This is the Ultimate BBQ Baby Back Rib Recipe! Cooked slow in the oven with a homemade spice rub, then finished on the grill with your favorite BBQ sauce. There’s nothing like fall-off-the-bone Baby Back Ribs and this easy recipe is a show stopper!
The BEST BBQ Baby Back Ribs
Welcome to GRILL WEEK here at Joyful Healthy Eats! I wanted to start the week off with a bang, so prepare yourselves!
As you all know by now I am pretty much a Grill Girl at heart. If it wasn’t so stinking hot all the time here in Texas I would grill every day. One of my favorite things to grill, besides pizza, is Baby Back Ribs. There is just nothing like fall off the bone Grilled BBQ Baby Back Ribs, and believe me these ribs will fall off the bone before they even get to the grill. They are amazing, hence the name –> “The Ultimate BBQ Baby Back Ribs.”
I actually even make these for our Christmas dinner too, because I can. And my family requests them every year!
overhead photo of the ultimate bbq baby back ribs
How to Prepare Baby Back Ribs
The trick to making your Ribs fall off the bone in my opinion has two parts: remove the silver skin and bake them long and slow. (meaning at a low temperature for a long time) My mouth is literally watering as I’m talking about these. Once you taste them you’ll understand the extent of there deliciousness and why my mouth waters just talking about them.
So … ready… go get you some Ribs and I’ll walk you through the process!
How to Remove the Silverskin or Membrane from Ribs
Removing the silverskin is easier than you think. Pork ribs have a membrane that’s located on the back of the ribs. It does not have to be removed, but if you do it will make your ribs more flavorful and tender aka fall of the bone! To remove flip the ribs over and slide a knife under the silverskin anywhere along the rack. If it resists in one spot, just find another spot. Lift the silverskin up and loosen it with the knife until you can get a good grip on it. Then pull the silverskin off the ribs; it should just peel away in a large sheet. If the silverskin breaks, use your knife to restart at another section and repeat the process.
How Many Baby Back Ribs Per Person?
If this is your main entree I typically plan on each person eating 1/2 rack of ribs, so a full rack would feed 2-3 people.
process photos of how to make bbq baby back ribs
overhead photo of the ultimate baby back ribs with bbq sauce all over it
How to Cook Baby Back Ribs
To get started, preheat oven to 325ºF.
Remove the membrane or silverskin.
Season both sides of ribs with homemade spice rub and place in a roasting pan or 13″x9″ baking dish.
Add cubed onion and 3 garlic cloves to the pan as well as 1 cup of water. Cover pan with tin foil and bake for 3 hours.
Remove from oven and place ribs on medium heat grill.
Slather with your favorite BBQ Sauce and grill each side 5-7 minutes. Remove from grill and serve.
So as you can see, I cook mine in both the oven and the grill. I find that cooking them in the oven before hand really breaks down the meat and leaves you with a “fall of the bone” tender meat. But slathering them with BBQ sauce and searing them on the grill to lock in all the flavors, well, that just screams summer to me.
overhead photo of spice rubs baby back ribs in a dish with onions
This Recipe is tried and true. I’ve been making it for probably 10 years now and my mom has used the oven grill method since I can remember. My favorite part about this entire recipe is the homemade rub I use, the spices totally enhance the flavor of the ribs and take them to the next level.
In my opinion, I can never make ribs again without this rub! P.S. there’s subtle hints of cinnamon in it! Sooo good!
I know without a shadow of a doubt you are going to be blown away by this recipe. So make sure its’ on your MUST MAKE list.
Bon Appetit friends and Happy Monday!