Tender Babyback Ribs- in the oven!
Don’t miss a single post – Subscribe by e-mail (It’s FREE!)
I planned on having this post up this morning but got sidetracked by so many lines of tornadoes that I eventually just gave up and took shelter with the kids. We’re currently in between a few lines and have a little bit of calm before the weather kicks up again and I got to thinking about how awful it would be if I died and never got to give you this recipe – yes, I really do think like that.
In fact, I need to live a few more decades at least so I can have time to bring you all of the recipes I want to share. I’m always worried about feeding people.
My mother is especially used to this when it comes to me. A few hours ago during the middle of a major tornado we exchanged the following text messages:
Mama: Funnel cloud a mile from your house.
Me: We’re in office. Kids under desks eating their packed lunches.
Mama: Only you would pack lunches for tornadoes…lol
~shrugs~ Well they didn’t go hungry now did they? ~winks and grins~
Okay so I wanted you to have this recipe in case I up and die in a tornado today or later this evening. If I do, feel free to make ribs in my honor. Don’t worry about coming to my funeral or anything, I won’t be there anyway. In the meantime, stay safe everyone and know that you are in my thoughts and prayers.
Bring on Da Ribs!
I’ve always loved ribs but growing up my Dad was the one who made them. He’d spend hours outside around a hot grill or smoker, basting and fussing with them until perfection was reached. They sure were good. But I’m on my own now and Daddy lives an hour away. When a rib craving hits I’m not about to stand over a hot grill for hours on end. Instead, I make them the easy way and am just as happy with the results.
Now there are countless ways to make ribs and there is never a shortage of folks to tell you that their way is the only right way to do things but the way I see it, your kitchen = your rules. So today I’m gonna show you how to cheat at ribs - No grill, no sweat, and fall off the bone juicy results.
To start with you just need some ribs and bbq sauce.
Look for ribs that say “back” in them, either babyback or pork loin back or something of the like. This is referring to where they come from and means they will have a lot more meat on them and less bone. Spare ribs have more bone and less meat.
You can use any bbq sauce you like so go with your personal favorites here.
I’m using some of my Old Number 5 bbq sauce. I developed that recipe myself so of course, it’s my favorite! (the recipe is one of the ones exclusive to my cookbook).
I canned a little over a dozen pints of it a few days ago to have on hand and you know why I’m showing you this picture, don’t you? That’s right! If my house blows down in the tornadoes, I want y’all to dig through the rubble and see if you can find any of this still intact. If you do, take it home and make ribs!
It’s so fun and easy to make your own bbq sauce and even can it. If you’ve never done this give it a shot sometime!
Now the trick is to remove that white membrane on the back of the ribs because that will help them be all nice and tender when they cook and when eatin’ time comes 
. The way I do this is slice into it with a sharp knife and then grab it and pull it off as best I can.
This is me removing a good bit of it.
There is still some left but at least I got the main layer off. Sometimes I have better luck than others but as long as you get the majority of it you’ll be fine.
Just think: Cave men made ribs. They can’t be that complex to prepare.
Now you’ll notice that I have the rack of ribs laying on a pan I’ve lined with foil, this is important because we are fixing to baste them and seal them up all nice and tight.
Baste both sides of them using half of your bbq sauce- we’ll use the other half after they cook a while.
There we go, all ready!
Now seal that up really well. Don’t be skimpy on the foil here!
Bake in a 300 degree oven for 2 hours.
Remove from oven and open foil.
Baste generously with the rest of your sauce on just the top.
Return to oven, leaving the foil opened like this, for another hour or until that sauce is nice and thick.
Oh goodness, this smells so good- Gotta love some sticky bones!
Enjoy!!
My husband, who normally does not care for ribs, ate three helpings of these!
And of course I’ll be bringing you the bean salad recipe soon.
More tornadoes are coming through so I’d better go see if I can dig up my pink sponge rollers and fluffy bathrobe in case any news crews show up later!
Ingredients
- 1 Rack Pork Back Ribs
- 1 Jar or Bottle BBQ Sauce
Instructions
- Using a knife, slice into the membrane on the back of the ribs (the white part) and use your hand to pull it off. Place entire rack of ribs in center of foil and brush with bbq sauce on both sides. Wrap well in foil to seal and place on baking sheet.
