If you are a fan of ribs, you understand how exactly it is to sink your teeth right into a delicious piece of meat that diminishes the bone. You might also assume that you need a grill or a smoker to attain that degree of perfection.
However, what happens if I inform you that you can make mouth-watering and delicious spare ribs in your oven with simply a couple of straightforward moves or steps? Yes, you heard that correctly. You can cook ribs in the oven and get juicy and delicious outcomes every time.
You will certainly find out exactly how to prepare perfect oven-baked ribs and just how to season them, as well as how to complete them with a delicious glaze. So without wasting your precious time, Let’s move ahead with a great recipe to cook ribs in the oven.
1. Simple Ingredients for Cooking Ribs in the Oven
You will need the following ingredients to cook ribs in the oven:
- 2 racks of baby back ribs (about 3 pounds each): Baby back ribs are smaller and leaner than extra ribs or St. Louis-designed ribs. They have much more meat in between the bones, and they take less time to get cooked completely. You can use other types of ribs as well, yet you may be required to adjust cooking time as necessary.
- 1 ⁄ 4 mug of brown sugar: Brown sugar adds a sweet taste and aids in producing a caramelized crust on the ribs. You can make use of dark or light brownish sugar, depending upon your choice.
- 2 tbsps of paprika: Paprika adds shade as well as smokiness to the ribs. You can use smoked or sweet paprika, according to your preference.
- 1 tablespoon of Garlic powder: Garlic powder adds flavor and fragrance to the ribs. You can additionally use fresh garlic if you like, but minimize the amount because fresh garlic is stronger than garlic powder.
- 1 tbsp of Onion powder: Onion powder also helps in adding flavor and fragrance to the dish, and you may also use fresh and chopped onions in sufficient amounts.
- 1-1 1⁄2 tablespoons of salt: Salt helps to improve the flavor of the ribs as well as aids in drawing out some moisture from the meat.
- 1 teaspoon of black pepper: Black pepper adds a little warmth and spice to the ribs. The amount of black pepper to be added depends on your choice and preference.
- 1 cup of barbeque sauce: Barbeque sauce adds moisture and taste to the ribs. You can make use of any sort of barbeque sauce that you like, such as tangy, spicy, smoky, or fruity. You can likewise make your BBQ sauce if you have a favored dish.
2. Step-by-step procedure on How to Cook Ribs in the Oven
2.1 Preheat the Oven and Line a Baking Sheet:
The initial step to follow is to preheat your oven to 300°F and utilize a large baking sheet with aluminum or tin foil used as lining. This prevents any drippings from the ribs and ensures effortless cleanup. You have an alternative of using a roasting pan or baking dish, but be sure they are capacious enough for both racks of ribs.
2.2 Remove the Membrane from the Ribs:
One oft-overlooked but essential step when it comes to perfecting your rib at the oven is removing the thin layer of connective tissue coating each bone – commonly referred to as “the membrane.” Leaving this layer untouched can result in poor flavor absorption while also making meat tougher than intended once cooked.
Therefore, we recommend gently loosening one corner with a sharp knife before carefully peeling off said membrane with either fingers or a paper towel or towels for improved grip. Should you find parts particularly stubborn, utilizing kitchen scissors will provide more precision control over which sections deserve cutting away.
2.3 Time to Season the Ribs:
For an ideal kick-off to deliciousness in your ribs recipe- seasoning them with dry rub becomes fundamental & certainly elevates its savoriness by adding an assortment of herbs & spices, making it richer in texture as well.
Firstly, prepare the seasoning mix by blending brown sugar, paprika, onion powder, garam masala, salt & cayenne pepper(if you’d like)in adequate amounts, having accumulated them all together into a little bowl.
Now, this will serve as seasoning for our beloved ribs. Sprinkle this splendid mix across both sides & massage thoroughly with your hands, ensuring each nook & wrinkle is meticulously textured.
2.4 Wrap the Ribs in Foil Paper:
Ensuring maximum tenderness and juiciness requires taking measures such as properly wrapping your whole racks of ribs with reliable sheets of durable aluminum foil from here onwards.
From experience, enclosing these cuts into this moist environment generated through steaming yields optimal results when preparing them for consumption. Place every single rack on an extensive sheet made from aluminum, after which proceed to seal them tightly.
Check thoroughly for any openings or crevices throughout before situating them neatly onto your already assessed baking surface at last!
