Growing up in the south means that BBQ is part of who I am. A good family BBQ night has tons of great food and good conversation with loved ones. My favorite go-to recipe for summer entertaining are these Oven-Baked Baby Back Ribs. You’ll add flavor with a dry rub first and then come back with your favorite BBQ sauce. I usually make 2-4 racks of ribs and offer a sweet sauce, as well as a spicy sauce. So grab your favorite bottle of sauce and let’s get cooking.

You don’t have to be a grill master to accomplish amazing ribs. The oven is a great way to cook ribs until they’re fall-off-the-bone perfect. You slow cook them in a low heat oven for several hours. It’s worth the wait and the smell of these ribs just permeates your house as they cook.

My Husband always asks for a second helping when I make them and the kids even enjoy them for a messy summer dinner. Make several racks and entertain a crowd for an unforgettable summer gathering – just be prepared to share the recipe!

Looking for some side dishes to go with your oven-baked baby back ribs? I’ve got you covered! Here are some of my favorite summer side dishes:

• Jalapeño Potato Salad
• Mayo-Free Coleslaw
• Strawberry-Banana Cheesecake Dessert Salad

Georgia Famous Oven-Baked Baby Back Ribs Recipe

The two-step flavor infusing process is what makes this rib recipe so unique. The dry rub is a brown sugar base which helps to break up the protein and make it tender. The sauce comes back and adds even more flavor profile AND you can customize how you want your ribs depending on the sauce you pick. It’s a win-win!

What To Serve With Your Baby Back Ribs

I like to serve my ribs with a couple of sides and a craft cocktail. My Bourbon Spiked Lemonade recipe and my Homemade Strawberry Moonshine are always big hits. For dessert, make ahead an Amaretto Pound Cake and add fresh berries. I love simple desserts that aren’t too heavy for warmer months.

How To Pick Out The Best Ribs From Your Grocer

It’s actually quite simple to shop for ribs that are going to be tender. You want to choose slabs with good meat coverage over the bones. While fat helps keep it tender, you don’t want large areas of surface fat. Avoid slabs where the meat has been cut too close to the bone. I also make sure I purchase fresh ribs that are refrigerated and not frozen, nor previously frozen.

Picking Out Your BBQ Sauce

Here’s where you can really inject whatever flavors you want into your ribs. I used Sticky Fingers BBQ sauce that we picked up from their original location in Chattanooga. I like making several slabs and using 2 different types of sauces. You can also use a Homemade BBQ Sauce recipe, if you prefer.

How To Store Leftover Oven-Baked Baby Back Ribs

If you want to save leftovers to enjoy throughout the week, just wrap the ribs in plastic wrap and keep them refrigerated. They’ll last for 5-7 days to enjoy again. To reheat your ribs, you can nuke them in the microwave for 1-2 minutes. Apply more BBQ sauce, if needed.

What You’ll Need From The Grocery Store:

• Kosher Salt
• Dark Brown Sugar
• Smoked Paprika
• Black Pepper
• Garlic Powder
• Dry Mustard
• 4 Pounds Baby Back Pork Ribs (2-3 slabs)
• Olive Oil
• BBQ Sauce(s) of Choice
• Tools: Oven Roasting Pack With Rack

Step-By-Step Directions To Make Oven-Baked Baby Back Ribs

Remove from oven; brush slabs evenly with remaining barbecue sauce. Increase oven temperature to broil, and return ribs to middle rack. Broil until sauce bubbles and starts to caramelize, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from oven; let rest 5 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

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Yield: 2-3 Slabs (16 Servings)

Oven-Baked Baby Back Ribs Recipe

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Marinated with a dry rub and cooked with BBQ sauce, these southern oven-baked baby back ribs are perfect for the summer.

Prep Time 4 hours

Cook Time 3 hours 40 minutes

Additional Time 20 minutes

Total Time 8 hours

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup kosher salt
• 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon dry mustard
• 4 pounds baby back pork ribs (2 to 3 slabs)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 1/2 cups bottled barbecue sauce

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 275°F with rack in middle position. Stir together salt, brown sugar, smoked paprika, pepper, garlic powder, and dry mustard in a bowl.
2. Remove thin outer membrane on back of ribs by loosening with a butter knife and pulling it off; discard. Brush slabs evenly with oil; sprinkle with spice mixture, gently patting to adhere. (If desired, wrap ribs with plastic wrap; place on a baking sheet, and chill at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours.)
3. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil; set a wire rack inside sheet. (If you wrapped and chilled the ribs, remove and discard plastic wrap.) Wrap each slab with heavy-duty aluminum foil; place on prepared wire rack. Bake in preheated oven until tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
4. Remove from oven, and unwrap ribs; discard foil and drippings. Place ribs directly on wire rack; brush 1/2 cup barbecue sauce on top of each slab. Return to oven; bake at 275°F until ribs are tender and meat is pulling away from bones, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
5. Remove from oven; brush slabs evenly with remaining barbecue sauce. Increase oven temperature to broil, and return ribs to middle rack.
6. Broil until sauce bubbles and starts to caramelize, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from oven; let rest 5 minutes. Serve.

Notes

Use your favorite BBQ sauce to finish. I like to use several sauce flavors, sweet and spicy, and serve several slabs.

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