hits.
What makes this recipe so special is that it takes only a small handful of ingredients, and doesn't require a store-bought sauce BBQ sauce that has tons of sugar and preservatives.
How long will it take to oven roast these baby back ribs in the oven from start to finish?
With 30 minutes of marinating time (with the vinegar) and 4½ hours of slow roasting oven time, this recipe will take 5 hours from start to dinner.
Please plan accordingly.
How to cook easy baby back pork ribs in the oven:
- Use a paper towel and paring knife to remove as much of the silver skin from the back of the ribs as possible.
- The key to keeping these ribs moist and tangy is by liberally brushing them with apple cider vinegar before roasting. Allowing the ribs to sit approximately 30 before roasting allows the vinegar to permeate the meat making it tender and tasty.
- Once the ribs have had a chance to sit with the vinegar, it's time to season them with salt, pepper, and garlic powder before sliding them into a low, 300-degree oven to roast for 2½ hours.
- After the initial roast, sprinkle the ribs generously with smoked paprika and return them to the oven to cook for an additional 1½ hours.
- Just wait until you smell these Oven Roasted Baby Back Ribs cooking. You'll go crazy! But hold on because they get even better!
- Upon removing the ribs from their second roasting in the oven, spread them liberally with tomato paste (yep, you read that right), and sprinkle them lightly with brown sugar.
- That's it!! Crazy, right?
- Return the ribs back into the oven for 20 minutes at 375 degrees, which will caramelize the brown sugar just the right amount, making the ribs sticky, and messy. Just the way baby back ribs are supposed to be!
What is the silverskin on ribs and does it need to be removed?
The silverskin is found on the backside of the baby back ribs, and other various large cuts of meat.
It's a very thin layer of a see-through membrane which, if left on the ribs can make them tough and chewy because it will not breakdown (or melt) during the cooking process.
Eating the silverskin is not harmful in any way, however, it will only make noshing on these delicious ribs a little less enjoyable!
By removing the silverskin, the marinade and flavorings will better infuse the meat without the thin membrane impeding the process.
What is the easiest way to remove the silverskin?
I find it best to carefully pierce or slice a tiny hold through the thin whiteish membrane and then use a paper towel (because it can be slippery to remove) to peel the membrane from the back of the ribs and discard.
How do I cook these baby back pork ribs on the grill?
It may take a little longer on the grill because the temperature is usually a little less precise, but plan for approximately the same amount of cooking time as with the indoor oven.
- Once the apple cider vinegar has been allowed to sit on the ribs for 30 minutes, season them with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika.
- Take the ribs out to a preheated grill and place them on an oiled rack over medium heat, bone side down.
- Cover the grill and allow the ribs to cook (checking on them after 60 minutes or so).
- Flip the ribs, meat side down, after 90 minutes.
- Cover the grill again and continue cooking the ribs for an additional 30 minutes, checking occasionally for flair-ups.
- Remove the ribs from the grill, place them on a baking sheet covered with foil, and close the grill cover (to keep the heat inside).
- Return the ribs to the grill (baking sheet and all), and cook for an additional 90 minutes, or until the ribs reach an internal temperature of 190-degrees, and the meat has shrunk considerably away from the bones.
- Spread the top of the ribs evenly with the tomato paste, and brown sugar.
- Place the ribs back on the grill and cook for an additional 30 minutes.
- Allow the ribs to rest, covered, for 10-15 minutes before serving.
How to turn your outdoor grill into an outdoor oven:
- Cover one or two bricks with foil.
- When you're ready to cook, place the food onto a baking sheet or in a baking dish on top of the bricks.
- By doing so, you'll be cooking with indirect heat, turning the outside grill into an outside oven.
- I also like to cover the outside of the baking sheet or cooking vessel with foil to avoid scorching of the pan.
- Continue cooking as you would in an inside oven.
- You can even bake outside with this method and keep the heat out of the kitchen in the hot summer months.
How to turn an outdoor grill into an outdoor smoker:
- On a large sheet of foil, add approximately 1½ cups of dry wood chips (your favorite variety), and ¾'s cup wood chips that have been soaked in water (or juice for extra flavor) for at least 30 minutes, and drained.
- Wrap the wood chips in the foil to make a package and then use a large meat fork to poke holes into the foil package. The more holes, the more smoke.
- Depending on what you're cooking and for how long, you may need to replace the wood chip smoker packet every 90-120 minutes, or as needed.
- When opening and closing the grill cover, do so quickly as to keep as much smoke inside as possible.
What is the proper internal temperature for baby back ribs?
145-degrees Fahrenheit on an instant-read thermometer.
The delicious results:
Once you smell these ribs cooking, you're going to think you've died and gone to hog heaven.
