Easy Fall-Off-The-Bone Oven Baked Ribs Recipe
Low and slow cooking make these oven baked ribs fall off the bone tender. Once baked, we like to add our sweet and spicy barbecue sauce to the ribs, but use whatever you love. For the most tender ribs, we remove the thin membrane covering the back of the rack. Depending on where you have purchased ribs, this may already be done for you. If not, instructions are in the notes section below.
Low and slow cooking make these oven baked ribs fall off the bone tender. Once baked, we like to add our sweet and spicy barbecue sauce to the ribs, but use whatever you love. For the most tender ribs, we remove the thin membrane covering the back of the rack. Depending on where you have purchased ribs, this may already be done for you. If not, instructions are in the notes section below.
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- salt and black pepper
- salt and ground pepper to taste
- 2 pounds baby back pork ribs
- 1/4 cup finely diced onion
- 1/2 cup ketchup try our homemade ketchup recipe
- 1 tablespoon hot chili sauce (suggestion sriracha)
- Carbohydrate 29.1239941433711 g
- Cholesterol 367.4098197 mg
- Fat 108.947496487258 g
- Fiber 0.235123207669835 g
- Protein 74.2733821070006 g
- Saturated Fat 39.8654823931741 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (555g)
- Sodium 8067.75185658341 mg
- Sugar 28.8888709357013 g
- Trans Fat 10.2805000241817 g
- Calories 1409 calories
Step-by-step
- Heat oven to 275 degrees F.
- If the ribs still have the thin membrane covering the back of the rack, remove it. See how in the notes section below. Season both sides of the ribs with salt and pepper then place into a large roasting pan. (It may be necessary to cut the ribs in half in order for them to fit into the pan). Cover tightly with aluminum foil, and then bake until the meat falls easily from the bones, 3 1/2 to 4 hours.
- While the ribs bake, make the barbecue sauce. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent. Add the cumin and stir. Next, add the ketchup, hot chili sauce, brown sugar, and apple cider vinegar. Stir to combine, season with salt then cook for 2 minutes. Set aside in preparation for the ribs to finish roasting.
- Remove the ribs from the oven, discard the aluminum foil and generously brush both sides with barbecue sauce.
- Move an oven rack near to the top of the oven. Turn broiler to high and broil the ribs for 3-4 minutes, just until the barbecue sauce begins to caramelize.
Standard backyard grilling relies on direct wood smoke and radiant heat, but oven-roasted pork requires a completely different thermal strategy to break down connective tissue without drying out the lean meat. Many home cooks attempt to rush this process at higher temperatures, resulting in tough protein strands that stubbornly cling to the bone. Achieving tenderness demands a sealed roasting environment maintained at a steady 275 degrees Fahrenheit for up to four hours.
Removing the silvery peritoneum membrane from the bone side of the rack is non-negotiable for success. This tough collagen sheath acts as a moisture barrier and prevents spice penetration during seasoning. Slide the tip of a butter knife beneath the membrane at the corner of the rack, lift it with a dry paper towel for grip, and peel the entire sheet away in one clean pull before applying salt and pepper.
Simmering the homemade sauce components separately builds body and melds the apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, and chili heat before it ever touches the pork. Brush this mixture onto the meat only after the roasting phase concludes. Covering the roasting pan tightly with aluminum foil traps steam inside, which softens the muscle fibers effectively during the long bake.
Finishing the rack under a high broiler for three to four minutes creates the necessary Maillard reaction and caramelizes the sugars in the glaze. Watch the surface constantly during this final step because the high sugar content burns rapidly under direct radiant heat. Let the meat rest briefly before slicing between the individual bones to retain the rendered juices.
