Baby Back Ribs Recipe
This easy baby back ribs recipe is smoky, sweet, and just the right amount of spicy! Baked until tender and finished with a sticky BBQ glaze, these ribs are flavorful and fall-off-the-bone good.
Servings: 6 servings
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 racks baby back ribs (about 4 pounds total)
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 to 2 tablespoons chili powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup Honey Barbecue Sauce
Instructions
- Make the rub. In a mixing bowl, combine the brown sugar, cayenne pepper, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, dried oregano, salt, and pepper; mix to combine.
- Prep the ribs and marinate. Rub the seasoning mixture on all sides of the ribs. Place them in a baking pan and cover. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. For easy cleanup, you can line the pan with aluminum foil.
- Prep the oven. Preheat your oven to 250°F.
- Bake. Pour the chicken broth and apple cider vinegar into the roasting pan with the ribs. Pour around the ribs, not directly on top, to avoid washing off the rub. Tightly cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake the ribs for 2 hours. Remove from oven and transfer the ribs to a large platter; set aside for at least 10 minutes to rest.
- Reduce the pan sauce. Meanwhile, pour the liquid from the roasting pan into a saucepan and bring it to a boil; lower the heat to a simmer and continue to cook until the liquid is reduced by half. Then, stir in the barbecue sauce and remove from the heat.
- Finish and serve. At this point, you can cut the ribs and brush or toss them with the prepared sauce and serve, OR you can cook them (whole) on a preheated grill for about 5 minutes on each side, or until browned. Alternatively, broil for 2–3 minutes per side for that charred finish. Serve.
Notes
How to Grill Baby Back Ribs
- Prep the ribs: Rub them with the spice mix, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Preheat the grill: Set it to 250°F with indirect heat. Oil the grates to prevent sticking.
- Grill low and slow: Place ribs bone-side down over indirect heat. Cover and grill for 1½ hours, flip, and grill another 1½ hours, still over indirect heat.
- Check doneness: Ribs should be tender and at least 145°F internally. For fall-off-the-bone, aim for 190–200°F.
- Sauce and sear: Move ribs to direct heat, brush with BBQ sauce, and grill uncovered for 5–10 minutes until caramelized.
- Rest, slice, serve: Done!
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 454.2kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 27.7g | Fat: 33.8g | Saturated Fat: 12.5g | Cholesterol: 133.7mg | Sodium: 132.2mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 10.1g