So you'd better be careful or you'll make a complete pig (pork rib humor) out of yourself. 😉
Additional delicious pork recipes:
- Lime Marinated Mexican Pork Tacos (pictured below) from (yours truly) Kudos Kitchen
"Taco Tuesday just got an upgrade! These Lime Marinated Mexican Pork Tenderloin Tacos don’t take much longer to make than a standard ground beef taco, but the flavor is far superior."
- Slow Cooker Cuban Pork from Belly Full
- Juicy Pork Burgers with Apricots and Grainy Mustard (pictured below) from (yours truly) Kudos Kitchen
"This low carb recipe for Juicy Pork Burgers with Dried Apricots & Grainy Mustard comes together in a snap and with only FOUR ingredients! By all means, if you want to add a bun, go for it!! The flavors in this burger are exceptional, with or without the extra carbs."
- Stuffed Pork Tenderloin with Cream Cheese and Jalapenos from Cooking with Mamma C
- Garlic Lovers Pork Chops (pictured below) from (yours truly) Kudos Kitchen
"Garlic Lovers Pork Chops have a mildly sweet and fragrant garlic flavor that doesn’t overpower or overwhelm the taste buds. Trust me when I tell you that they will be some of the best pork chops you’ve ever eaten!"
- Creamy Apricot Pork Chops from House of Nash Eats
- Easy BBQ Baby Back Ribs (pictured below) This is the place!!
Below is the printable recipe card along with the exact ingredient measurements and nutritional information for making today's easy pork rib recipe.
If you've made this recipe, or are excited to make this recipe, I'd appreciate it if you'd take a moment to leave it a star rating in the recipe card, along with a comment if you're so inclined. Thank you. 🙂
Slow Roasted Baby Back Ribs (Oven and Grill Method)
Ingredients
- 2 slabs baby back ribs silver skin removed (OR scored through between the bones)
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 4 tablespoons tomato paste
- 4 tablespoon brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300-degrees.
- Prepare the ribs by removing the silver skin or scoring it between the bones on the underside of the ribs.
- Place the ribs on a baking sheet and liberally brush the apple cider vinegar over both sides of the ribs.
- Allow the ribs to sit for at least 30 minutes with the vinegar.
- Season the ribs with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Place the ribs to the oven to cook for 2½ hours at 300 degrees.
- Remove the ribs from the oven and sprinkle with the smoked paprika.
- Return the ribs to the oven and roast for an additional 1½ hours.
- Remove the ribs from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 375 degrees.
- Slather the tops of the ribs with the tomato paste and sprinkle with brown sugar.
- Return the ribs to the oven and roast for an additional 20 minutes, or until the ribs reach an internal temperature of 190-degrees on a meat thermometer and the brown sugar is caramelized and sticky.
Allow the ribs to sit covered for 10-15 minutes before serving.
- Serve and enjoy!!
Video
Notes
- Once the ribs have had a chance to sit for 30 minutes with the apple cider vinegar, season them on both sides with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika.
- Place the ribs on an oiled grill rack, bone side down, and cover.
- Cook for 60 minutes, checking on them occasionally for flair-ups.
- Flip the ribs to meaty side down and cook an additional 40-50 minutes, covered, but check occasionally for flair-ups.
- Remove the ribs from the grill (making sure to keep the lid closed after the ribs have been removed to retain the heat), and place the ribs on a baking sheet that has been lined with foil to cover (top and bottom).
- Spread the meaty side of the ribs evenly with the tomato paste and brown sugar.
- Return the ribs to the grill (baking sheet included) and continue to cook for an additional 40-50 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 145-degrees on an instant-read meat thermometer, or when the meat has noticeably pulled away from the bones, and the ribs are deeply caramelized.
- Remove the ribs from the grill, cover with foil, and allow to sit for 10-15 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
I sincerely hope you've enjoyed this super simple BBQ recipe for easy baby back pork ribs as much as I've enjoyed bringing it to you!
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Mary Krenn says
I cook Alot! Being married to a meatcutter it is kinda a prerequsite. I have tried many many rib recipes-looking for that fabulous one. I believe I have found it. I have made these now 5 times, each time they turned out delicious. I did back down the temp-my oven runs hot-to 275'. And since my husband isn't a big fan of tomato paste I mix in BBQ sauce with the paste and brown sugar. These are the best ribs . Thank you for sharing.
Renée says
Thanks so much, Mary!! I appreciate your comment more than you'll know and I love that you've made this recipe so many times. That's AWESOME!!
I'm also glad you've been able to tailor it to your husband's preferences.
I hope you have a fantastic day!
Renee
Barbara Morando says
Hi! The ribs turned out beautifully from my oven! Thank you for the recipe!!
Renée says
My pleasure.
Thanks for letting me know, Barbara!