- Bake in 300 degree oven for two hours. Remove from oven and open foil. Baste top with remaining bbq sauce and place back in oven, with foil still open, for an hour, or until sauce is nice and thick.
Schema/Recipe SEO Data Markup by ZipList Recipe Pluginhttp://www.southernplate.com/2011/04/tender-babyback-ribs-in-the-oven.html
Ingredients
- 1 Rack Pork Back Ribs
- 1 Jar or Bottle BBQ Sauce
Instructions
- Using a knife, slice into the membrane on the back of the ribs (the white part) and use your hand to pull it off. Place entire rack of ribs in center of foil and brush with bbq sauce on both sides. Wrap well in foil to seal and place on baking sheet.
- Bake in 300 degree oven for two hours. Remove from oven and open foil. Baste top with remaining bbq sauce and place back in oven, with foil still open, for an hour, or until sauce is nice and thick.
Print This Recipe
So tell me in the comments section below, who does the grilling at your house?
Background and circumstance influence who you are,
but you are responsible for what you become.
Submitted by Louise. Submit your quote or read hundreds more by clicking here.
Related posts:
Posted by Christy Jordan
on Apr 27 2011. Filed under Main Course.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0.
You can leave a response or trackback to this entry
Hi Christy, I am going to make these for the 4th of July. My husband is smoking spare ribs and I m sure mine are going to be better. I’ll let you know who wins this contest!
These ribs were the best I’ve ever eaten. My husband wouldn’t admit that mine were better, but they WERE! (Men are sore losers!) anyway thank you so much for all you are doing and congratulations on your magazine column. I ordered a subscription.
This is how I’ve made baby back ribs for, literally, years. I cheat a little at the end though. I fire up the gas grill and throw them on there for about 10 minutes. That’s just long enough to get some nice grill marks on them and no one is the wiser that they were actually made in the oven. Another note …..I also make another variation of them by first basting them with Apple Jelly, close the foil and back for two hours. When I open the foil for the last hour of baking, I baste them with some type of honey barbeque, then on to the grill for the grill marks (shh). The flavor is nothing short of AMAZING. I hope you’ll try it sometime as it’s a nice variation since apple and pork go so well together !
I will have to try that!! Great idea and I love how you “cheat” on yours. No one would ever be the wiser!
Oh Christy…You just make me laugh when I need it most! I love your posts so much, Don’t ever go anywhere!!! Your recipe sounds wonderful. All except the part about cooking them in the oven for 2 hours! Girl…it is going to be 100 something today here in Texas. So I think I will just fire up the propane grill & slap them Baby Backs on there instead, on the top rack. Better the heat be outside than in.
Think I will serve them with some summer squash! YUMMY
I have always cooked my ribs this way. I use a dry rub on them and seal them up for two hours and then 15 minutes on the grill with sauce on them I love the flavor of BBQ ribs Just not the part of standing over a hot grill and sweating, ladies don’t sweat….
[...] Southern Plate offered an easier cooking method with the promise of tenderness. I laid the ribs on a large wooden cutting board and followed the directions on removing the white membrane (never knew that was the key!). Then I brushed on honey bbq sauce on both sides and wrapped the whole thing in foil. When the oven beeped at 300 degrees, I slid in the pan and let it slow-cook for 2 hours. [...]
This was great! No left-overs in sight.
I am so glad to hear that you enjoyed them Dave!! Thank you so much for letting me know.
best ribs ever – EVER but…there is no way to pull off that membrane. I spent 45 minutes and to pretty much failed at my attempts – I dont believe I will make them again. They were delicious just not worth the trouble !
I am now in the process of making your iced coffee brew. Glad I found this site
tell sheila she can use pliers used fo pulling skin off of fish.they are wide and do a great job.
Thank you soooooo very much for this recipe. I’m on my ow from my mommy’s cooking and my ribs taste better than hers Lol………. Don’t tell her!!!!!!!!!!!!
Congrads on your cook book waiting for mine to arrive in the mail
I hope you enjoy it!!! Let me know what you decide to cook first.
My lips are sealed!!
we did ribs this way last night! totally awesome…will never do them another eway again! so tender they fell off the bone! THANK YOU!
I am so glad to hear that you liked them Andrea!!!
This is how I cook my baby back ribs too!
Helpful hint…After lifting the membrane with a knife use a paper towel to grab it and pull it off!!
