These are the best Oven Baked Pork Ribs with BBQ Sauce! Meaty pork back ribs are lacquered in a zesty BBQ sauce and cooked low and slow in the oven until they are fall off the bone tender. Perfect for game day parties, Father’s Day or just a family weeknight meal!
My signature homemade barbecue sauce that coats these pork ribs is the star of the show. It’s thick and rich with the perfect flavour combo, a little tang, some sweetness and just the right amount of spice. It seriously takes these ribs over the top.
This braising method of baking pork back ribs low and slow in the oven guarantees the meat will literally fall of the bone and stay juicy, moist and tender. While they hang out in the oven, you can forget about them and go off and do other things. You can even make them early in the day and reheat them when ready to eat. It couldn’t be easier to make these flavourful, crowd-pleasing ribs!
Super Bowl is the biggest game of the season and BBQ spare ribs are a must to feed your hungry fans. Win big with your game day guests and enjoy these mouth-watering oven ribs at your next football party. But be warned, these sticky ribs are undeniably delicious, saucy and messy. You and everyone will be licking their fingers so it will be necessary to have bibs and lots of napkins on hand!
Ingredients Needed to Make Oven Baked Pork Ribs with BBQ Sauce
- Pork Back Ribs – Use pork back ribs (also called baby back ribs). Pork side ribs would work too but are much fattier and less meaty so they aren’t my ideal choice.
- Chili sauce or tomato ketchup – The tomato base of the barbecue sauce and you can use either one for equally delicious results. I used Heinz chili sauce.
- Brown sugar, apple cider vinegar – The ingredients needed to sweeten and add tang to the homemade barbecue sauce.
- Worcestershire sauce – Adds a distinctive umami flavour to the barbecue sauce.
- Mustard powder, salt, pepper, chili powder – Seasonings for the barbecue sauce.
- Onion, garlic – Aromatics in the barbecue sauce, finely mincing the onion and garlic helps it disintegrate and thicken the sauce as it cooks.
- Red chili peppers and green onions – Optional, but used to garnish the finished ribs and add some colour.
How to Make Oven Baked Pork Ribs with BBQ Sauce
Follow these easy step-by-step instructions and photo tutorial for the most incredibly juicy and tender pork ribs:
- Cut each rack of ribs in half and arrange them in a deep rimmed baking pan.
- Into a medium bowl, add the barbecue sauce ingredients, chili sauce (or ketchup), brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard powder, salt, pepper, chili powder, onion and garlic.
- Whisk the barbecue sauce base ingredients together until well combined.
- Pour the barbecue sauce base over the ribs in the pan ensuring all sides are coated with the barbecue sauce.
- Cover the pan tightly with foil wrap.
- Roast in 300 degrees F oven for 2 ½ hours then remove foil cover. Baste the ribs with the barbecue sauce and drippings then re-arrange the ribs in the pan.
- Increase oven heat to 375 degrees F and continuing roasting, uncovered, until the ribs caramelize to perfection and the sauce thickens.
- Remove the ribs to a board to rest. Skim off the fat in the pan then finish the barbecue sauce by adding the reserved chili sauce or ketchup to the pan and whisk to combine until thickened.
How to cut pork back ribs
Transfer the cooked ribs to a cutting board. Use a sharp chef’s knife to gently slice the ribs in between the bones or in between every second or third bone. Brush a thick coat of barbeque sauce all over the cut sliced ribs. Transfer the remaining barbeque sauce into a small bowl or jar for dipping the ribs when serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Most commonly you will find pork back ribs (also known as baby back ribs) which have a slight bend or curve in them. Pork back ribs are cut from the loin section and are thick and meaty and are typically more expensive. You may also find pork spare ribs (also known as pork side ribs) that are flatter and straighter. Pork spare ribs are cut from the belly and are less meaty, much fattier and less expensive. They are interchangeable and either can be used for this recipe, however, my ideal choice is always pork back ribs.
The recipe can easily be doubled if you need to feed a crowd. I recommend cooking the ribs in two separate rimmed baking pans. This will ensure the ribs cook evenly and that the ribs and barbecue sauce will properly caramelize.
