Just in time for summer and the 4th of July, I have your new favorite summer BBQ recipe -- Sweet + Spicy Oven Baked Ribs.
Why? You bake these in the oven and then finish them on the grill. You truly can't mess these up.
They are best if you let them rest in the fridge for at least 2 hours, but preferably overnight or even for day or two. Which means... Wait for it... You can cook them 95% of the way before guests even arrive.
The ribs are just 6 ingredients + your favorite BBQ sauce! They are so easy. Anyone can make them, I promise.
Let's Make These Oven Baked Ribs
Start by doubling up two sheets of Heavy Duty Aluminum Foil on a baking sheet. Remove ribs from packaging and pat dry. Place ribs on foil.
Evenly coat the first side with 1/2 of all the spices and sugar below. Press the sugar and spices down into the meat. Gently flip the rack of ribs over and sprinkle the other side with the remaining spices + sugar. Press sugar + spices into this side.
Place two more sheets of aluminum foil over the top of the ribs. Crimp edges of foil all the way around the ribs to make a tight foil packet.
Time to cook!
- Bake the Ribs at 275 degrees for 3 hours in a single layer on a baking sheet.
- Remove from oven after 3 hours. Allow to rest at room temperature until the baking sheet has cooled.
3. Place ribs (I put the entire sheet pan) in the fridge for at least 3 hours, but preferably over night.
4. Remove ribs from fridge when ready to serve. Preheat grill to medium-high. Take ribs out of foil packet and place the entire rack straight on a hot grill.
5. Coat first side with your BBQ sauce of choice. Grill each side for 5 minutes, or until heated through. Coat second side with BBQ sauce after flipping.
Making these ribs for a crowd?
It is incredibly easy to make these in bulk -- you could fit probably 6 racks of ribs in an oven depending on the size of your sheet pans (get the full size sheet pans if you plan to do that). Cook the ribs in a single layer, but can squish multiple packages of ribs on a single sheet tray.
Take the ribs out as needed. It is so easy to grill these in batches right before serving to make sure that there are always fresh ribs on the buffet all night long.
I hope you'll love these ribs! They are:
Fall-off-the-bone tender
Sweet + Spicy
Easy to make ahead
Flavorful
Great for a Crowd
& Finger-licking good.
Some perfect side dishes for these oven baked ribs?
- Citrus Potato Salad [Recipe up next!]
- Corn Bread [Recipe coming ASAP]
- A giant green salad
What would you serve? Drop your ideas below in the comments!
If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #eternalhostess on Instagram. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 2 rack pork baby back ribs
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt (coarse)
- 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons paprika
- 2 tablespoons dried mustard
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 cup barbecue sauce (use your favorite)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 275ºF.
- Lay out two sheets of foil slightly overlapping on a baking sheet.
- Rinse off the ribs and pat dry. Place the ribs ontop of the foil on the baking sheet. Liberally coat the ribs with the kosher salt, pepper and the paprika. Pack on the cup of brown sugar.
- Sprinkle 1/2 of the brown sugar, paprika, dry mustard, kosher salt, and pepper on top of the first side of the ribs. Press down on the brown sugar + spices to compact it all on top of the ribs.
- Flip the ribs over on top of the foil. Sprinkle the other half of the brown sugar, paprika, dry mustard, kosher salt and pepper. Press the spices into the ribs.
- Add two more layers of foil on top of the ribs. Fold the foil into a tight packet around the ribs.
- Remove tray from the oven. Let sit for one hour. Do not open the pouch during this hour.
To Cook Later
- Refrigerate the entire packet of ribs (no need to open) for up to 48hours. Remove from fridge when ready to cook.
- Cook as below, except extend grill time to 8 minutes per side.
To Cook Now
- Heat the grill over high. Place the ribs on the grill. Cover side one in your favorite barbeque sauce. Cook for 5 minutes. Turn and coat side two with barbecue sauce. Grill 5 minutes, or until ribs are hot.
Tools
- Heavy Duty Foil
- Sheet Pan
Notes
- NO Grill?
-
- No problem! You can reheat the ribs in the oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove from foil packet and place directly on the baking sheet. Cover side one in your barbecue sauce of choice. Cook in the oven for 8 minutes (not refrigerated) or 10 minutes (were refrigerated).Â
- Flip the ribs and cover side two in barbecue sauce of choice. Cook for 8-10 minutes, or until ribs are heated through. Â
- If you want a crispier exterior, you can cook them an additional 5 minutes under the broiler.Â
- My Favorite BBQ Sauce is Sweet Baby Ray's.Â
- These are easy to transport to a summer potluck. Simply place the entire cookie sheet in a big box to ensure that if anything spills, it won't spill in the backseat of the car. Make sure there is a grill to reheat quickly.Â