2.5 Bake the Ribs in the Oven:
When all preparations are complete, transfer your seasoned ribs into a preheated oven set at about 275°F and let them cook between two to two and a half hours until they attain maximum tenderness. The easiest way to comprehend this readiness milestone is by trying out whether you can insert any sharp object (fork or knife) inside the meat successfully without compromising its state significantly.
If you have some misgivings regarding this technique, it’s preferable to integrate an accurate temperature device like a digital thermometer that’ll show when your ribs reach minimum temperatures of about 145°F so that human consumption is safe.
2.6 Unwrap and Glaze the Ribs:
The next step required here is removing the aluminum foil wrap from the ribs and proceeding with glazing them. Unwrapping should be done with care, and also ensure all foil and excess liquid have been eliminated from ribs.
Place them onto a fresh baking sheet or broiler pan and delicately relocate them to a cleaned baking sheet or broiler pan. Then, finally, brush your favorite barbecue sauce over both sides of the ribs. You can use as much or as little of your favorite barbecue sauce here as you like, but we advise you to add not too much barbecue sauce because it will add a lot of flavor and moisture to the ribs.
2.7 Boil or Grill the Ribs:
Completing this recipe of delicious ribs involves broiling or grilling the ribs for a few minutes until they get that perfect outer texture with caramelization. This process also helps in thickening up and setting in that delightful sauce you have prepared over time.
If you are using an oven, then tune it into broiling mode and place your ribs around 6 inches below the heat source- Watch closely for at most five minutes or once bubbles start formulating on top of your sauce with slight charring-like features before switching off.
3. How to Serve
Bravo! Your delectable oven-baked ribs are now all set for indulgence. Would you prefer to serve these in separate portions through slicing procedures? Alternatively, enjoy it purely uncut as one complete rack.
The choice is yours entirely. With the addition of some divine barbecue sauce on the side, along with tempting sides such as coleslaw, cornbread, baked beans, or potato salad, you can enhance your taste buds with exceptional flavors.
Give that additional touch of appeal by garnishing the dish with refreshing and colorful ingredients such as chopped parsley, cilantro, or green onions.
4. How to Avoid Common Mistakes When Cooking Ribs in the Oven
4.1 Leaving the Membrane on the Back of the Ribs Unremoved:
For enhancing both flavor and texture when cooking ribs, it’s suggested to take a moment to remove their outermost thin layer known as the ‘membrane.’ This piece of tissue acts as an obstacle by blocking the proper absorption of seasoning and sauces.
In addition, failure to do so could yield tougher textures when eating. Removing this area involves starting with loosening one corner by means of using a sharp knife and then gently pulling away with either one’s fingers or paper towels.
4.2 Putting the Sauce on the Ribs Too Soon:
It is also important not to forget that sweeteners such as sugar, honey, or maple syrup are common components of most rib-based sauces. Sadly, intense heat exposure may lead their flavors to be contaminated through charring.
To ensure you achieve impeccable results with no charred aftertaste, it’s wise not to slather on any sauce too soon. Regardless of how irresistible a perfectly paired sauce might be, it’s best reserved until within the final fifteen minutes before the end of cooking time. A little extra patience will lead you towards enhancement instead of degradation of overall flavor quality!
4.3 Cooking the Ribs at High Temperature for a Long Time:
One other common mistake some people make when cooking ribs in the oven is using high heat settings that often lead to uneven cooking and dried-out meat. To prevent this from happening during your next cookout or family dinner, consider cooking your porky delights on low heat (around 300°F) for about two and a half hours or so.
This will give them just enough time to get super tender before hitting your plate. If you want even more insurance against dryness or toughness setting in during the cooking time, try folding some foil around them before placing them on the grill or in the oven.
4.4 Not Checking the Ribs from Time to Time:
Achieving ideal rib texture entails cooking them until they become superfine in their tenderness and detach effortlessly from their origin—bones!
You can double-check this criterion by probing through with a fork or knife to establish if any resistance remains while removing flesh; alternatively, use a thermometer as an additional precaution against any risk of undercooked pork—ensuring proper safety standards are met presenting an internal reading of at least 145°F.
5. Bottom line
Making finger-licking good pork ribs at home can be effortless when you bake them instead of other cooking methods like smoking or grilling.
We assure you that preparing lip-smackingly delicious pork ribs requires no advanced level of cooking skills nor any fancy kitchen equipment as they can be conveniently prepared in the oven with a few basic items most households already have.
By following this simple and foolproof guide and executing proper baking time, you will get a delectable tender and juicy meat that will impress your family and friends.
Last Updated on by Sathi Chakraborty, MSc Biology
