Oven Baked BBQ Ribs (Sweet & Spicy)

Close-up of sliced, cooked barbecue pork ribs with a glossy, caramelized sauce on a white plate.

Oven Baked BBQ Ribs (Sweet & Spicy)

Sweet, sticky and with a touch of spice, these bbq ribs will be the star of the show! (if the "show" is dinner, and the "venue" is your backyard). They are so tender they fall of the bone. Right into your mouth. Go ahead. Get some!

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Prep Time 1 10

Cook Time 3

Total Time 4 10

Servings servings

Calories 492kcal

Author Kylee Ayotte

Ingredients

Rub

2 tablespoons paprika smoked
1 1/2 tablespoon dark brown sugar packed
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon prepared chili powder
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 1/2 teaspoon cracked pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Ribs

2 Racks St Louis Style Ribs
1 1/2 cups BBQ sauce divided

Mop

1 cup apple juice
6 tablespoons bbq sauce from above
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

Instructions

Get prepped. Remove the membrane from the back of the ribs if it is still attached. Pat the ribs dry with paper towels.
Rub the ribs. Sprinkle the rub evenly over the ribs and massage it into the meat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or overnight for deeper flavor.
Preheat the oven. Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Place the ribs on a foil-lined sheet pan and cover tightly with foil.
Bake the ribs. Bake for 1 hour.
Make the mop. Combine the apple juice, a few spoonfuls of barbecue sauce, and the apple cider vinegar in a small bowl.
Mop the ribs. After the first hour, brush the ribs with the mop mixture. Return to the oven and continue mopping every 30 to 45 minutes. Bake for about 3 hours total, until the ribs are tender and the meat begins to pull back from the bones.
Sauce the ribs. Remove the ribs from the oven and brush generously with barbecue sauce.
Finish the ribs. Increase the oven to 400°F (205°C). Return the ribs to the oven uncovered and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, basting once or twice with more sauce, until the sauce is sticky and caramelized.
Rest the ribs. Remove from the oven, baste once more with sauce, cover loosely with foil, and rest for 20 to 30 minutes.
Serve. Slice between the bones and serve.

Notes

Start these ribs at least 4 hours before you want to eat.
Chili powder in this recipe refers to a prepared chili powder blend, not straight ground chiles.
Store-bought BBQ sauce works great here, or try this Homemade BBQ Sauce.
Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition