An easy recipe for cooking ribs in the oven. The baked ribs literally fall off the bones when done, and the bbq sauce becomes nicely caramelized.

There's no need to fire up the grill! These amazing ribs are slowly baked in the oven until the meat is tender, juicy and falls off the bones.

I love ordering ribs at bbq joints, but this is actually a surprisingly easy recipe to make at home in the oven. It requires time, but hardly any effort.

The ingredients you'll need

Here's an overview of what you'll need to make this delicious recipe. The exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below:

Avocado oil spray: A neutral-tasting oil with a high smoke point, very appropriate for cooking.

Pork spareribs: I get a whole slab rather than individually cut ribs.

Smoked salt: You can get it on Amazon (I included a link in the recipe card below). It greatly enhances the flavor of this dish.

Black pepper: Freshly ground is best.

For the homemade barbecue sauce: tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, smoked salt, black pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and maple syrup.

How to bake ribs in the oven

It's so easy! Scroll down to the recipe card for the detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:

Spray the ribs with oil. Bake them for one hour at 275°F.

Brush with a third of the barbecue sauce and return to the oven for one more hour.

Repeat this step two more times. The last time, reduce the oven temperature to 250°F.

After 4 hours of cooking, the ribs will be extremely tender. All the tough tendons have melted, and the meat literally falls off the bones as you cut the slab into individual portions.

How to cook ribs in the oven, a step by step photo collage

What bbq sauce to use?

The homemade barbecue sauce that I use is not very sweet. But it still has a fair amount of sugar from the tomato paste and the aged balsamic vinegar.

So if you prefer a less sugary rub, I suggest you try this tasty North Carolina BBQ sauce. It's wonderful!

And needless to say, you can use whatever barbecue sauce you prefer, homemade or store-bought. Just make sure that any store-bought sauce you get isn't loaded with sugar.

It's possible that a higher-sugar barbecue sauce will darken too much during baking. If you notice your ribs becoming too dark, loosely cover them with foil during the last hour or two of cooking.

What side dishes go with oven-baked ribs?

I like to serve them with one or two of the following cauliflower-based side dishes that closely mimic the traditional favorites:

Cauliflower mac and cheese
Cauliflower potato salad
Or cauliflower tots (I make them ahead, since they require a hot oven, and reheat before serving)

What about leftovers?

Leftovers of these oven-baked ribs keep well in the fridge for 4-5 days, in an airtight container. Gently reheat them, covered, in the microwave on 50% power.