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Barbeque beef ribs with bowls of sides.

The Best Oven Baked BBQ Beef Back Ribs Recipe

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This oven baked BBQ beef back ribs recipe is the absolute best on the web, period! I’ve tried them all, and they come mother-in-law approved—more on that in a second. If you’re craving a rack of juicy ribs with a deep rich flavor, perfect for warm weather with natural flavors developed with a slow cooking process for a special occasion or any time of year – this is the recipe for you! It slow cooks and is a simple recipe to make.

Person brushing barbeque sauce onto beef back ribs.

It’s no-fuss made with a simple to do oven method for oven-baked ribs. No need to have a grill. My mother-in-law has also made these for my partner and me for fifteen years. No joke – she whips up these delicious ribs every time we visit. It’s our literal favorite. I know they will be for you too!

The dry rub utilizes smoked salt, adobo sauce and powder, and smoked paprika to infuse smokiness into the meat. That’s the real secret.

Beef back barbeque ribs on a table with sides including corn and salad.

Again, a low and slow process bake in the oven melts the fat and tenderizes the connective tissue of the rib while a quick broil at the end gets the surface browned and crispy. Those crispy edges and divine. Finally, a slathering of barbeque sauce over the ribs adds the perfect amount of sweetness to balance out the savory and smoky flavor of the ribs.

Barbeque beef ribs with bowls of sides.

Dry Rub Ingredients

Ingredients for oven baked barbeque ribs including dark brown sugar, smoked paprika, and adobo powder.

Some people only like a dry rub on their ribs, and others only like to sauce them. But in my opinion, the best way is to do both! Life’s too short to pick just one. Use your dry rub and sauce together for the perfect bite. In the end a dry rub supplies sugar to help caramelize and salt seep into the meat of the ribs. A dry rub will help build flavor through the entire rib, ensuring every inch of it is flavorful.

Beef Rib Back Ribs Dry Rub Ingredients

¼ cup dark brown sugar

2 tablespoons smoked sea salt (I used Maldon)

2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

½ tablespoon adobo powder

½ tablespoon chili powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 teaspoons allspice

1/3 to 1/2 cup diced chipotle peppers*

*Diced chipotle peppers are diced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. If you can’t find diced, buy chipotle peppers in adobo sauce and dice them up yourself. 

Dry Rub Instructions

Rack of beef back ribs next to a bowl of dry rub.

Mix all the spices together in a small bowl and set aside. 

In another bowl, measure out the diced chipotle peppers and set aside.

Favorite BBQ Ribs Sauce

Ingredients for homemade barbeque sauce including ketchup, apple cider vinegar, and Coca-Cola.

While a dry rub will help season the entire rib, the flavors tend to be more subtle. Saucing the ribs adds more extravagant flavor to the surface of the rib and allows you to have a contrast of sweet and savory in each bite. 

While the ribs are cooking, make the barbecue sauce. This homemade BBQ sauce should be on your BBQ bucket list. I promise it will quickly become your favorite. If you don’t want to make your own, consider Sweet Rays BBQ sauce. Just be sure to salt, pepper and apply a little bit of yellow mustard to the ribs first for a more complex finish.

Barbecue Sauce Ingredients

Barbeque sauce ingredients on a counter with a whisk.

2 cups Coca-Cola 

1 cup ketchup

½ cup Heinz Chili Sauce or Cocktail Sauce

¼ cup Worcestershire sauce

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 

2 teaspoons garlic, minced. Can substitute for garlic powder 

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Barbecue Sauce Instructions

Barbeque sauce ingredients next to an empty saucepan.

In a small saucepan, whisk together all the ingredients over medium-high heat. 

Empty bowls next to a saucepan filled with barbeque sauce ingredients.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.

Barbeque sauce simmering in a saucepan.

Allow to cool to room temperature before using.

How to prepare beef back ribs for cooking

Person using a knife to remove slabs of fat from a rack of beef ribs.

First, trim and remove any thick and hard slabs of fat from the full slab of ribs.

The next step is to remove the membrane that is on the back side (concave side) of the ribs. It’s important to remove because flavors can’t penetrate this tough barrier.

Turn your rib rack over. Insert a butter knife or spoon handle between the membrane and the ribs to loosen.

Person pulling the membrane off of a rack of beef ribs.

Use a paper towel to grasp the membrane and pull it away gently to remove. 

