Recipes Ingredients Meat & Poultry Pork Recipes Oven-Roasted Ribs With Barbecue Sauce 4.0 (157) For moist and tender ribs, it's all about the right oven temp. Prep Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 45 mins Total Time: 2 hrs Servings: 8 Jump to recipe The best way to get a platter of moist, tender, and flavorful ribs on the table is to use this oven ribs recipe. It all starts with a sweet-and-savory rub featuring brown sugar, paprika, cayenne, and cumin, plus the unexpected addition of cocoa powder for a deep, roasty flavor. After coating the ribs in the rub, you’ll wrap and refrigerate them for as little as 20 minutes and up to 2 hours before baking them in a 350-degree Fahrenheit oven. In under two hours, they’ll go from tough and firm to tender and succulent. All that’s left is to brush them with a simple barbecue sauce, then crank up the heat and return them to the oven to caramelize. Perfect for entertaining yet easy enough for a casual dinner at home, these foven-baked ribs are a must try. How to Bake Ribs in the Oven—Our Preferred Method for Every Type of Ribs Credit: Jake Sternquist Why Bake Ribs In The Oven? Ribs require a substantial amount of cooking. It takes time for all that connective tissue and collagen to melt and make the meat tender. This is traditionally done in a smoker or via indirect heat on a grill, but can also be achieved with great results using your oven. It provides a moist environment and consistent heat that cooks ribs to perfection in under two hours—far less time than using a smoker. There are a couple of drawbacks to eschewing the smoker, namely that characteristic deep smoky flavor and smoke ring that a longer, slower, smokier cook provides. But, with the right rub and oven temperature, you'll still achieve moist, tender meat with tons of flavor—and ease. This recipe is ideal for anyone who doesn't have access to specialty equipment or who is just looking for a simple, hands-off way to get ribs on the table in no time. How to Tell When Ribs Are Cooked Unlike other cuts of meat, ribs aren't ready to eat merely when they reach the food-safe temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit. While they'll technically be cooked, the racks will still be stiff and firm and the meat tough and unyielding. Instead, you'll want to cook them until the collagen and connective tissue have thoroughly broken down, at which point the meat will be tender and pull away from the bone. There are a few ways to check for doneness: Thermometer: If you have an instant-read thermometer, stick the probe into the meat (avoiding the bone). Connective tissue and collagen begin breaking down at around 170 degrees, so when your ribs register between 190 and 200 degrees, they're ready to come out.Toothpick or cake tester: No thermometer? No problem. Stick a toothpick or cake tester into the meat (between the bones). If you don't feel any resistance, the ribs are done.The bend test: Use tongs to grab one end of the rack and lift it up. If the rack bends easily, the ribs should be tender enough to eat. If it still feels stiff, pop them back in the oven for a bit more time. We love coating these ribs with our tangy, ketchup-based barbecue sauce. It comes together easily on the stove and doesn't require any blending. If using another barbecue sauce, whether homemade or store-bought, note that you'll need 2 cups for brushing, plus more for serving. How to Make Ribs Ahead You can cook these ribs up to two days ahead of when you plan to serve them, then finish them, brushed with barbecue sauce, in a hot oven. Once they're tender, remove them from the oven and let them cool to room temperature. Wrap them in foil and refrigerate for up to two days. When you're ready to finish the job, let them sit at room temperature for 20 minutes while you heat the oven to 425 degrees. Brush ribs all over with barbecue sauce, then place them on wire racks set over rimmed baking sheets and bake until for 15 minutes, or until they're caramelized and heated through. Directions Credit: Jake Sternquist Combine spice mixture: Using a sieve, sift sugar, paprika, salt, cocoa, cayenne, and cumin together into a small bowl. (Use the back of a spoon to break up any lumps and to press ingredients through a sieve.) Stir to combine. Credit: Jake Sternquist Sprinkle spice mixture over ribs: Working with one rack at a time, lay a long piece of plastic wrap on the counter and place ribs on top. Sprinkle one-quarter of spice mixture evenly over both sides ribs, then lightly rub mixture in to coat completely. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 20 minutes (or up to 2 hours for maximum flavor). Credit: Jake Sternquist Preheat oven; prepare baking sheets: Preheat oven to 350°F, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with foil, and set a wire rack on top of each. Transfer 2 racks of ribs, unwrapped, to each wire rack, meat side up. Credit: Jake Sternquist Bake ribs until tender: Cook ribs, switching position of baking sheets about halfway through, until meat pulls away easily from the bones, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Make Ahead If making ribs ahead of time, remove them from oven after this step and let cool completely. Wrap tightly in foil and refrigerate for up to 2 days. When ready to resume recipe, unwrap and return them to wire racks set over foil-lined baking sheets. Let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before brushing and baking. Credit: Jake Sternquist Increase oven temperature; brush ribs with sauce: Remove racks from oven and increase temperature to 425°F. Brush both sides of ribs with 2 cups of barbecue sauce. Credit: Jake Sternquist Bake until caramelized; serve with more sauce: Return ribs to oven and bake until sauce is slightly caramelized, about 15 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes; serve with more barbecue sauce. Credit: Jake Sternquist How to Store and Reheat Ribs If you find yourself with leftover ribs (lucky you!), you can refrigerate them, covered, for up to 3 days from when you first baked them. Cover them with foil and reheat in a 300-degree oven until hot throughout. What to Serve With Oven-Baked Ribs These succulent ribs go with all manner of summery and Southern-inspired side dishes, including: Salads: A tangy, well-dressed salad is a delicious match for these saucy, savory ribs. When it comes to barbecue, you can't wrong with potato salad, like this impossibly easy, four-ingredient recipe or our smoky, corn-studded version. Fancy pasta salad instead? There's our marinated artichoke-green bean recipe or this caprese-inspired version with tomatoes and mozzarella. Or,opt for something lighter, like this simple zucchini and squash salad or our corn-and-avocado salad with goddess dressing and bacon. Corn: Speaking of corn, it's never a bad idea to pair ribs with fresh corn on the cob, especially in summer when it's at its peak. We've got recipes for elote (Mexican street corn) and buttered corn with chives, which cooks conveniently in foil packets on the grill. Or, for something a little different but just as delicious, try our three-pepper corn casserole. Other classic sides: Round things out with another classic like baked beans, macaroni and cheese—try John Legend's baked version or this one with pimientos—some smoky baked beans, or a big platter of juicy watermelon wedges. 5 More Rib Recipes to Try Smoky Baby Back Ribs Slow-Roasted Beef Ribs Sour-Cherry-and-Five-Spice-Lacquered Ribs Tuscan Ribs Pork Ribs With Barbecue Sauce This recipe is from decorvow Living, May 2005 Updated by Esther Reynolds Esther Reynolds Esther Reynolds is an experienced recipe developer, recipe tester, food editor, and writer with over a decade of experience in the food and media industries.