To-die-for Pork Ribs recipe with fall apart meat slathered in a sticky homemade barbecue sauce! These oven Pork Ribs are rubbed with a spice mix, slow cooked until fall-apart-tender then basted generously with the tangy, sweet sauce. Can’t-stop-eating it, finger-licking’ good!
This is a reader-favourite recipe included by popular demand in my debut cookbook “Dinner”!
Pork Ribs recipe
If you nibble daintily at a rib, holding it delicately between 2 fingers, and wipe your fingers clean with linen napkins, you and I will probably never be friends.
If you grab them with your hands, devour with gusto, get sauce all over your mouth, smearing up towards your cheekbones, then drop the bones sucked dry of every fibre of meat and sauce so they clatter dramatically on your plate, then noisily suck each and every one of your fingers clean of all that sticky barbecue sauce….
….if that’s you, then you are my kind of people.
And welcome to the pork ribs of your dreams!
These oven baked pork ribs recipe are:
super easy
the meat is tender
ribs are infused with flavour from a rub AND braising the ribs in apple cider;
finished with a simple but incredibly tasty homemade barbecue sauce.
These Oven Pork Ribs are fall apart tender and slathered with an incredible homemade barbecue sauce!
How to make Oven Pork Ribs
Here’s how I make pork ribs in the oven. There’s a few key things here:
Rub for the pork ribs – to add flavour;
Liquid for cooking – this is a key step for this pork ribs recipe! It creates a steamy situation while the ribs slow cook in the oven to keep them nice and juicy. My liquid of choice is alcoholic apple cider (also known as hard apple cider) because as with many things, alcohol adds extra layers of flavour. But there’s loads of other options: beer, apple juice, broth or even water;
Homemade barbecue sauce – Ribs are a bit of an occasion around these parts so using store bought Barbecue Sauce doesn’t even cross my mind. It’s also one of those sauces that’s astonishingly simple to make at home and really is that much better than store bought because it tastes pure and real and doesn’t have that slight artificial edge of store bought. Try it once and you’ll be converted for life!
Baste, bake, baste, bake! The more you baste-bake, the better your sticky barbecue sauce coating on the ribs.
Type of ribs to use
Oven Pork Ribs are ideal for Baby Back and St Louis Style Pork Ribs. It will also work for Pork Spareribs but the oven cook time should be reduced by 20 minutes (as they are less meaty).
🇦🇺In Australia, we do not (yet!) distinguish between various cuts of pork ribs (most are a Baby Back / St Louis style hybrid or they are very skimpy Spare Ribs). There’s also a great deal of inconsistency with how pork ribs are cut between butchers and the big grocery chains (Costco, Aldi, Woolies, Coles).
Just look for meaty pork ribs that are nice an fatty. Avoid the ribs that are cut so close to the bone on both sides there’s barely any meat – miserable eating experience plus it’s criminal to pay for 70% bone!
What you need for Oven Pork Ribs with Barbecue Sauce
And here’s what you need. Nothing unique here, except perhaps the molasses in the barbecue sauce.
I can’t remember where I first saw it, but I added it to my barbecue sauce once then I never looked back. It adds colour and intensity of flavour that can’t be replicated! Truly worth using if you can get your hands on it. If not, don’t fret – substitute with golden syrup or use dark brown sugar instead of normal brown sugar. Similar result!
Barbecue Sauce for Pork Ribs
The barbecue sauce in this recipe is used for both glazing and serving. It is literally a plonk and simmer job. Low maintenance and effortless, and really tastes of pure flavour compared to store bought (says she who has done side-by-side taste testing!).
It will look like we’re making a LOT, with the recipe calling for 1 1/2 cups of ketchup. But trust me when I say you want to have more rather than too little. There’s nothing worse than being stingy when glazing the ribs – you want to slather generously with abundance without worrying about saving some for serving!
(PS And if you’re a sticky BBQ Sauce lover, try this BBQ Brisket and BBQ Beef Ribs next…)
What to serve with Pork Ribs
In the spirit of a Southern barbecue feast, serve up your sticky oven pork ribs with a side of Macaroni Salad and corn on the cob (try the most amazing GRILLED Buttered Corn!).
