These ribs only have 3 steps, a simple dry rub, and you finish them off in the oven with some tangy, sweet BBQ sauce. These 3 Step Fall Off the Bone Oven Baked Ribs are foolproof! I’ve perfected these ribs, and this recipe is foolproof and trusted with over 18,000 shares!
Preparing Fall Off the Bone Ribs
Remove the membrane for the most tender ribs. The membrane is a thick connective tissue that doesn’t break down when cooking. By removing it, you’re removing a tough piece of skin that also acts as a barrier to seasonings.
This membrane is slippery but removing it makes for the most tender, fall off the bone ribs. Remove the membrane by using kitchen scissors to cut the far left side of the membrane, and pulled. Sometimes it comes off all in once piece, sometimes it doesn’t. THIS is a great tutorial- I like that it recommends using a paper towel to pull off the membrane, makes it a lot easier.
How to Cook Ribs in the Oven
Season the Ribs: I make a homemade mixture (in the recipe below). If you have a store-bought version you like feel free. Chef’s choice!
How Long to Cook BBQ Ribs in the Oven
- Cover pan tightly with foil, and bake for 2-2.5 hours, until ribs fall off the bone and they reach an internal temperature of between 190 and 205 degrees.
- Fact: Ribs are actually cooked when they reach 145 degrees, but the collagen and fat breaks down between 190 and 205 degrees, giving you that fall off the bone, delicious and juicy rib you want.
Once fully cooked, broil them with BBQ sauce. We broil for a short period with BBQ sauce to get the ribs caramelized and sticky.
Oven Baked Ribs
Once your ribs are done cooking low and slow, you’ll baste them with BBQ sauce, and broil them for just a few minutes to get a sticky, caramelized finish.
Best BBQ Sauce
Store bought BBQ sauce is totally fine, we do have a homemade BBQ sauce recipe here if you’re interested. I used regular, store bought Sweet Baby Rays and added some honey and lime juice- my dad did this growing up with BBQ chicken and it’s the BEST mixture (P.S. Hi, Dad :).
Slicing and Serving Ribs
- I cut my them into individual pieces, and served them on the bone on a big platter.
- Want more sauce? Drizzle it over the finished ribs.
- You can serve these OFF the bone as well. Use the meat as a topper for salads, on quesadillas, inside wraps, or sandwiches.
- Serving a crowd? You can make these in advance. Simply wrap the finished ribs in foil, and keep them in the oven on the warm setting for up to 6 hours. Make sure they are wrapped tightly so they don’t dry out.
What to Serve with Ribs
- These are fabulous with a nice crisp salad. Serve with this wedge salad platter for a crowd!
- You can’t have ribs without baked beans. I mean, you can, but why would you?! This recipe from Tastes Better from Scratch NAILS baked beans!
- Rolls; Everybody loves bread. Heck- spread some mayo, add some iceberg, fill with rib meat and you got yourself a homemade McRib! Buy store bought or make your own with this easy recipe.
- Potatoes! Ribs and taters go together like peanut butter and jelly. Mashed potatoes would be delicious and we LOVE this slow cooker recipe since it’s so easy. Potato salad with ribs is always a winner and if you want a fun variation, try this Bacon Sriracha Potato Salad from Peas & Crayons.
- Corn on the cob is always a winner; Wrap your corn in foil with a tsp of butter and liberal salt and pepper. Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes or until tender.
See the way they just shred by themselves? You can literally pull the bone out of these ribs, they are so good!
More Tips for Baked Ribs:
- Don’t skip removing the membrane, its not that hard to remove and makes all the difference.
- I baked my ribs on a sheet pan but a ceramic casserole dish works as well– I did this because the juices from the ribs can run heavy, and it helps keep everything moist in the pan, creating the most tender ribs you could hope for.
- You can follow my dry rub recipe, or you can buy store bought. Up to you! Switch it up to your liking- if you like spicy, add some crushed red peppers or some cayenne.
- For the BBQ sauce I used, I mixed Sweet Baby Rays with 2 tbsp each of lime juice and honey. I like my sauce sweet. You can make your own BBQ sauce, or use your favorite store bought brand.
- Check out this video to make these delicious fall off the bone ribs; they are super simple and so easy!
Need some other great, easy and delicious recipes? We got you covered!
- This sheet pan sausage and veggies is delicious and nutritious- it’s bright colors are great for any time of the year!
- Our healthy Mexican casserole is so good- stuffed with veggies and smothered in enchilada sauce.
- This honey glazed sheet pan salmon and veggies! Delicious garlic and honey make for a flavorful weeknight meal.
What do you think about this recipe? Have questions? Comment below! Don’t forget to like us on Facebook, and connect with us on Instagram and tag your @Laughingspatula recipes with #laughingspatula, while you’re at it…We love to see your pics!
Have a great week everyone & cook some delicious ribs! 🙂
Rachel
3 Step Fall Off the Bone Oven Baked Ribs
Ingredients
- 1 rack pork ribs
dry rub
- 1 tbsp white sugar
- 1 tbsp salt
- 2 tsp ground pepper
- 1 tbsp granulated garlic
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
BBQ Sauce
- 2 cups bbq sauce I used Sweet Baby Rays & added 2 tbsp each fresh lime juice and honey
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 250 degrees fahrenheit.
- Remove membrane from ribs. Rub ribs with dry rub on both sides. Wrap ribs tightly in foil. Place on sheet pan or in a casserole dish.
- Bake for 2-2.5 hours, or until rib temperature reaches at approximately 190 degrees.
- Remove ribs from oven. Baste with BBQ sauce, and broil on high for 3-5 minutes to caramelize BBQ sauce (watch closely so they don't burn).
- Slice ribs and serve!
Victoria Roberts says
I have been trying to make fall off the bone pork spareribs for the past 20 years. I am truly grateful I came across ypur recipe. They turned out truly amazing. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Michael Young says
Recipe is simple and easy to complete. The results are excellent! I found that bringing the ribs out about 5 degrees short of recommended temp but resealing them and resting for 8-12 minutes yielded perfect results and met recommended temps before serving. Definitely will use this recipe again.
Kay Rose says
Can you use beef ribs instead of pork?
Charity says
These ribs are AMAZING!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Thank you for sharing this recipe!! They are definitely fall off the bone! I made them a few weeks ago and I’m making them again today!
Foodie Gal says
I made these for guests. I did not use a dry rub but marinated the ribs overnight in my homemade BBQ sauce that I’ve used for at least 20 years. I baked them as suggested for about 4 hours. I used my BBQ sauce to baste them for about 15 minutes after removing the foil at the end. There was a lot of moisture in the pan when I removed foil & they were falling off the bone and very tender. I think I would bake them a bit less time next time. They were delicious though.
Sandy says
These came out soooooo tender and flavorful…the hubby says THIS is our go to now 🙂
Kathi & Rachel says
So glad you guys loved them! Thanks for the nice comment and 5 stars!