I made this a few months ago and I couldn’t find the recipe today when I went to start prepping for tonight’s dinner. I am so glad I found it again bc they were delish and I wouldn’t wanna risk making them any other way! Thanks so much!!!
Thanks a lot for your know how’s here! We had ribs made just like this for dinner yesterday. My husband did this and it turned out great!
I told my fiancé I wanted to make ribs for football Sunday, he wrinkled his nose, “There’s so little meat” I said “hush up, I’m making ribs.” I found this recipe and decided to push past our many failed attempts at tender ribs and make yours. I did everything to the letter, even the membrane came off fairly easily, except I did mix in 10 ounces of Coke into the sauce. I used pork loin backs instead of baby backs, and they were so meaty! They came out perfectly! Moist, tender, falling off the bone! Thank you for this recipe, now I have a viable rib recipe and another dinner option.
I am so glad you liked them Brittany!!! Have a Happy New Year!
Wow! I made these tonight for the first time and my family and I fell in love with them! My husband has tried to make ribs before out on the grill and they were ok…. these were fantastic! Thanks for the recipe and for the web site.. love it!
I am so glad to hear that you liked them Lisa!!!
Deliscious! Made ribs this way tonight. They were a big hit. My husband even said he thinks I out did myself this time. I loved em, fell right off the bone. Thank you so much. Highly recommended.
I am so glad to hear that they were a hit Tena!!! Thank you!!
I’ve made babyback ribs many times before, but today I’m trying your recipe. It sounds great. I new here, can’t wait to check out your website! Looks fun!
Welcome to Southern Plate Brenda!!! I am so glad you found me and hope you enjoy the recipes!!
I have these in the oven as we speak. I, too, had never heard of removing the membrane. I turned the rack over to remove the white layer and thought it wasn’t going to come off easily. I was about to give up when I noticed what looked like a cut all the way down the middle. I took my knife and lifted one side of the cut mark and the membrane raised fairly easily. I guessed the butcher scored the membrane for that purpose but, when I went to do my second rack, it wasn’t scored down the middle. I took my knife and slit it myself and, again the membrane came off pretty easily. So, now, I sit and wait for the oven to work its magic.
I hope you enjoy them Lisa!!
Yummy and sooooo easy. This is the second time I have tried your recipe. Love it! Sweet potatoes are baking on the side of the pan for the last hour. Thanks for the recipe, Christy.
I found your site today when I was looking for a way to cook ribs. I love to cook and I am loving your site. I have so many of your recipes I want to try. They all look amazing. Yes I’m one of those few guys that really enjoys to cook.
Welcome to Southern Plate Jason!!! I am so glad to hear that you are enjoying the recipes and can’t wait to hear what all you decide to try!!
I tried your recipe tonight…used a bunch of foil…sealed them up good. 300 degrees and into the oven at 3 so we could eat at 6….5 pm came to unwrap them…and the are no where near cooked. So I still did what you said..unwrapped and basted waited the hour….and still no where near fall off the bone. It took over 8 hours til they were fall off the bone. I had baby back ribs…took off the silver skin that was on the back…did everything you said to do. they are wonderful now…but why did mine take so long to cook compared to yours? Help!?!
I am so sorry, I would start by checking your oven temperature Stacy. There is no other reason that your ribs shouldn’t have been done that I can think of. You can get an oven thermometer at any grocery store for about $3. It will check the accuracy of yours so you will know how to adjust. All ovens loose their accuracy over time so I am hoping that was the issue.
That is easy enough. I have the spare ribs. It was given to me. I can still use it though right. Just need the bbq sauce.
I tried this recipe when I first saw it several months ago. Christy, they came out absolutely perfect, and I don’t usually serve very many “really good” dishes.
I just wanted to mention that when I tackle that darn membrane, I use a dish towel to hold it and it works wonders for the “grip” you can get on it. Thank you for your recipes, but mostly for your wonderful spirit, and pls stay safe during those storms.
Christy
I do about the same. BUT I brine mine using 1/2 Cup salt , 1/2 Cup brown sugar
1/4 Cup liquid smoke and 1 gal water i put ribs and marinade in zip lock then place in fridg. for 4 hrs take out wrench off and pat dry then follow your instructions .
“COLONEL” DAVE LIL’ RED BARN BAR-B-Q.