Other favourites include:
Potato Salad – Classic creamy Potato Salad or for lighter options, no-mayo Lemon Potato Salad and Red Potato Salad with Charred Corn and Bacon
Corn Bread or Corn Bread Muffins (or try these Cheese Muffins)
And for something fresh, try this Tomato, Corn and Avocado Salad or a cooling German Cucumber Salad.
This is a forgiving pork ribs recipe – and it’s loaded with plenty of flavour!
As long as you get nice juicy, fatty ribs (which they typically are), it will be pretty hard to stuff this recipe up! Ribs are a tough cut of meat so they’re made for slow cooking until it’s nice and tender.
It’s quite forgiving with the cook time, unlike some other types of proteins like poultry. So even if you cook it 30 minutes too long, it will still be juicy and delicious.
There is simply no way to look elegant eating pork ribs. Just accept you will have very sticky fingers, sauce smeared on your face and a huge goofy grin! -Nagi x
Watch how to make it
This is a reader-favourite recipe included by popular demand in my debut cookbook “Dinner”!
More rib recipes
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Oven Pork Ribs with Barbecue Sauce
Ingredients
Barbecue Rub for Ribs:
- 2.5 tsp paprika powder
- 2 tsp garlic powder (sub with onion powder)
- 1.5 tsp onion powder (sub with garlic powder)
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper (omit for not spicy)
- 1.5 tsp dried thyme
- 1.5 tsp dried oregano
- 1.5 tsp salt
- 0.5 tsp black pepper
Ribs
- 2 – 2.5kg / 4 – 5lb pork ribs (2 racks)
- 3/4 cup sweet alcoholic apple cider (hard cider) , or apple juice (Note 2)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Homemade Barbecue Sauce
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar (Note 3)
- 1 1/2 cups tomato ketchup (or Aussie tomato sauce)
- 1/2 cup water (or use remaining apple cider!)
- 1 1/2 tbsp molasses , orginal (not blackstrap, Note 4)
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 2 tsp mustard powder
- 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp Tabasco or cayenne pepper (optional, for spiciness)
Instructions
- Combine the Rub ingredients and rub onto both sides of the ribs (most on meaty side). Set aside to marinate for 20 minutes (or overnight).
- Preheat oven to 160°C/320°F (all oven types).
- Place ribs on a tray in a single layer. Pour apple cider underneath the ribs, cover with foil then bake for 1 hour 30 minutes or until the meat is pretty tender (Note 5).
- Remove from oven, turn up to 180°C/350°F. Remove foil, drizzle with olive oil, then return ribs to oven for 15 minutes or until rub becomes nice and crusty.
- Line a new tray with foil then baking / parchment paper (you'll thank me later).
- Remove ribs from oven, transfer to lined tray. Pour any juices from tray over the ribs.
- Flip ribs so the bonier side is up. Slather with Barbecue Sauce, then bake 10 minutes.
- Remove from oven, then turn ribs over so the meaty side is up. Slather with Barbecue Sauce, bake 5 minutes. Repeat 2 or 3 more times until you've got a thick glaze on the ribs.
- Cut ribs into individual or multiple rib portions and serve with remaining Barbcue Sauce!
Barbecue Sauce
- Place all ingredients in a saucepan and simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes or until thickened.
- Adjust to taste: sweetness with brown sugar / honey, salt and sour with vinegar. Use for glazing ribs and as a sauce for serving.
Recipe Notes:
- Follow recipe to end of Step 4 (ie 2nd baked uncovered to make Rub crusty)
- Brush bony side of ribs with sauce, then cook on BBQ indirect heat on high (bony side up) with lid down for 5 minutes.
- Flip so meaty side is up, baste, cook with lid down for 5 minutes. Repeat 3 times until you have a nice caramelised glaze!
Nutrition Information:
Pork ribs recipe originally published January 2016. Updated August 2019 with new photos, improved recipe, brand new video and new Life of Dozer section added!
Life of Dozer
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The best pork rib recipe will it work with lamb ribs ?