Take good care,
Renee
Danielle says
@Renée,
Can you substitute a different vinegar?
Renée says
Sure thing. Any vinegar will work. I probably need to add this info to the post.
I always have apple cider vinegar on hand which is why I wrote the recipe that way.
By all means, use what you have.
Thanks for the question, Danielle. Enjoy the ribs!
Renee
Erin says
I’m not coming here to be mean, just help someone looking at this in the future.
I made this recipe today, and set aside time so I would not neglect the cooking time. I was skeptical at the instruction to cook at 300 degrees for the bulk of the cook and then even higher at the end, especially for so long. I cook a lot and it seemed strange to me.
I still followed the recipe out of trust and, before so did the last roast at the higher temp, checked my temperature. It was already reaching 200 degrees or more and wasn’t even supposed to be done yet.
I let them rest and cut them up and they were chewy and really not great. I’m just disappointed.
Renée says
Hi, Erin.
I appreciate your kindness, but I'm very sorry you were disappointed in this recipe.
I've made these ribs more than a dozen times and they've always come out great.
That said, I'm sad that you didn't have a good experience. I'll look over my recipe and make changes to it
if I feel it's necessary.
Thank you for your feedback. I want everyone to be successful when cooking my recipes.
Take good care,
Renee
Melissa schmitt says
My husband always parboil ribs then we add a run the cook on the bbq. We are gourmet cooks. We tried this recipe on a snowy day. Followed it to a t. Ribs were hard as a rock ! We three them away! Awful! We have a brand new Bosch convection oven so it wasn’t the oven
Renée says
This recipe was not written using a convection oven, and nowhere in the recipe does it claim to be written for one. IF you and your husband are gourmet cooks as you claim to be, then you’d know that convection ovens cook faster and hotter than regular ovens and you would have made the necessary adjustments per your knowledge of cooking. No, your oven is fine but you need to understand how to use it before you claim my recipe is awful!
Have a wonderful night ☺️
Erin says
I’m so confused about where I went wrong with these. I followed the recipe to a *t* and they came out awful, burnt to a crisp, and dry. Did anyone else have this issue? These were awful. I wouldn’t feed them to my dog.
Renée says
Hey, Erin!
I'm not sure what you did wrong either, but obviously something did.
I'm gonna bet you had the heat up too high to begin with, either that or your oven is badly calibrated.
In answer to your question, I've never had anyone else complain about this problem.
Sorry that happened to you.
Take good care,
Renee
Sue says
Your directions in the written section don't match your directions on the recipe card. One says to add the paprika with the other seasonings and the other says to roast first then take it out after some time and then sprinkle with the paprika followed by more roasting time. Then the written part in the top of your blog says the initial roast is 2.5 hours. On the "recipe card" it's 3.5 hours. Can you please clarify? Thank you!
Renée says
Hi, Sue!
You are 100% correct, and I am sorry. I've gone in and fixed the recipe.
Although the two directions were at odds with each other, they both would have worked without a problem.
To that note, I can understand why it would be confusing and I apologize again.
Add the smoked paprika after the first roast and return the ribs to the oven again before adding the tomato paste and brown sugar.
The first roast is 2½ hours, and after the addition of the smoked paprika roast again for another 1½ hours.
Once the tomato paste and brown sugar have been added, slide the ribs back into the oven, this time at an increased heat, and roast for an additional 30-40 minutes.
Thank you for bringing this error to my attention.
I do hope you'll enjoy this recipe. I make them all the time. We just love them!
Take good care,
Renee
Shellie says
Question you said vinegar divided and then later salt, pepper and garlic powder divided. Why? I don’t see that they are used later in the recipe by themselves so why do they need to be divided?
Thanks, Shellie
Renée says
Hi, Shellie!
Yes, I can see that I wrote that in a confusing way.
What I meant was divided between the two slabs of ribs, but I didn't carry that premise through with the other ingredients. My bad.
I've since deleted the word "divided" on those particular ingredients.
Thank you for questioning my reasoning and correcting the error on my part. I appreciate it.
Take good care,
Renee
Colleen says
I made it in the oven... And omg!!!!! It was amazing and the meat fell off the bone!! It was A big hit!!! Thank you....
Renée says
Awesome, Colleen!
Thanks for letting me know!
🙂
Be well,
Renee
Colleen Eichmann says
I pinned This recipe a while ago....i had hesitation, because i have Never mad ribs in the oven without wrapping them in foil. Well, that was before today...i just Pulled them out of the oven, and they are Incredible!! I will ONLY use this recipe from now on. If you pull on a bone, they come out perfectly clean in your fingers, juicy, and full of flavor! I also appreciate the simplistic flavor. Not a lot of spices used in the rub....no BBQ sauce...you could add your own favorite sauce after if you want. I just Don’t need it. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Renée says
Hi, Colleen!
