Oven Baked Ribs

This is the only way I make ribs. They come out perfect even if you're not a grill master.



Picture from MEL'S KITCHEN CAFE

Best Oven Baked Ribs

*Makes 2 slabs ribs

2 whole slabs pork baby back ribs, silver skin removed

Dry Rub:
8 tablespoons light brown sugar, tightly packed
2 tablespoons kosher salt (Morton’s brand – other brands may vary in strength)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 tablespoon ground black pepper
1/2 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1/2 tablespoon smoked paprika or regular paprika
1/2 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
1/2 tablespoon dried thyme
1/2 tablespoon onion powder
1/2 tablespoon garlic powder

1-2 cups BBQ sauce

In a bowl, combine all dry ingredients and mix well. Place each slab of baby back ribs on a piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil or a double layer of regular tin foil, shiny side down. Sprinkle each side of the ribs generously with the dry rub. Pat the dry rub into the meat. Wrap the ribs tightly in the foil and refrigerate the ribs for a minimum of 8 hours or overnight and up to 48 hours.

When ready to bake the ribs, preheat oven to 250 degrees F.

Place the ribs (still in the foil packets) on a foil lined baking sheet and bake the ribs in the oven for 2 1/2 hours-3 hours or until tender when picked up with tongs. The meat will come easily off of the bone!

Remove ribs from foil and place on another foil lined baking sheet. Brush with your favorite BBQ sauce and broil until charred and bubbly. Alternately, you can grill the ribs at this point, if you like, but sometimes they are falling off the bone and are so tender that it is a little difficult. Cut the ribs into individual portions (2-3 ribs per person). Serve with additional BBQ sauce, if desired.

Recipe adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Family Rating:
Brad: *****
Jordan: *****
Eli: *****
Phoebe: ***** (She originally said six stars because she just loved them that much!)
Overall Family Rating: 20/20

Notes: This recipe is awesome! We've all had really good ribs before (prepared by other people) that takes hours--even days! These are just as good as the prep is so much easier. As is the clean-up. Brad said that nothing beats a Mike Robertson or Jimmy Newman rib, but this comes about as darn close as we're gonna make.

Seriously, yummy.