This recipe renders tender, juicy, fall apart ribs. Thanks for this, Nagi. My husband loved them 😋
These were really good – I followed the recipe as written. They were fall off the bone tender, which is essential! The rub was on for approximately 8 hours, and was lovely. I finished the ribs on the BBQ instead of the oven. Next time I will probably put them on direct heat for the last bit, to caramelise up the sauce, and I will add more hot sauce etc since we like a bit of boldness and heat.
Hi there making these tonight. If I’m only doing one slab of ribs do I need To adjust the time?
Hi Sara, scale the recipe down but the cook time will remain the same. N x
Hi Nagi, made these tonight and they were amazing so much messy sticky flavour!! The whole family loved them! Another great meal – Thankyou!
Hi Nagi, made these tonight and they were amazing so much messsy sticky flavour!! The whole family loved them! Another great meal – Thankyou!
My hubby and I LOVED the recipe. It was literally “finger-licking” good!
The sauce came out a bit too spicy (even though we usually eat spicy foods), is the sauce supposed to be hot?
I used fresh cracked pepper and no apple cider vinegar ( I don’t think missing vinegar didn’t change much..)
I was told by a ‘supposed’ ribs cooking expert that you need to remove the memebrane from the ribs to prevent them being tough, is this the case or is it something that will have already been done by the butcher?
Question!
This recipe sounds amazing! But hubby doesn’t like pork, could I substitute with lamb ribs?
Hi Sandy, I find lamb a little bit more fatty, does he eat beef? I have a great beef rib recipe that might suit! N x
Made these for dinner tonight. Loved the tangy source and the pork ribs were so succulent. Thank you so much Nagi!
Just made these tonight.
So good. In fact, perfect!
Thank you!
I can always tell which are your recipes. They are the ones with 5 stars! Always delicious, always simple and straight forward, and almost always using ingredients we have on hand. Made this today and just outstanding. Your BBQ sauce is the best (high praise coming from a native Texan). I added a couple tsp liquid smoke and a good shot of Jack Daniels, but everything else as written. Next time I will double up on the BBQ sauce and keep the excess in the fridge. I made some pulled pork the other day, and used this BBQ sauce for a pulled pork sandwich last night. Yummy!
made this over the weekend, the family absolutely loved it. ribs are succulent and the sauce is to die for. thinking of adding a splash of bourbon to the sauce next time for additional depth of flavour.
I just bought 2 racks to cook over charcoal and need to unfreeze the BBQ sauce leftovers that I made from your recipe. Today in lockdown will be a good day
Sounds amazing Sophie!!! N x
These ribs are delish! I made them in a crock pot until time to put them into the oven, then finished them up as instructed in the recipe. I added a few drops (5 or 6) of liquid smoke to the sauce. You are right Nagi!. I will never go back to store bought BBQ sauce again!
I used liquid smoke in my recipe as well and they were yummy!!
Wahoo, that’s awesome Sharon!! N x
I made these ribs for dinner tonight and everyone was impressed with the taste. The only thing I changed was to swap out the BONE-IN pork ribs with Country Style BONELESS pork ribs. Other than swapping out the type of ribs I used, I followed the recipe exactly as listed. The BBQ sauce was spot-on for taste.
Easy to follow recipe, fantastic result. 10/10. Thank you!
Hi Nagi
We had this last night for dinner with friends. Made double sauce. It was incredible. Best recipe ever. Thx. Tania
We love this recipe , easy and the ribs are very juicy. Fall off the bone . I can’t find molasses so I use brown sugar . I could only find the black strap in the shops. Thanks again for another yummy recipe
Do you cook the ribs in the oven with the meat side down? If so, does that mean the meat is sitting in the apple cider vinegar?
Nick – I see you mentioned apple cider vinegar. The liquid the ribs cook with is apple cider. Not apple cider vinegar. You will not like the result if you cook these in vinegar! 🙂
Hi Nick, flesh side up – you can see this in the video for clarification too 🙂 N x
Hi Nagi, Thank you for your reply. Before I saw your recipe, I was searching on Google and some posts said flesh side down. I always do it flesh up but I was cooking side ribs this time and wasn’t sure. Thank you!!