🍖 Oven-Baked BBQ Ribs
Tender, juicy, and sticky-sweet with that slow-baked magic.
Ingredients
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2 racks pork ribs (baby back or spare ribs)
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2 tbsp olive oil
Dry Rub
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2 tsp paprika
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2 tsp brown sugar
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1 tsp salt
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1 tsp black pepper
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1 tsp garlic powder
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1 tsp onion powder
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½ tsp chili powder
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½ tsp cayenne (optional)
For Baking
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½ cup apple juice or chicken broth
BBQ Finish
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1½ cups BBQ sauce (sweet or smoky)
How to Make Them
1. Prep the ribs
Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C).
Remove the membrane from the back of the ribs (huge tenderness upgrade).
Rub ribs with olive oil, then coat generously with the dry rub.
2. Wrap & bake low and slow
Place ribs on foil-lined baking sheet.
Pour apple juice/broth around (not over) the ribs.
Cover tightly with foil and bake for 2½–3 hours, until ribs are very tender.
3. Sauce & caramelize
Remove ribs from oven. Increase heat to 425°F (220°C).
Uncover ribs and brush generously with BBQ sauce.
Return to oven 15–20 minutes, uncovered, until sauce is thick and sticky.
(Brush once more halfway if you’re extra like that 😄)
4. Rest & serve
Let ribs rest 10 minutes, slice, and dig in.
Pro Tips
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Baby backs = more tender, quicker cook
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Spare ribs = meatier, deeper flavor
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Want them extra fall-apart? Bake closer to 3 hours
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Finish under the broiler 2–3 minutes for charred edges (watch closely!)
Perfect Sides
Mac & cheese • baked beans • coleslaw • cornbread • potato salad