Gosh, these oven baked pork ribs are so good and they’re super easy to make. There really is no secret and it doesn’t take rocket science to get the ribs to fall off the bone. The answer is that it just takes time and patience to get the most delicious batch of tender, juicy ribs.

BBQ Oven Baked Pork Ribs : Tender Fall off the Bone Best Baked Ribs on plate

Best Oven Baked Pork Ribs Recipe

It’s not quick, but with some patience you’ll enjoy the most easy recipe for oven baked ribs ever. With a few other tips we share below, you’re well on your way to a fantastic pork rib meal to share with family and friends. We added a homemade bourbon bbq sauce because it’s our favorite. But you can certainly add what ever your favorite sauce is. The possibilities are endless!

Video: Recipe for Oven Baked Pork Ribs

Tips on How to Cook Tender Pork Ribs in Oven

For Tender Ribs, Remove the Membrane.

  • If the membrane is already removed, you’re good to go! It’s always a toss up if the butcher already removed it or not.
  • Start at one end of the rib rack, bone side up. Slice a knife under the membrane and over the bone.
  • Gently loosen and lift the membrane until it tears from the bone.
  • Using a paper towel (helps to keep the membrane from slipping out out of your grasp), grab the edge of the membrane to pull it off, across the whole rack of ribs.
  • If the membrane doesn’t come off in one whole pice, pull it off in smaller pieces.

More Tips

  • St. Louis Cut ribs is our favorite cut. A perfect balance in size, ease of cutting, and meatiness.
  • Baking the ribs with apple juice gives a great flavor & helps them be even more tender & juicy.
  • This timing is if a tender but bite off the bone rib (like how most rib competitions prefer). If you want it completely fall off the bone tender, bake it covered for an extra 30 minutes before saucing and the final bake.
  • More recipe details with step by step photos are in the recipe box below.
  • You can bake the ribs ahead of time then when you want to serve, cut, sauce, and grill or broil the ribs for a few minutes. It will also give the ribs a nice thin crispy crust.
  • Check out our smoked baby back ribs or grilled Korean short ribs (the sauce is amazing!).
how to remove rib membrane technique step by step

Homemade Bourbon BBQ sauce recipe

We have an awesome bbq sauce recipe with bourbon. But if you can omit the bourbon if you want. Or you can you whatever your favorite sauce is. After baking the ribs with the sauce on, the ribs are sticky and delicious. Definitely finger licking good.

BBQ Oven Baked Pork Ribs : Tender Fall off the Bone Best Baked Ribs | BestRecipebox.com

BBQ Pork Ribs in the Oven with Bourbon BBQ Sauce

Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
The St. Louis cut spare rib is a great meaty cut, but this recipe will work equally well with baby back ribs. If you want to offer a bit of variance to your guests, make the Sriracha-Hoisin rib glaze as well and serve up a sweeter rib (this one) and a spicier rib (the sriracha-hoisin) to please the crowd.
For a little extra crispy crust you can finish the ribs under the broiler or on the grill. We'll often cook a batch of ribs ahead of time, then quickly warm & crust them on the grill. So good!
This timing will give a nice tender, juicy bite but not be quite fall off the bone soft. If you want the meat that soft, bake covered for an extra 20-30 minutes.
Nutrition included calculations with the Bourbon BBQ sauce.
5 from 4 votes

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Ingredients

Ribs

  • 3 pounds (1.36 kg) rack Pork Spare Ribs St. Louis cut (preferably) but baby back is great too , rinsed and patted dry
  • 1 cup (240 ml) Apple Juice
  • 1 Tablespoon (18 g) Kosher Salt
  • fresh cracked Black Pepper to taste
  • 1 1/2 cups (429 g) BBQ sauce , plus extra for serving (use your own or Bourbon BBQ Sauce below)

Bourbon BBQ Sauce

  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) Apple Juice
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) Maple Syrup
  • 1/4 cup (60 ml) Bourbon
  • 1/4 cup (65 g) Tomato Paste
  • 2 Tablespoons (24 g) Brown Sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon (15 ml) Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1 Tablespoon (15 ml) Worcestershire sauce , (or soy sauce or fish sauce)
  • 1 teaspoon (6 g) Kosher Salt

Instructions 

Sauce Instructions

  • *This can be done ahead of time or while the ribs bake for the initial hour. Combine sauce ingredients in a saucepan (1/2 cup apple juice, 1/2 cup maple syrup, 1/4 cup bourbon, 1/4 cup tomato paste, 2 Tablespoons brown sugar, 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, and 1 teaspoon salt). On medium-high heat, bring to a simmer then cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside until ready to sauce ribs.

Ribs Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
    Oven knobs
  • If needed, remove the silver skin from the bone side of the ribs (some butchers will have this already removed for you.) Read our tips in the write up in the above article.
  • Cut the rib rack in half and place the ribs, meaty side up, in a 9×11 inch baking dish (or other appropriately sized dish). Pour the 1 cup of apple juice over the ribs and then season both sides with salt & pepper.
  • Cover with aluminum foil.
  • Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 1 hour 30 minutes. Remove from oven, remove foil, and brush both sides of the ribs with sauce.
  • Return to oven uncovered. Bake uncovered at 350°F (175°C) for another 30-45 minutes or until cooked to your preferred tenderness.
  • Remove ribs from oven. Brush the ribs a with a little more sauce, slice & serve (for a little extra crust follow next step before slicing).
  • Optional for a little Extra Crispy Crust – Heat oven to broil and place oven rack about 6 inches (15cm) down from the top. Brush ribs with glaze again and broil for 2 minutes or until slightly singed. Slice & serve.
  • Optional for Extra Crispy Crust and to serve from the Grill – Heat the grill for direct heat on medium-high (if you have that option). Slice the ribs into serving sizes (usually 1-2 ribs together). Brush with some glaze then sear each side of the ribs for 1-2 minutes or until each side has a little char. Serve warm with additional sauce (either toss the ribs with sauce or serve with sauce for DIY).

Notes

For easier removal of the silver skin, after lifting an edge of the silver skin with a knife, use a paper towel or kitchen towel to grab the silver skin and pull it off.
For an easier cleanup, you can bake the ribs in a foil “boats”.
1. Make 2 “boats” out of doubled up sheets of heavy duty foil large enough to enclose each rib section (*refer to sriracha-hoisin ribs photos for visual guide). Place ribs, meaty side up, in boats and pour 1/2 cup of apple juice in each of the boats.
2. Seal foil boats closed around the ribs, trapping the juice in with the ribs and being careful not to break the foil. Place on sheet pans. Bake as directed in the recipe above (however leaving the foil open but with the sides standing up enough to keep the juices around the ribs when it calls to bake uncovered).

Video

YouTube video

Nutrition Information per Serving

Calories: 591kcal, Carbohydrates: 32g, Protein: 25g, Fat: 37g, Saturated Fat: 12g, Cholesterol: 127mg, Sodium: 1799mg, Potassium: 641mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 28g, Vitamin A: 166IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 67mg, Iron: 2mg
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 591
BBQ Oven Baked Pork Ribs : Tender Fall off the Bone Best Baked Ribs on plate

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