Make sure to hold the membrane close to where it connects to the ribs and to pull at an angle. This will make it easier to remove the membrane in one long strip. 

Once the membrane has been removed, pat the rib rack dry with paper towels. 

Apply the dry rub

Person brushing adobo sauce onto the meaty side of beef back ribs.

Place one long piece of plastic wrap on the counter and place the rib rack on top.

Person brushing adobo sauce onto the back of beef back ribs.

Using a pastry brush, spread half of the adobo sauce in a thin and even layer over to top of the rib rack. This is above the rack of ribs and individual bones. But you can’t go wrong.

Rack of beef back ribs coated in adobo sauce.

Sprinkle half the dry rub over the layer of adobo sauce. Use your hands to press the rub mixture into the sauce and rib meat.

Person putting dry rub onto beef back ribs.

Turn the rib rack over, brush with the adobo sauce, and press the rub mixture into the sauce and rib meat.

Plastic wrap under a rack of beef back ribs.

Wrap the ribs in plastic wrap, place on a rimmed baking or cookie sheet and put in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Baking beef rib backs in the oven.

Take the ribs out of the refrigerator and unwrap them.

Seasoned beef back ribs on aluminum foil next to a baking sheet.

Wrap the rib rack in a double layer of aluminum foil.

Foil packet on a wire rack over a baking sheet.

Place a wire cooling rack inside a raised edge baking sheet. Put the rib rack on top, meat-side facing up.

Bake for 2.5 to 3.5 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 202 degrees F. You want to cook these at a low temperature to get your beef rib recipe tender.

Take the ribs out and change the oven to broil.

Cooked beef back ribs on a wire rack over a baking sheet.

Remove the ribs from the foil packet. Place the ribs bone side up (concave side up), on the wire rack.

Place the baking sheet on the upper middle oven rack and broil until well browned and crispy in parts, about 5 to 10 minutes.

Flip ribs meat side up and cook until well browned and crispy, about 5 to 7 minutes more.

Applying the BBQ sauce

Person brushing barbeque sauce onto cooked beef back ribs.

Take the ribs out and brush them with about two thirds of the BBQ sauce. Let the ribs rest for 10 minutes. 

Beef back ribs coated in barbeque sauce.

Add more sauce if desired or cut into individual ribs and serve the remainder of the sauce on the side.

Frequently Asked Questions About A Easy Oven Baked BBQ Beef Back Ribs Recipe

What are beef back ribs?

Knife next to a partially-cut back of beef back ribs.

Out of all the rib cuts, beef back ribs are often overlooked. Beef back ribs come off the spine of the cow and run along the top of the animal.

Beef back ribs are the bones that have been removed when a butcher is trimming a boneless rib eye steak or boneless prime rib roasts.

Because beef back ribs have less meat than other cuts and is the discard of more expensive cuts of meat, they are more economical. 

Salad, corn, and other sides next to pieces of beef back ribs.

Having less meat might sound like a rotten deal. But because they are less meaty, they take less time to cook than other cuts.

But here’s the real reason why less is more: because there is less meat, there is more surface to season and caramelize with heat. 

Meaning if you like that top flavorful layer that is the perfect mix of seasoning and fat (aka the bark or crust), this cut of beef is for you.

How should I cook beef back ribs?

Person brushing barbeque sauce onto slices of beef back ribs.

While there are several different cooking methods (smoking, grilling, oven-baked), they all share the same principle: low and slow. Low heat and an extended cooking time is the cooking technique that makes this cut of meat shine.

If the law of low and slow is followed, any of the cooking methods are acceptable options to cook beef back ribs. Just pick the method that works best for you. 

How to buy beef back ribs?

When shopping for beef back ribs, there are a couple of things to look out for. 

You’ll want to look for slabs with a thick layer of meat that covers the bones and good marbling (fat is evenly distributed and mixed in with the layers of meat).

Beef ribs are typically sold in racks of seven bones. For this easy recipe, you will need 1 beef back rib rack of about 2 to 3 pounds.

What should I serve with beef back ribs?

Slices of beef back ribs on a table with other foods.

The possibilities are endless. But you can’t go wrong with classic BBQ sides like:

Cornbread 

Corn on the cob

Coleslaw

Macaroni and cheese

Potato salad

Recipe Card

Knife next to a partially-cut back of beef back ribs.

