How to Make Ribs in the Oven

Moist, flavorful ribs are a delicious entrée that deserves to be enjoyed year-round. For moments when you’re craving the sweet and savory taste of ribs, without the option of grilling outside, cooking ribs in the oven is an excellent option that can produce great results. Explore other ways to grill in your oven and new recipes to try.

Keep reading for tips on how to incorporate your own creative flair into a classic plate of ribs, suggestions for the best ribs to use in the oven and how to keep ribs moist once stored.

Oven-Baked Ribs Recipe

Enjoy the quintessential taste of summer with delicious ribs all year-round by mastering oven-baked ribs. The dry rub, sauce and level of heat can all factor into creating fall-off-the-bone perfection. This recipe for oven-baked ribs can help you transform this classic dish into something that’s uniquely yours.

Step 1. Prepare the dry rub

Combine salt, black pepper, garlic powder and onion powder in a small bowl and set aside. Remove silverskin from the back of the ribs with a knife and pat ribs dry with a paper towel.

Step 2. Apply the dry rub

Massage the mixture of dry rub spices onto the ribs and be sure to cover the entire outer layer. To maximize the flavor of your ribs, place ribs on a large plate or dish before covering with plastic wrap and letting them rest, in the refrigerator, for 8 hours or overnight. 

Step 3. Cook ribs in the oven

Preheat the oven to 225°F. Add apple juice to the bottom of the cooking pan. Pour the juice directly into the bottom of the pan, ensuring that the ribs are not fully submerged in liquid. This allows the dry rub to stay on the outer layer of the meat. Cover ribs with aluminum foil and bake for 3 hours or until rib meat reaches a temperature of 180 - 190F.

Step 4. Add barbeque sauce

After ribs have been baking for 3 hours, remove them from the oven and slather with barbeque sauce. Using a basting brush for this step can give you more control over the application of the barbeque sauce and ensure the ribs have an even coating of sauce.

Step 5. Broil ribs

For the final step, transfer ribs to the broiler and spread barbeque sauce over the top every 3 minutes to help them retain moisture. Do this as many times as needed to achieve your desired sauce ratio and level of char.

Shop KitchenAid® Ovens

KitchenAid^® ovens are designed to help you unlock more culinary possibilities in the kitchen, giving you the ability to explore each recipe to the fullest. Select models of KitchenAid^® ovens feature the Even-Heat™ Thermal Bake/Broil cycles that help you maintain the perfect temperature while cooking delicious meals, like oven-baked ribs.

What Are the Best Types of Ribs to Make in the Oven?

Pork spare ribs are an ideal type of rib to use when making oven-baked ribs, as they take longer to cook and have additional fat. As you slow cook spare ribs in the oven on low heat, the pork and marbled fat will create a tender bite and delectably sweet, fatty flavor.

You can use either beef ribs or pork ribs, depending on the recipe and flavor profile you desire to create. Pork ribs, however, showcase a delicious sweet, meaty and succulent flavor that contrasts beautifully against savory dry rubs and sugary barbeque rib sauces.

Do You Cover Ribs in the Oven?

If you’re cooking ribs in the oven, covering them with aluminum foil can ensure that the apple juice or any other liquid placed in the bottom of the pan is incorporated into the pork. Leaving ribs uncovered in the oven could make them dry and even slightly scorched on the outer layer.

How Long Do You Let Ribs Rest?

You can let your ribs rest for around 10 minutes. You may want to tent foil over top of your ribs so they retain heat while resting. Pay attention to the temperature of your ribs after you take them out of the oven and while they rest to make sure you serve them at your desired temperature.

What to Do if Ribs Are Dry?

Ribs can become dry if you forget to remove the membrane from the rack, which is also known as “silverskin”, or if you cook them on high heat for too long. If your ribs are too dry, apple cider vinegar can help tenderize the meat.

Mix half barbeque sauce and half apple cider vinegar into a bowl and slather the mixture on your ribs before putting them back in the oven on low heat.

How to Store Ribs in the Refrigerator

If you find that you have extra ribs, storing them for a later time is fairly simple. Place your cooked ribs in a shallow container and allow them to cool before either vacuum sealing them with their sauce or storing them in an airtight container. Refrain from letting your ribs sit out for too long.

Ribs typically last up to 4 days in the refrigerator if stored properly, but may last a few months in the freezer, so select whichever option is best for you.

Can You Freeze Cooked Ribs?

After your ribs have been completely cooked in the oven, let them cool to room temperature. Once they have cooled, wrap them in two layers of foil, making sure they are completely sealed before placing them in the freezer. 

Consider freezing entire racks of ribs if you have enough left over. When you reheat your ribs, serving them in whole racks can make them look more pleasing.

Explore KitchenAid® Ovens

KitchenAid^® ovens are designed to be as versatile as you are. With features like Even-Heat^™ True Convection and Smart Oven+ attachments on select models, you can explore multiple recipes in a single oven. Whether you’re tackling a new recipe for ribs or serving up a delicate plate of scrumptious lavender honey macarons, KitchenAid^® ovens offer features that help you master every new recipe.