This is the very best comment you could have left for me. I love that you tried the recipe even though you were skeptical, and in the end, the ribs won you over!
A.W.E.S.O.M.E!!
Thank you so much for the lovely comment and 5-star rating! I really appreciate it!
Take good care, and please come back for more tasty recipes now that you know where to find me! 🙂
Renee
Sandy says
Hi there! I plan to try these today! One question though....do you cover these ribs when in the oven or just leave uncovered? Thanks!!
Renée says
Hi, Sandy!
I don't cover them at all. However, after you add the brown sugar, if you notice that the sugar is burning as opposed to caramelizing, you'll want to cover them with foil at that point. I've never had to do it, but it may be an option you'll decide to try if needed.
Enjoy the recipe and take care!
Renee
Rhonda says
In the directions what happens between step 6 and step 7
Renée says
Hi, Rhonda. Sorry about that editing error. I've since fixed the instructions accordingly. Thanks for alerting me to the problem.
Renee
Nellie Tracy says
This recipe is absolutely amazing!! My family devours them every time!
Jessica Formicola says
We made these for dinner last night and they were incredible! We won't make ribs any other way!
Katie says
Made this for my family and it was a hit! So good!
Nellie Tracy says
These are so tasty! My family absolutely loves them!
Pauline says
Hi we are having company tonight and I am using your rib recipe. My only concern is that 300 degrees for almost 5 hours seems like too high a temperature for slow and low. Would it work at 250?
Renée says
Hello, Pauline!
Glad you're making these ribs. You'll love them.
You can lower the oven temperature to 250 if you'd like and then check the ribs after the 5 hours to see if they're cooked through.
I've always done them on 300, but if you think 250 is a better option the only thing I can suggest is that you try it.
If you're worried that the ribs will be dry after 5 hours on 300, you needn't be.
The apple cider vinegar "marinade" keeps the ribs moist and unbelievably tender.
I'd love to hear how this recipe works for you. Please let me know what you decided to do, and if you love them as much as we do.
Thanks for your question.
Enjoy the ribs.
Renee
Stef says
Hah! I totally agree with you about eating ribs in public. At home, I gnaw them raw. 🙂
I've always left the rib making to my husband, but after reading this, I may make some on my own and surprise him!
Renée says
I know your husband will appreciate the surprise! Enjoy 🙂
Tayler Ross says
My family has been requesting ribs, so I will definitely be making these soon!
Renée says
Your family will be very happy with these, Tayler! Enjoy!
Suzy says
Oh I can just imagine the flavor!
Renée says
They're just as delicious as you'd imagine! Thanks.
Kim Beaulieu says
I flipping love ribs. These look absolutely amazing. I could eat these all the live long day. Nothing beats slow roasted ribs.
Paula - bell'alimento says
I could eat an entire rack of these ribs right about now !
Nutmeg Nanny says
Holy moly! These ribs looks beyond delicious. I wish I had a few right now for a midnight snack.
Aly ~ Cooking In Stilettos says
I never eat ribs in restaurants but at home - all bets are off. These ribs would be perfect for game day and I can't get over the simplicity of the sauce - perfection!
Michelle | A Dish of Daily Life says
I never order them in restaurants either but we make them at home a lot in the summer time. Can't wait to try your recipe! They look so good!
eat good 4 life says
These look so juicy and tender. My husband would love to get his hands of these. Maybe I can make some soon. I will keep your recipe in mind because it looks great!
Laura | Petite Allergy Treats says
Ribs are such great comfort food! And real women eat meat!
Becky Hardin | The Cookie Rookie says
Love Ribs don't eat them out alot. Great recipe!!
Heather | All Roads Lead to the Kitchen says
I'm happy to show my cave woman anywhere...especially if these were around. Love the Apple cider vinegar tip, very cool - I will definitely try that next time.
Lauren Kelly Nutrition says
My middle son was just asking me to make ribs! Your timing is perfect!
Angie | Big Bear's Wife says
I don't remember the last time I made ribs at home. I'm saving this recipe because Thomas (and my mom) love ribs and I can't believe that I haven't made them for them in forever!I wish that we still had our deep freezer so that I could buy them up and store them! They look perfect!
Ashley @ Wishes and Dishes says
I prefer eating ribs at home, as well! That way I don't totally embarrass myself with the mess I make. Can't wait to give these a whirl!
Shelley @ Two Healthy Kitchens says
Haha - love the cannibal cave-woman comment! I feel the same way about corn on the cob, too - just not something that's meant for public viewing! My dad loves ribs (and somehow manages to eat them gracefully in public!), and he would just adore me for making these for him! Thanks for the great recipe!
Liz says
Thanks Renee for the nice recipe.