How to Bake Ribs in the Oven—Our Preferred Method for Every Type of Ribs

Also, find out how long to bake different types of ribs for juicy, flavorful meat.

Tuscan Ribs — Credit:
© Ryan Liebe - 2017

Knowing how long to bake ribs in the oven is key to achieving truly tasty results no matter what type of ribs you are cooking. We believe the oven is the best method for making ribs whether you have baby back, spare ribs, short ribs, or even beef dinosaur ribs. That's because it's easy to maintain a consistent temperature, resulting in tender, practically foolproof results. Learn how to cook ribs in the oven, including if they should be covered, with our comprehensive guide. We've also got plenty of recipes for every type of ribs, so you can keep things interesting when it comes to the rubs and sauces.

Types of Ribs

Ribs are any of several different cuts of pork or beef. Here are some of the best-known (and tastiest).

Pork Ribs

Most often, when a recipe or restaurant menu lists ribs, that means spare ribs or baby back ribs, both of which come from a pig.

Baby Back Ribs: These small ribs are cut from the section of the pig where the ribs meet the backbone. They are usually about 6 inches long at the wide end and gradually taper down to about 3 inches at the narrow end. Baby back ribs are more tender, but they also have less fat than other kinds of ribs, so they can be more prone to drying out.
Spare Ribs: On the other end of baby back ribs (literally) are the spare ribs. This cut is the remainder of the ribs after the "baby back" section is separated. Spare ribs are longer and less curved than baby backs; they contain more fat, which renders them more moist and flavorful.
St. Louis-Cut Ribs: These are basically the same as spare ribs. The only difference is that St. Louis-style ribs have the rib tips removed. (The rib tip is a flap of meat containing small bits of cartilage and bones.)

Beef Ribs

Beef ribs also come in a few different variations.

Beef "Dino" Ribs: Whole beef short ribs are far less common than pork ribs, mostly because they are almost cartoonishly large at around 12 inches long and weighing over a pound apiece. Why are they called short ribs, then? Because they come from a section of the cow called the short plate. Go to a specialty butcher to buy full-size beef ribs to cook at home.
Short Ribs: The cut of beef that most people know as short ribs may come from the short plate, just like dino ribs, or they may be chuck ribs from the next adjacent section. Short ribs are generally cut crosswise by the butcher into much shorter sections of about 3 inches for easier handling.
Flanken-Style Ribs: This cut of beef ribs also comes from the short rib section; the difference is just in the thickness. Flanken-style ribs are cut very thin, usually about ½ inch, and because of this, they cook much more quickly than other varieties of ribs. Flanken-style ribs can be marinated and grilled to make kalbi (or galbi), a popular—and delicious—Korean barbecue dish.

What Temperature and How Long to Cook Ribs in the Oven

The ideal oven temperature depends on the type of ribs and whether they are covered or uncovered. Baby back ribs should be cooked at lower temperatures—no higher than 300 to 325 degrees Fahrenheit—for about 1 hour so they don't get overcooked and tough. If wrapped in foil, you can push the oven temp as high as 375 degrees and cook for upwards of 1 1/2 hours.

Larger, fattier ribs (think spare ribs) need to be cooked longer than baby backs. Shoot for around 2 hours at 350 degrees if the ribs are uncovered. If wrapped in foil, the ribs can go for up to 3 hours at 300 degrees, or crank the oven up to 400 degrees for a briefer baking time—1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Great big beef dino ribs need even longer in the oven, and it's best to keep them covered so they don't dry out. On the other hand, the super thin-cut flanken style beef short ribs only need about 5 minutes per side under the broiler, with no wrapping or slow-baking required.

Type	Uncovered Temp	Uncovered Time	Covered Temp	Covered Time
Small pork ribs, such baby back ribs	300-325°F	1 hour	375°F	11/2 hours
Larger pork ribs, such as spare ribs	350°F	2 hours	300°F / 400°F	3 hours / 11/2-2 hours
Beef "dino" ribs	—	—	325°F	4 hours
Beef flanken ribs	broiler	5 minutes per side	—	—

How to Bake Ribs in the Oven

There are a few different approaches you can take when baking ribs. High or low heat? Covered or uncovered? Dry rub, marinade, sauce—or all of the above? Finish them on the grill, under the broiler, or just feast on them right out of the oven? Some of these choices are purely a matter of what you're in the mood for, but your baking time and temperature should be determined by what kind of ribs you're making.

This is a basic method for baking baby back ribs or St. Louis-style ribs:

1. Sprinkle ribs with spice rub. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate on foiled-lined baking sheets for 20 minutes or up to overnight.

2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Cook ribs on baking sheets, switching the position of baking sheets halfway through cooking. Bake ribs until meat pulls away easily from the bones, 1 1/2-2 hours. Cool completely.

3. Preheat oven to 425°F.

4. Brush both sides of ribs with barbecue sauce and place on wire racks set over foiled-lined baking sheets until sauce is slightly caramelized and ribs are heated through, about 15 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes; serve with more barbecue sauce.

Should Ribs Be Covered or Uncovered?

Baked ribs can be cooked either covered or uncovered. Covering ribs can mean wrapping the racks tightly in foil or covering the whole pan with foil before sliding it into the oven. The benefits of covering ribs are that it helps to keep moisture in and allows a wider margin of error in your baking time and temperature.

The downside to keeping ribs covered while they cook is that they can look pale and soggy, not like the beautifully charred ribs at a barbecue restaurant. There is a quick fix for this: broil them for a few minutes per side before serving to give them that crispy, flame-kissed finish everyone loves.

How to Tell When Ribs are Thoroughly Cooked

There are a couple foolproof ways to tell when ribs are ready to come out of the oven. If you have an instant-read thermometer, insert it into the thickest part of the meat, ensuring you're not touching bone—the temperature should read around 200 degrees. (While the meat will technically be cooked through at 145 degrees, optimal tenderness requires the a breakdown of collagen, which doesn't start to happen until around 170 degrees.)

If you don't have an instant-read thermometer, simply insert a toothpick into the meat between two bones—it should slide easily in and out with little to no resistance. You can also use a method called the "bend test": Using tongs, lift up one end of the rack. If it bends easily, it's a good indication that the collagen has broken down sufficiently and the meat is tender. If it's still quite stiff, wrap the rack back up and keep cooking—it needs some additional time in the oven.

Oven-Baked Rib Recipes

Frequently Asked Questions

Will ribs cook faster wrapped in foil?

Yes, ribs wrapped in foil will cook faster than the same size and cut of ribs that are not wrapped. They also will lose less moisture, which can keep them from drying out. But when ribs are wrapped they do not develop a crispy crust and charred look so you may want to finish them under the broiler.
Should ribs be baked meat down when cooking in the oven?

Yes, ribs should be baked meat side down when cooking in the oven. Placing them meat side down keeps the meat more tender and juicy. That said, what side up you position them when baking is less important than when broiling or grilling since the direct heat can have more of an impact on texture.
Should the membrane be removed before cooking ribs?

Yes, the membrane should be removed before you cook ribs. Often the tissuey membrane on the back side of the ribs has been removed before you buy them, but this is not always the case. If you need to remove it, slide the tip of a knife between the bone and the membrane at one end, then pull it back—it should come off in one piece.
Is it possible to overcook ribs?

Yes, it is possible to overcook ribs. Whether you're baking, smoking, or grilling ribs, cooking them too long can cause the meat to dry out and fall off the bone. Instead, aim for meat that is tender and pulls easily off the bone but still holds its shape.