In this easy recipe, beef back ribs are slowly baked in the oven, and they come out tender and flavorful.
The oven pretty much does the work for you. All you need is a few hours of your time and occasionally basting the ribs.
I love ribs! There's something almost primal about eating tender, flavorful meat right off the bone. In addition to beef back ribs, I enjoy making recipes such as country-style ribs, slow-cooker beef ribs, and oven-baked ribs.
This recipe is super easy to make and the ribs come out so tender. Whenever I spot these ribs at Whole Foods, I immediately buy them. My entire family enjoys this dish.
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Ingredients
You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make this recipe. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:
- Apple cider vinegar: I love the flavor of this vinegar and use it in many of my recipes.
- Hot pepper sauce: It doesn't make the ribs spicy. It merely adds an interesting layer of flavor.
- Beef back ribs: I usually get them at Whole Foods, but they are available in many supermarkets too.
- Olive oil spray: I love cooking with this delicious oil. But if you'd rather use an oil with a higher smoke point, you can use avocado oil instead.
- Spices: I use smoked salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder. The smoked salt adds a nice smoky flavor to the dish.
Variations
- You can vary this recipe by trying different spice combinations. In addition to the spices mentioned above, I sometimes like to add a generous pinch of cayenne pepper to make the ribs spicy. Sometimes I also add dried thyme and/or dried cumin - just ½ teaspoon of each.
- You can substitute white wine vinegar or red wine vinegar for the apple cider vinegar. I don't recommend using distilled white vinegar. It's too acidic.
Instructions
Cooking these delicious ribs is surprisingly easy. Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:
You start by placing the ribs on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Spray them with oil and sprinkle them with spices. Bake them for one hour in a 250°F oven.
Meanwhile, mix apple cider vinegar and hot pepper sauce and divide the mixture between three small bowls.
After the first hour, baste the ribs with a third of the vinegar-hot sauce marinade.
Continue baking the ribs for three more hours, basting them with the marinade two more times, and washing the basting brush with hot soapy water after each use.
At this point, after four hours in the oven, the ribs are fully cooked and tender. But I like to reduce the oven temperature to 200°F and keep them in the warm oven for one more hour, for extra tender meat with a wonderfully caramelized exterior.
Expert Tip
If the slab of ribs you purchase comes already separated into individual ribs, as shown in the video, they will cook more quickly, so you can bake them for a total of just four hours instead of five.
Recipe FAQs
These ribs are what's left after the butcher cuts the ribeye roast off the bones.
Since butchers want to maximize profit, they cut as much meat as they can. So there's not much meat left on top of the bones, but there are big chunks of delicious fatty meat between the bones.
These ribs are tough and should be cooked low and slow. When cooked properly, they become tender, succulent, and very flavorful. The fatty meat falls off the bones.
So don't try to cook them quickly! Much like other tough meats, such as chuck roast (see this pot roast recipe), brisket (check out my easy oven brisket recipe), or oven-baked spareribs, making this recipe takes time and patience.
My favorite way to cook them is in the oven. I bake them in a slow oven using smoked salt and smoked paprika to give them a smoky flavor.
Even though this recipe takes a few hours, it's an easy recipe, perfect for when you're home anyway, and can baste the ribs once in a while.
I use a marinade of vinegar and hot sauce to help tenderize and caramelize the meat and give it some extra flavor.
However, I simply brush the marinade on the ribs while they bake. I don't marinate them before cooking.
Serving Suggestions
Traditional sides served with ribs are often starchy. But I like to serve these rich, meaty ribs with vegetables to balance them out. So I often serve them with one of the following sides:
Storing Leftovers
You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. Gently reheat them in the microwave, covered, at 50% power.
Like many slow-cooked meats, the leftovers are excellent - almost as good as the freshly prepared dish.
More Rib Recipes
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Recipe Card
Beef Back Ribs Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons hot pepper sauce - Such as Frank's RedHot
- 2 racks beef back ribs - 2 pounds each
- Olive oil spray
- 2 teaspoons smoked salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 250°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or foil (for easy cleanup).
- In a small jar or bowl, whisk together the apple cider vinegar and hot sauce. Set aside.
- Place the ribs on the prepared baking sheet, bone side down (use two baking sheets if they don't fit in one). Spray the tops of the ribs with olive oil and sprinkle them with smoked salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder.
- Bake the ribs, uncovered, for 1 hour.
- Remix the apple cider vinegar marinade and divide it evenly among three small bowls. Baste the tops of the ribs with a third of the marinade.
- Return the ribs to the oven and bake them for three more hours, uncovered, basting the top with a third of the marinade every hour. Rinse the basting brush after each basting with hot, soapy water, then dry it.
