To-die-for Pork Ribs recipe with fall apart meat slathered in a sticky homemade barbecue sauce! These oven Pork Ribs are rubbed with a spice mix, slow cooked until fall-apart-tender then basted generously with the tangy, sweet sauce.
Can’t-stop-eating it, finger-licking’ good!
Pork Ribs recipe
If you nibble daintily at a rib, holding it delicately between 2 fingers, and wipe your fingers clean with linen napkins, you and I will probably never be friends.
If you grab them with your hands, devour with gusto, get sauce all over your mouth, smearing up towards your cheekbones, then drop the bones sucked dry of every fibre of meat and sauce so they clatter dramatically on your plate, then noisily suck each and every one of your fingers clean of all that sticky barbecue sauce….
….if that’s you, then you are my kind of people.
And welcome to the pork ribs of your dreams!
These oven baked pork ribs recipe are:
- super easy
- the meat is tender
- ribs are infused with flavour from a rub AND braising the ribs in apple cider;
- finished with a simple but incredibly tasty homemade barbecue sauce.
These Oven Pork Ribs are fall apart tender and slathered with an incredible homemade barbecue sauce!
How to make Oven Pork Ribs
Here’s how I make pork ribs in the oven. There’s a few key things here:
- Rub for the pork ribs – to add flavour;
- Liquid for cooking – this is a key step for this pork ribs recipe! It creates a steamy situation while the ribs slow cook in the oven to keep them nice and juicy. My liquid of choice is alcoholic apple cider (also known as hard apple cider) because as with many things, alcohol adds extra layers of flavour. But there’s loads of other options: beer, apple juice, broth or even water;
- Homemade barbecue sauce – Ribs are a bit of an occasion around these parts so using store bought Barbecue Sauce doesn’t even cross my mind. It’s also one of those sauces that’s astonishingly simple to make at home and really is that much better than store bought because it tastes pure and real and doesn’t have that slight artificial edge of store bought. Try it once and you’ll be converted for life!
- Baste, bake, baste, bake! The more you baste-bake, the better your sticky barbecue sauce coating on the ribs.
Type of ribs to use
Oven Pork Ribs are ideal for Baby Back and St Louis Style Pork Ribs. It will also work for Pork Spareribs but the oven cook time should be reduced by 20 minutes (as they are less meaty).
🇦🇺In Australia, we do not (yet!) distinguish between various cuts of pork ribs (most are a Baby Back / St Louis style hybrid or they are very skimpy Spare Ribs). There’s also a great deal of inconsistency with how pork ribs are cut between butchers and the big grocery chains (Costco, Aldi, Woolies, Coles).
Just look for meaty pork ribs that are nice an fatty. Avoid the ribs that are cut so close to the bone on both sides there’s barely any meat – miserable eating experience plus it’s criminal to pay for 70% bone!
What you need for Oven Pork Ribs with Barbecue Sauce
And here’s what you need. Nothing unique here, except perhaps the molasses in the barbecue sauce.
I can’t remember where I first saw it, but I added it to my barbecue sauce once then I never looked back. It adds colour and intensity of flavour that can’t be replicated! Truly worth using if you can get your hands on it. If not, don’t fret – substitute with golden syrup or use dark brown sugar instead of normal brown sugar. Similar result!
Barbecue Sauce for Pork Ribs
The barbecue sauce in this recipe is used for both glazing and serving. It is literally a plonk and simmer job. Low maintenance and effortless, and really tastes of pure flavour compared to store bought (says she who has done side-by-side taste testing!).
It will look like we’re making a LOT, with the recipe calling for 1 1/2 cups of ketchup. But trust me when I say you want to have more rather than too little. There’s nothing worse than being stingy when glazing the ribs – you want to slather generously with abundance without worrying about saving some for serving!
(PS And if you’re a sticky BBQ Sauce lover, try this BBQ Brisket and BBQ Beef Ribs next…)
What to serve with Pork Ribs
In the spirit of a Southern barbecue feast, serve up your sticky oven pork ribs with a side of Macaroni Salad and corn on the cob (try the most amazing GRILLED Buttered Corn!).