You sure can! Firstly, the BBQ sauce base can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Braise the ribs in the barbecue sauce base as directed early in the day. Then proceed with thickening the BBQ sauce, slicing the ribs and slathering them in the sauce. Place the ribs in a baking dish covered tightly with foil and
leave at room temperature for no more than 2 hours. Any longer, then the ribs must be refrigerated. Reheat them in a low 300 degrees F oven for 30 minutes or until piping hot.
Store cooked ribs and any remaining sauce in a covered storage container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. To reheat ribs, microwave them on medium-high heat, or cover them with foil and reheat in a 300 degrees F oven for 30 minutes.
Variations and Tips for Oven Baked Pork Ribs with BBQ Sauce
- Ideally use pork back ribs (also known as baby back ribs) or pork side ribs work too.
- Chili sauce and ketchup are interchangeable in this recipe, I used Heinz chili sauce.
- If you prefer no spice level, then the chili powder and red chili peppers can be left out.
- Mince the onion and garlic really fine so it will disintegrate when cooked in the barbecue sauce.
- The homemade BBQ sauce base can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 3 days.
- Be sure and use a rimmed baking pan so it will hold all the sauce.
- Don’t rush the cooking time – these ribs are meant to be cooked low and slow.
- Skim off and discard as much fat as possible from the sauce after the ribs are removed from the pan.
What to serve with Oven Baked Pork Ribs with BBQ Sauce
Wondering what to serve with ribs? Any of these sides are guaranteed to be a hit. Just pick your favourites.
Corn, Black Bean & Avocado Salad
Recipe
Oven Baked Pork Ribs with BBQ Sauce
Meaty pork back ribs in a homemade BBQ sauce are cooked low and slow in the oven. Fall offthe bone tender, saucy and sticky, these slow cooked ribs are a real game day crowd pleaser.
Ingredients
Ribs
- 2 kilograms pork back ribs 2 racks
Barbeque Sauce Base
- 1 ½ cups chili sauce or tomato ketchup divided
- ½ cup lightly packed brown sugar
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons dry mustard powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons chili powder optional
- 1 cup onion minced very fine
- 4 garlic cloves crushed
Optional Garnishes
- Sliced red chili peppers
- Sliced green onions
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Cut each rib rack in half and arrange them in a 10” x 13” deep rimmed baking pan.
-
Make the barbecue sauce base. In a medium bowl whisk together 1 cup of the chili sauce (reserve remaining ½ cup chili sauce for finishing), brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, mustardpowder, salt, pepper, chili powder (optional), onion and garlic.
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Pour the sauce base over the ribs and turn them a couple of times to coat all sides. Arrange the ribs in one layer or slightly overlapping. Cover the dish tightly with foil wrap and cook ribs, undisturbed, for 2 ½ hours.
-
Remove pan from oven and increase oven temperature to 375 degrees F. Remove foil paper and baste ribs with the sauce and drippings then rearrange them in the pan. Leave uncovered, return to the oven and cook for another 30 minutes until the sauce starts to thicken and the ribs caramelize.
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Transfer ribs to a board to rest and leave sauce in the baking pan. Skim off as much fat as possible from the sauce in the pan and discard fat. Then finish the barbecue sauce by adding the remaining ½ cup chili sauce to the sauce and whisking to combine until thickened.
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Slice the ribs in between the bones or in between every second or third bone, as desired. Brush a thick coat of barbeque sauce all over the sliced ribs. Transfer the remaining sauce to a jar or bowl. Sprinkle with chili peppers and green onions and serve with the remaining sauce for dipping.
Recipe Notes
-
Ideally use pork back ribs (also known as baby back ribs) but pork side ribs work too.
-
Chili sauce and ketchup are interchangeable in this recipe, I used Heinz chili sauce.
-
If you prefer no spice level, then the chili powder and red chili peppers can be left out.
-
Mince the onion and garlic really fine so it will disintegrate when cooked in the barbecue sauce.
-
The BBQ sauce base can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 3 days.
-
Be sure and use a rimmed baking pan so it will hold all the sauce.
-
Don’t rush the cooking time – these ribs are meant to be cooked low and slow.
-
Skim off and discard as much fat as possible from the sauce once ribs are removed from the pan.
-
Recipe can be doubled but I recommend cooking the ribs in two separate rimmed baking pans to ensure the ribs will evenly cook and caramelize.
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