- After 4 hours of baking, the ribs should be nicely browned and very tender. At this point, you can serve them. But to make them even better, reduce the oven temperature to 200°F and keep them in the oven for one more hour. This will ensure extra tender ribs with a crispy, caramelized exterior.
- Remove the ribs from the oven, cut them into six portions, and serve.
Video
Notes
- If you wish, remove the thin membrane from the bone side of the ribs. Use a blunt knife, sliding it gently between the membrane and the bones. Work the knife around to loosen the membrane, then use a paper towel to grab it and pull it away from the bones.
- If the slab of ribs you purchase is separated into individual ribs, as shown in the video, they will cook more quickly, so you can bake them for a total of just four hours instead of five.
- You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. Gently reheat them in the microwave, covered, at 50% power. Like many slow-cooked meats, the leftovers are excellent - almost as good as the freshly prepared dish.
Nutrition per Serving
Disclaimers
Cup measurements refer to the standard American cup, which is 240 milliliters. Most of my recipes are low-carb (or keto) and gluten-free, but some are not. Please verify that a recipe fits your needs before using it. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate, and the carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Nutrition info may contain errors, so please verify it independently. Recipes may contain errors, so please use your common sense when following them. Please read these Terms of Use carefully before using any of my recipes.
Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living. 
Abby
I'm going to try this! Are there instructions for slow cooker?
Vered DeLeeuw
Hi Abby,
Here's a slow cooker recipe:
https://healthyrecipesblogs.com/beef-ribs/
Dale
I thought I was a baby back rib guy, but after trying this, I don't know anymore. This was excellent. Now I can see why it gets 5 stars. I didn't have smoked paprika or smoked salt, just used regular, but now I have it on my list to get it. Thank you so much.
Vered DeLeeuw
You're very welcome, Dale! I'm so glad you enjoyed these ribs. Thank you for taking the time to leave a review.
CLAIRE MOYNIHAN
Made these last night for dinner and they were so delicious. The recipe is very easy, so the biggest commitment is time, so get them in the oven early. I had never made this style rib before. I had made braised beef short ribs, but the price of these ribs is much cheaper, so better choice for everyday. You feel like a caveman eating these ribs.
Vered DeLeeuw
"You feel like a caveman eating these ribs" - Haha, so true! Glad you enjoyed them, Claire. Thanks for the review!
Dianne
This beef rib recipe is OUTSTANDING! I made it for myself for Valentine's Day, and my dog enjoyed the bones. I have thought about it every day since - the ribs were so tender, and I loved the aroma of the vinegar/hot sauce while cooking. So much in fact that I have 4 pounds that I just put into the oven this morning! Mmmmmmmm I would not change one thing - Perfect as is!!!
Vered DeLeeuw
Yay! How wonderful that you enjoyed this recipe so much, Dianne! Thanks for the comment - I appreciate it.
Paul
Hi Do you have any suggestions on adding BBQ sauce. For example would you suggest basting with BBQ sauce during the last half hour, or after the four hours.. Just wondering if you had any thoughts on this.
Vered DeLeeuw
Hi Paul,
I would baste them with BBQ sauce after four hours, reduce the oven to 200°F, and keep them in the oven for one more hour.
Paul
Thank you for responding. By the way I tried your ribs and they are delicious, 5 stars for sure.
I am looking forward to making your other recipes as well.
Vered DeLeeuw
Thank you, Paul! Glad you liked the ribs.
Justice
Hi, I am wondering if you can taste the Apple cider vinegar?
Vered DeLeeuw
Nope! It helps tenderize the meat. You can't taste it.
Cary
Has this recipe been changed recently? I remember the measurements to be in tablespoons, not teaspoons. There doesn’t seem to be enough to coat that many ribs with teaspoon measurements.
Vered DeLeeuw
Hi Cary, the recipe hasn't been changed. I make these ribs at least once a month with no issues. But if you feel that you need more spices to coat your ribs, increase the smoked paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder by one teaspoon each.
Ann
You mention if in pieces, do 4 hours total instead of 5. Would you do 3 hours at 250 and 1 at 200?
Vered DeLeeuw
Hi Ann,
Great question! When the ribs come separated, I bake them for four hours at 250°F and skip the last hour at 200°F.
Heather
The instructions you say oven at 250 degrees F but the video says 300, can you clarify?
Vered DeLeeuw
Ahhh, that's the result of my experimentation. 🙂 I used to bake these ribs at 300°F, then tried 250°F and decided it was better. Thank you for catching this, Heather. I fixed the video to be consistent with the recipe card instructions and say 250°F.