Other favourites include:
- Potato Salad – or try a fabulous mayo free Lemon Potato Salad
- Mac and Cheese
- Corn Bread or Corn Bread Muffins (or try these Cheese Muffins)
And for something fresh, try this Tomato, Corn and Avocado Salad.
This is a forgiving pork ribs recipe – and it’s loaded with plenty of flavour!
As long as you get nice juicy, fatty ribs (which they typically are), it will be pretty hard to stuff this recipe up! Ribs are a tough cut of meat so they’re made for slow cooking until it’s nice and tender.
It’s quite forgiving with the cook time, unlike some other types of proteins like poultry. So even if you cook it 30 minutes too long, it will still be juicy and delicious.
There is simply no way to look elegant eating pork ribs. Just accept you will have very sticky fingers, sauce smeared on your face and a huge goofy grin! -Nagi x
Watch how to make it
Note: BBQ Sauce ingredients not consistency with the recipe!! I used the wrong version 😩 Will update shortly – same process, just different ingredients!
More rib recipes
- Oven Baked Pork Ribs with Chipotle BBQ Sauce
- Sticky Chinese Pork Spare Ribs
- Braised Beef Short Ribs in Red Wine Sauce
- Fiery Fall Apart Mexican Beef Ribs with Green Mexican Rice
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Oven Pork Ribs with Barbecue Sauce
Ingredients
Barbecue Rub for Ribs:
- 2.5 tsp paprika powder
- 2 tsp garlic powder (sub with onion powder)
- 1.5 tsp onion powder (sub with garlic powder)
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper (omit for not spicy)
- 1.5 tsp dried thyme
- 1.5 tsp dried oregano
- 1.5 tsp salt
- 0.5 tsp black pepper
Ribs
- 2 - 2.5kg / 4 - 5lb pork ribs (2 racks)
- 3/4 cup sweet alcoholic apple cider (hard cider) , or apple juice (Note 2)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Homemade Barbecue Sauce
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar (Note 3)
- 1 1/2 cups tomato ketchup (or Aussie tomato sauce)
- 1/2 cup water (or use remaining apple cider!)
- 1 1/2 tbsp molasses , orginal (not blackstrap, Note 4)
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 2 tsp mustard powder
- 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp Tabasco or cayenne pepper (optional, for spiciness)
Instructions
- Combine the Rub ingredients and rub onto both sides of the ribs (most on meaty side). Set aside to marinate for 20 minutes (or overnight).
- Preheat oven to 160°C/320°F (all oven types).
- Place ribs on a tray in a single layer. Pour apple cider underneath the ribs, cover with foil then bake for 1 hour 30 minutes or until the meat is pretty tender (Note 5).
- Remove from oven, turn up to 180°C/350°F. Remove foil, drizzle with olive oil, then return ribs to oven for 15 minutes or until rub becomes nice and crusty.
- Line a new tray with foil then baking / parchment paper (you'll thank me later).
- Remove ribs from oven, transfer to lined tray. Pour any juices from tray over the ribs.
- Flip ribs so the bonier side is up. Slather with Barbecue Sauce, then bake 10 minutes.
- Remove from oven, then turn ribs over so the meaty side is up. Slather with Barbecue Sauce, bake 5 minutes. Repeat 2 or 3 more times until you've got a thick glaze on the ribs.
- Cut ribs into individual or multiple rib portions and serve with remaining Barbcue Sauce!
Barbecue Sauce
- Place all ingredients in a saucepan and simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes or until thickened.
- Adjust to taste: sweetness with brown sugar / honey, salt and sour with vinegar. Use for glazing ribs and as a sauce for serving.
Recipe Notes:
- Follow recipe to end of Step 4 (ie 2nd baked uncovered to make Rub crusty)
- Brush bony side of ribs with sauce, then cook on BBQ indirect heat on high (bony side up) with lid down for 5 minutes.