One tip to make your rib-cook’in life easier. When removing the white membrane off the back of the ribs, try this. I don’t know why it works, but it sure does.
Start to loosen the membrane with a thin knife at one edge, then simply grab the membrane with a paper towel and begin pulling, and rolling it up as you go. It comes off so easy you will be amazed.
Thank you for sharing this tip Russ!!!
OK Christy…it’s Super Bowl Sunday and I’m gonna do it your way! After reading the other comments, my mouth is already watering. More later!
I hope you enjoy Mike!!!
I made the ribs for the Super Bowl supper tonight and they were wonderful. Thanks, Christy, for the recipe.
I am so glad to hear that you liked them Dorothy!!
I too made them for Super Bowl sunday ( huge 49er fan ) The ribs turned out better than I have EVER eaten anywhere. Thank you so much.
Oh my goodness, I am so glad to hear that you liked them so well!!
What if I want to cook 2 racks?? Would I increase the amount of time they are in the oven??
Do you have to cook the ribs upside down Like they are in your picture bc just put mine in the oven and I didn’t do that
Should I go flip them now
Well, it is a little too late for an answer, but that is just the way they were in the oven this particular time. I just throw them in there.
I looked for a way to cook ribs in the oven. Found your site. I struggled at first, w/the membrane removal, but lo and behold I” did it”. I had aleays seen and heard this should be done but I thought too much trouble. It really wasn’t. As we speak my ribs are in the oven. Just as your recipe says. My oven is electric (I hate it). (I moved to VA from NJ) I am used to gas cooking. I pray they turn out OK. I’ll let you know how they turn out. Any tips on electric range cooking? Top and oven. Thanks again.
I can’t wait to hear what you think Lil!
Wow! I’m new to this site and have fallen in love! Congratulations on your success! I’m trying this recipe for back ribs tonight, I’ve never cooked ribs before because of the grilling hassle but am so excited to try this oven recipe! I’m cooking 2 racks as I’m feeding a family of 5, do I need to increase temperature or cooking time?
Thanks, Dawn
Well I’m so glad you are here!!!! I hope y’all love these. They should still cook in the same amount of time at the same temp, maybe add ten minutes, tops. I grew up in a family of five and when I read your comment my heart just smiled
I made these for dinner tonight….I put my rub on it last night and let it work it’s magic all night and day and I cooked them for 3 1/2 hours and put Stubbs BBQ sauce on it and it turned out just like the ones I had in Texas! They were so juicy and the spices and BBQ sauce went very well together! They were finger lickin good!
I’m still laughing at myself. First of all, I have never removed the membrane! That was a new challenge. I realized I was going to far when the meat came with it. An easy fix…just push it back. The paper towel trick definitely helped a lot. It’s in the oven and is already smelling awesome. Thanks for this wonderful recipe and site. I’ll let you know how they come out..Cindy
I have been a slave of the grill and or smoker for years, but watching travel channel today gave my wife and I a hankerin for some ribs. Since we have a snow storm coming in tonight I’m not gonna feel like running in and out all day tomorrow so I’m gonna give yours a shot. They sound delicious, but I do plan on putting a rub on overnight and then cooking them your way, maybe add a little liquid smoke to keep them moist and then finish on the grill with the BBQ sauce. I will let you know how they turn as I always give credit where it’s due.
My wife and I made these together 2 days ago and they were so good we are making them again today! Thank you so much and we can’t wait to try your other recipes.
Thank you so much Alex, I am so glad to hear that you liked them!!
Awesome!!! Now I can make the best ribs I’ve ever had in my own kitchen!!! They are delicious ~ I’ve made them about 5 times now and realized I needed to say Thank You!!
Oh WOW! I am so glad to hear you are enjoying the recipe!! Thanks for letting me know!
MOUTHWATERING!!! This recipe was absouetly delicious! The best tasting, fall of the bone, tender & juicy ribs ever! My family said no need to order ribs in a restuarant again… Mom your the best cook ever, well my heart was smiling big!!! We have cooked these ribs several times since and have made them a regular in our home! Thanks Christy for these amazing, mouthwatering recipes. I just love your website and reading your recipes filled with love and humor!!! I apologize it took me 2 months to share my succesful outcome, but as with everyone life happens…
I strongly encourage everyone to try this amazing recipe!!!
Thanks again Christy for bringing family back to the table and these amazing recipe’s, happy cooking y’all!!!