The Best Oven Baked BBQ Beef Back Ribs Recipe

Avatar for Anthony RodriguezAnthony Rodriguez
This oven baked BBQ beef back ribs recipe is the absolute best on the web, period! I've tried them all, and they come with my mother-in-law's approval. If you’re craving a rack of juicy ribs with a deep, rich flavor that is perfect for warm weather with natural flavors developed with a slow cooking process for a special occasion or any time of year, this is the recipe for you!
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Resting Time 10 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 10 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 7 people
Calories 1725 kcal

Ingredients
  

Dry Rub Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup Dark brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp Smoked sea salt 2 tablespoons I use Maldon
  • 1 tbsp Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tbsp Smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tbps Adobo powder
  • 1/2 tbsp Chili powder
  • 2 tsp Cinnamon
  • 2 tsp Allspice
  • 1/3 cup Diced Chipotle peppers Diced chipotle peppers are diced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. If you can’t find diced, buy chipotle peppers in adobo sauce and dice them yourself. 

Barbecue Sauce Ingredients

  • 2 cups Coca-Cola  
  • 1 cup Ketchup
  • 1/2 cup Heinz Chili Sauce or Cocktail Sauce I prefer Chili sauce
  • 1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
  • 3 tbsp Apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tsp Minced garlic
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Instructions
 

Dry Rub Instructions

  • Mix all the spices together in a small bowl and set aside
  • In another bowl, measure the diced chipotles and set them aside.

Barbecue Sauce Instructions

  • In a small saucepan, whisk together all the ingredients over medium-high heat.
  • Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.
  • Allow to cool to room temperature before using

How to prepare beef back ribs for cooking

  • first, trim and remove any thick slabs of fat
  • The next step is to remove the membrane on the ribs' back side (concave side). It’s important to remove because flavors can’t penetrate this formidable barrier
  • Turn your rib rack over. Insert a butter knife or spoon handle between the membrane and the ribs to loosen.
  • Use a paper towel to grasp the membrane and pull it away gently to remove it.
  • Make sure to hold the membrane close to where it connects to the ribs and to pull at an angle. This will make it easier to remove the membrane in one long strip.
  • Once the membrane has been removed, dry the rib rack with paper towels.

Apply the dry rub

  • Place one long piece of plastic wrap on the counter and place the rib rack on top.
  • Using a pastry brush, spread half of the adobo sauce in a thin and even layer over the top of the rib rack
  • Sprinkle half the dry rub over the layer of adobo sauce. Use your hands to press the rub mixture into the sauce and rib meat.
  • Turn the rib rack over, brush with the adobo sauce, and press the rub mixture into the sauce and rib meat.
  • Wrap the ribs in plastic wrap, place on a rimmed baking sheet, and put in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.

Baking beef rib backs in the oven

  • Preheat the oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Take the ribs out of the refrigerator and unwrap them.
  • Wrap the rib rack in a double layer of aluminum foil.
  • Place a wire cooling rack inside a raised-edge baking sheet. Put the rib rack on top, with the meat side facing up.=
  • Bake for 2.5 to 3.5 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 202 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Take the ribs out and change the oven to broil.
  • Remove the ribs from the foil packet. Place the rib bone side up (concave side up) on the wire rack.
  • Place the baking sheet on the upper middle oven rack and broil until well browned and crispy in parts, about 5 to 10 minutes.
  • Flip the ribs' meat side up and cook until well browned and crispy, for about 5 to 7 minutes.

Applying the BBQ sauce

  • Take the ribs out and brush them with about two thirds of the BBQ sauce. Let the ribs rest for 10 minutes.
  • Add more sauce if desired, or cut into individual ribs and serve the remainder of the sauce on the side.

Notes

  • Diced chipotle peppers are diced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. If you can’t find diced, buy chipotle peppers in adobo sauce and dice them yourself.
  • Cooking time depends on the weight. A 2-pound rib rack will usually take 2.5-3.5 hours to cook. A 4-pound rib rack, like the one used in the pictures, can take 5.5 to 6.5 hours to cook.

Nutrition

Calories: 1725kcal
Keyword bbq ribs, beef back ribs recipe, ribs, ribs recipe, The best Oven Baked BBQ Beef Back Ribs Recipe
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

1 Comment

  1. Avatar for Anthony Rodriguez

    Anthony Rodriguez

    November 17, 2024 at 10:02 pm

    5 stars
    Delicious!

    Reply

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