- Flip so meaty side is up, baste, cook with lid down for 5 minutes. Repeat 3 times until you have a nice caramelised glaze!
Nutrition Information:
Pork ribs recipe originally published January 2016. Updated August 2019 with new photos, improved recipe, brand new video and new Life of Dozer section added!
Life of Dozer
He doesn’t need a 4 leaf clover for luck. He was BORN lucky….. at least, from the moment he became MINE!! #spoiltbrat #wantfornothing #PrinceDozer
Second time I’ve made these ribs. So tasty, so tender. Delicious! Kids said it was the best meal I’ve made. Your instructions are so clear and easy to follow.
I’m so glad you love them Michelle, thanks so much!! N x
YUM YUM YUM
we made these last night, Nagi your recipes never fail and are always delicious. Thanks for another amazing recipe!
O M G this is so good. Absolutely loved this and will do this again. Thank you for the receipe
Hi Nagi! Any ideas about what can be used as a substitute for Worcestershire sauce?thanks for the recipe !😍
Hi Nagi, quick question before we make these tomorrow… The racks we’ve bought are small-ish. Smaller than what is shown in your video. Would cooking time change? Or as per recipe? Thanks!!
Cooking time will be less depending on their size Sasha, what weight are they? N x
I have 3 x 600g racks.. thanks!
I have 3 x 600g racks. Thanks!
Absolutely delicious! The ribs turnout moist and tender. Made these for many times now, hubby and friends loved it. Thank you Nagi
Hey Nagi! Thank you very much for this recipe. My family loved it, and I found it really easy and really delicious. I’ve become a devoted follower of your blog because it always has very good recipes, and these ribs are some of the best. Thanks!
This receipt was great. Watching the football, and then this dinner.my family and I loved it. Thank you
Hi Nagi!
My friends and I LOVE these ribs!
Question for you: Can you send me the original BBQ sauce recipe? I remember when this was first published the sauce used balsamic vinegar. We actually like that version the best. I don’t know what other changes there were to the recipe…
If I could get the original recipe that would be amazing!!
Thanks,
-Christine
Delicious & melts in your mouth 😋
Hey Nagi!
Can I use blackstrap molasses? I cant find the original at coles or anywhere. Thanks
Thank you again Nagi for another winner recipe. It was an easy recipe to follow. I made this for my son’s birthday and it was an absolute hit. Not a lot of conversation but alot of Mmmmm…….Mmmmming because it was just soooooo good!!!!
I still got tons of sauce left over! How long does it keep in the fridge? It tasted bomb!!
Hi Benni, keep up tp 3 days in the fridge or freeze up to 3 months! N x
Can I make this recipe with Country Style Pork Ribs…
They are quite meaty and have bone…. similar to beef short ribs.
I made this before and everyone loves it?
Here are my question? Isn’t fine if chicken wings instead of pork ribs?
Cooked these Pork Ribs for dinner tonight and they were absolutely the best we’ve ever had. My husband couldn’t stop licking his fingers.
Delicious. Cooked this for the family, received a comment that this was “finger licking good”. I actually had 4 pieces of ribs, so had two trays in the oven. Worked out fine. I sadly ran out of tomato sauce so my homemade BBQ sauce batch wasn’t a lot.. so I ended up using bottled BBQ sauce for second coat basting and serving.. still delicious, but I’m sure it will be better the second time I make this with a lot more of that homemade BBQ sauce goodness! Thanks Nagi for another brilliant recipe.
Saturday night dinner…pork ribs. Made exactly as Nagi wrote…with home made bbq sauce with macaroni salad and tomato, corn and avocado salad. A lot of work for me but well worth it just for the looks of enjoyment on family faces..and bbq sauce smiles smeared across their faces. Does life get better than this…well yes, yes it does, Sunday dinner, Beef Rib roast. Thank you Nagi…you have taught me to cook.
Another fantastic tin eats meal. Followed these instructions and had tender, tasty ribs – pretty easy but great end result, thanks Nagi
My store carries Dry Mustard Powder $$ and Ground Mustard Powder $.
Which should I use?