Beef Ribs– Our beef ribs cook in the oven until they are fall-off-the-bone good with little to no effort! Seasoned with a delicious, simple BBQ Rub– our ribs bake at low temperature for two hours, resulting in tender, juicy ribs packed with flavor.
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE
- Homemade BBQ Rub: You cannot go wrong with our simple, homemade Rib Rub. I often double or triple the batch and store the rub in an air-tight container, so I always have some on hand- especially during the grilling months. If you prefer store-bought, I recommend mixing Montreal’s with a bit of brown sugar; two tablespoons should do the trick.
- Beef Ribs: Two full racks of beef ribs feed our family of 6 with leftovers. Be sure to remove the membrane before cooking, then cut the rack into slabs of 3-4. Cutting the ribs into slabs beforehand is a game-changer, and it’s the easiest way to serve ribs hot off the grill.
- BBQ Sauce: I don’t know about you, but our go-to for barbecue sauce is Sweet Baby Ray’s. It’s delicious, and they offer sugar-free, which makes everyone in our family happy.
HOW TO COOK BEEF RIBS IN THE OVEN
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Preheat the oven to 300° F (148° C). Then, prepare the beef ribs by removing the silver membrane (see note) and cutting them into slabs of 3-4 bones.
Coat them on either side with Rib Rub.
Wrap the ribs in foil and line them onto a rimmed baking sheet. Bake on the middle rack for 2 hours.
Remove the ribs from the foil and brush them with bbq sauce using a pastry brush. Set the oven to a low broil and cook the ribs uncovered for 5-8 minutes until they are sizzling.
Allow the ribs to cool before serving, and enjoy!
HOW DO YOU REMOVE THE MEMBRANE FROM RIBS
For the best results, remove the thin layer of tough membrane attached to the ribs. Leaving it on results in tough meat and less flavor.
1. Slide a knife under the membrane.
2. Lift and pull the membrane until it tears. Use your knife to pull it away if necessary.
3. Using a paper towel or your hand, grab the edge and pull it off. If you’re lucky, it will come off in one try. Otherwise, you may need to remove it in smaller sections.
COOKING TIPS
- Prepare the Ribs: Remove the membrane and cut the ribs into slabs of 3-4; this is the easiest way to serve ribs hot off the grill.
- Remove the Membrane: Follow the instructions for removing the membrane from the ribs. Leaving it on results in tough ribs, and no one wants that.
SEARCHING FOR MORE LIKE THIS?
If you love this recipe, try one of these beef favorites!
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
- Corn on the Cob, Grilled Zucchini
- Baked Beans
- Vinegar Coleslaw, Homemade Coleslaw with Mint and Cilantro
- Avocado Cucumber Tomato Salad, Vegetable Chopped Salad
- Baked Potatoes, Healthy Potato Salad
- Rice Pilaf, Brown Rice
- Mashed Cauliflower
- Roasted Potatoes, French Fries
WHAT TO DO WITH THE LEFTOVERS
- Refrigerate – They will keep for 3 to 4 days, stored in an airtight container.
- Freeze – Wrap the leftovers in foil and store them in a freezer-safe container or bag. Beef ribs freeze for 1-2 months.
- Reheat – Defrost the ribs in the fridge overnight if they are frozen. Then, preheat the oven to 250° F (121° C). To ensure they are moist and juicy, I recommend adding more BBQ sauce and wrapping them in foil. Bake the ribs until they reach an internal temperature of 145° F (62° C), then bake them uncovered for another 10 minutes.
- Reheat– Eat leftover ribs as is, or add them to a tortilla or bread and make a BBQ wrap or sandwich. You can also turn them into a taco and top them with chopped cilantro and red onion. Add them to a homemade pizza as a topping.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Are beef ribs hard to cook?
Cooking ribs can be tricky-it’s true. However, our oven-baked recipe makes the process much easier. As long as you cook the ribs at a lower temperature for longer, you will create a delicious meal without much fuss.
Grilled ribs require close monitoring. They cook low and slow like oven-baked ribs, but you’ll want to check in on them every 20-30 minutes to maintain the grill temperature and ensure they aren’t cooking over any hot spots.
What temperature should beef ribs be cooked to?
The safe internal temperature for ribs is between 190° F (87° C) and 200° F (93° C). I prefer the tenderness of ribs at 200° F (93° C), but that’s a personal preference. If you haven’t purchased a meat thermometer, check out the one we use; it’s worth the investment for perfectly cooked ribs every time!
Are beef ribs and beef short ribs the same?
This recipe is for beef back ribs- found between the bones. They tend to have less meat than short ribs. Short ribs are located beneath the back ribs. They’re covered by a layer of meat and have more meat, making them the perfect candidate for a good braise.
YOU SHOULD ALSO TRY:
Beef Ribs in the Oven
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Homemade BBQ Rub:
For the Beef Ribs:
- 2 racks beef ribs, membrane removed, and cut into slabs of 3-4
- ½ cup BBQ sauce
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300° F (148° C). Then, prepare the beef ribs by removing the silver membrane (see note) and cutting them into slabs of 3-4 bones. Coat them on either side with the homemade BBQ rub.
- Wrap them in foil and line them onto a rimmed baking sheet. Bake on the middle rack for 2 hours.
- Remove the ribs from the foil and brush them with bbq sauce using a pastry brush. Then, low broil the uncovered for 5-8 minutes until they are sizzling.
- Allow the ribs to cool before serving, and enjoy!
Notes
- Prepare the Ribs: Remove the membrane and cut the ribs into slabs of 3-4; this is the easiest way to serve ribs hot off the grill.
- Remove the Membrane: Follow the instructions for removing the membrane from the ribs. Leaving it on results in tough ribs, and no one wants that.
- The safe internal temperature for ribs is between 190° F (87° C) and 200° F (93° C). I prefer the tenderness of ribs at 200° F (93° C), but that’s a personal preference. If you haven’t purchased a meat thermometer, check out the one we use; it’s worth the investment for perfectly cooked ribs every time!
- Slide a knife under the membrane.
- Lift and pull the membrane until it tears. Use your knife to pull it away if necessary.
- Using a paper towel or your hand, grab the edge and pull it off. If you’re lucky, it will come off in one try. Otherwise, you may need to remove it in smaller sections.
- The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional advice.
- Check out our web story for beef ribs!
RJ
Wednesday 1st of June 2022
These ribs are indeed finger-licking good! They fall right off the bone and the flavor is so rich. The kids and adults in our family were both left fighting over the remaining ribs.
Tressa Jamil
Friday 3rd of June 2022
Wow, thank you for taking the time to comment. I am so glad everyone enjoyed the ribs.