3 Step Fall Off the Bone Oven Baked Ribs

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

It doesn’t take long to prepare ribs, but there are a few important steps. The goal here is to have the ribs perfectly prepped so the seasoning really melts into the meat, and the meat becomes flavorful and juicy.

• 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.

Baking Ribs in the Oven

Baking the ribs in the oven is simple.

• You can use a casserole dish, or a sheet pan lined with foil. Make sure whichever pan you use is at least 1/2 inch tall to account for the juices, incase they leak.
• The next important step is seasoning the ribs, you have to make sure you bake them with flavor. I make a homemade mixture. If you have a store-bought version you like feel free to use that. 

Rib Seasoning Ingredients:

• Brown Sugar
• Salt
• Pepper
• Granulated Garlic
• Smoked Paprika

How Long to Cook BBQ Ribs in the Oven

• Cover a casserole 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 Rib Recipe

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. Don’t skip this step, it’s how you get that sweet, tangy, sticky finish that ribs are so famous for. Just be sure to keep a close watch on them as they broil, every oven is different. Broil for about 3-5 minutes or until the bbq sauce is sticky and slightly bubbling in the oven. 

Best BBQ Sauce for Ribs

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 :). 

Serving Oven Baked Ribs

I’ve made oven baked ribs for parties, but also just as dinner for my family. This is a really versatile main course, and honestly? Nobody ever complains about a BBQ rib, they are just that good.  They serve easily and are beautiful on a big platter, or on a dinner plate. 

• 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, if you just want to use them as a protein. 
  • Use the meat as a topper for salads, on quesadillas, inside wraps, or sandwiches. You can serve them on Hawaiian rolls with slaw, so good! 
• 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.

Dishes 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

Easy Oven Baked BBQ Ribs

Delicious, tender, fall off the bone ribs that ANYBODY can master, all made in the oven!

4.84 from 43 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 4 hours hours

Resting Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 4 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 5 people

Author: Kathi & Rachel

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!

Nutrition

Calories: 899kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 54g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 182mg | Sodium: 3399mg | Potassium: 942mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 50g | Vitamin A: 815IU | Vitamin C: 0.8mg | Calcium: 86mg | Iron: 3.4mg