Slow Roasted Baby Back Ribs

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. 

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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

• Baby Back Ribs
• Apple Cider Vinegar
• Tomato Paste
• Smoked Paprika
• Brown Sugar
• Garlic Powder
• Salt and Pepper

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

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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 30-40 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.

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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 3/4’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.

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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!!

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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. 🙂

Thank you so much for visiting me here today in my Kudos Kitchen!

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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Until we eat again, I hope you have a delicious day!

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