Bake beef ribs in the oven until they’re fall-off-the-bone tender with minimal effort! Coated in a homemade rib rub, they bake low and slow for two hours, resulting in juicy, flavorful ribs. Short on time? Make Instant Pot beef ribs instead—they’re ready in just one hour!
What are Beef Back Ribs?
Beef back ribs come from the upper rib section of the cow, the same area as prime rib. After the rib roast is trimmed, the meat remaining between the bones is beef back ribs.
While they are not as meaty as short ribs, they are packed with rich, beefy flavor. These ribs are ideal for slow cooking, letting the oven do the work while you prepare side dishes and spend time with your family.
Key Ingredients
You don’t actually need a grill or smoker to make ribs. These baked beef back ribs slow-cook right in the oven until the meat practically melts off the bone.
- Rib Rub: You can’t go wrong with a simple homemade rib rub recipe. Make your own by mixing Diamond Crystal kosher salt, MSG, coarse black pepper, smoked paprika, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, and a pinch of cayenne pepper in a small bowl. There will be leftovers, so the spice blend is always ready to go.
- Ribs: Two racks of beef back ribs are perfect for feeding your family with leftovers to spare. Choose meaty ribs with marbling. Avoid cuts with too much silver skin, which tends to be tougher. Remove the membrane and cut the racks into 3–4 bone slabs before baking to make serving easier later.
- BBQ Sauce: Slather the ribs with your favorite BBQ sauce. My go-to store-bought barbecue sauce is Sweet Baby Rays.
Additions and Substitutions
I love making my own seasoning blends for ribs, like this mustard rib rub made with simple pantry staples. But if you’d rather skip the prep, there are plenty of great store-bought BBQ rubs you can grab online or at your local grocery store.
- Kinder’s Hickory Brown Sugar
- Meat Church Honey Hog
- Hardcore Carnivore Black
- Meat Church Holy Cow
- Killer Hogs BBQ Rub
- Cimmaron Docs Sweet Rib Rub
- REO Rib Rub
Equipment
You’ll need a paring knife to remove the silver skin membrane from the ribs and a chef’s knife to cut them into slabs.
Bake the ribs on a rimmed baking sheet with a wire rack or in a large baking dish. A basting brush works well for spreading the barbecue sauce, but you can also use clean hands or the back of a spoon to coat the ribs.
Prepare the Beef Ribs
How do you remove the membrane from ribs?
For tender, flavorful ribs, be sure to remove the thick membrane from the back. Leaving it on can make the meat tough and chewy, and prevent the spice rub from soaking in.
1. Slide a sharp paring knife under the thick membrane.
2. Gently lift and pull the membrane until it tears away, using your knife to help separate it as needed.
3. Grab the edge of the membrane with your hand or a paper towel and gently pull it off. If you’re lucky, it will come off in one piece, but you may need to remove it in smaller sections.
How to Bake Beef Ribs in the Oven
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Combine the spices for the rib rub in a small bowl and set them aside.
Step 2: Remove the membrane and cut the ribs into slabs of 3-4 bones. Coat them on all sides with the rub. Cover them with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Step 3: Preheat the oven to 300°F (148°C). Remove the ribs from the fridge and let them come to room temperature. Wrap them in foil and place them bone-side down on a wire rack set onto a rimmed baking sheet. Bake on the middle rack for 2-3 hours.
Step 4: Unwrap the ribs brush them with your favorite BBQ sauce. Broil uncovered on high for 3-5 minutes until caramelized. Remove the ribs from the oven and let them rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
What temperature should beef ribs cook to?
The ideal internal temperature for beef ribs falls between 190°F (87°C) and 200°F (93°C). Personally, I love the extra tenderness at 200°F (93°C), but it comes down to preference. If you don’t already have a meat thermometer, it’s worth investing in one for perfectly cooked ribs every time!
Expert Tips
- Start with room-temperature ribs. Let the ribs sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking to ensure even cooking.
- Remove the membrane. Slide a sharp paring knife under the thick membrane. Gently lift and pull the membrane until it tears away, using your knife to help separate it as needed. Grab the edge of the membrane with your hand or a paper towel and gently pull it off. If you’re lucky, it will come off in one piece; if not, you may need to remove it in smaller sections.
- Wrap the slabs. Tightly cover the ribs with foil to lock in moisture as they bake.
- Elevate the ribs. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top, keeping the ribs elevated so they cook evenly.
If you enjoy making beef ribs in the oven, try more mouthwatering beef recipes!
Serving Suggestions
If you’re wondering what to serve with ribs, these are some of my favorite sides to complete the meal. Pair it with classics like vinegar coleslaw, crunchy purple cabbage coleslaw, Dutch oven mac and cheese, corn on the cob, Southern potato salad, and buttery cornbread.
What To Do With Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Let the ribs cool and store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Freeze: Wrap the leftover beef ribs in foil and transfer the slabs to a freezer-safe container or bag. Ribs will freeze for 2-3 months.
- Reheat: Reheat the ribs in the oven at 300°F (148°C) for 15–20 minutes, or until warmed through.
- Repurpose: Eat leftover ribs as is, or combine the meat with more BBQ sauce, BBQ aioli, or ancho aioli to make a BBQ wrap, sandwich, or slider.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are beef ribs hard to cook?
Cooking ribs can be tricky, but this baked beef rib recipe simplifies the process. Slow cooking at a low temperature ensures tender, flavorful ribs with minimal effort.
Grilled ribs, on the other hand, require more attention. They cook slowly over low heat like cooking beef ribs in the oven, but you’ll need to check them every 20–30 minutes and monitor the grill temperature to prevent hot spots.
Where can I buy beef ribs?
You can buy beef back ribs at butcher shops, grocery stores, warehouse stores, and farmers’ markets, but I usually get mine from Costco. They offer beef back ribs and long-bone beef back ribs (or dino ribs) in racks or individually cut.
If you’re making dino ribs, follow this easy recipe for oven-baked beef ribs, but they take longer to become tender.
Are beef ribs and beef short ribs the same?
Beef back ribs come from the upper part of the ribcage and have less meat but are great for baking, grilling, and smoking.
Beef short ribs come from the lower ribcage and are meatier with more fat, making them perfect for braising or cooking in a slow cooker.
I like this write-up from BBQ Champs explaining the differences between rib cuts and varieties.
More Oven-Baked Recipes:
Beef Ribs in the Oven
- Small Bowl
- ½ cup Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- ¼ cup MSG
- ¼ cup coarse black pepper
- ¼ cup smoked paprika
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons onion powder
- 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
- 2 racks beef back ribs, membrane removed and cut into 3-4 slabs
- 3-4 tablespoons rib rub
- ½ cup BBQ sauce
- Combine the spices for the rib rub in a small bowl and set them aside.
- Remove the membrane and cut the ribs into slabs of 3-4 bones. Coat them on all sides with the rub. Cover them with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 300°F (148°C). Remove the ribs from the fridge and let them come to room temperature. Wrap them in foil and place them bone-side down on a wire rack set onto a rimmed baking sheet. Bake on the middle rack for 2-3 hours.
- Unwrap the ribs brush them with your favorite BBQ sauce. Broil uncovered on high for 3-5 minutes until caramelized. Remove the ribs from the oven and let them rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
- Start with room-temperature ribs. Let the ribs sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking to ensure even cooking.
- Remove the membrane. Slide a sharp paring knife under the thick membrane. Gently lift and pull the membrane until it tears away, using your knife to help separate it as needed. Grab the edge of the membrane with your hand or a paper towel and gently pull it off. If you’re lucky, it will come off in one piece; if not, you may need to remove it in smaller sections.
- Wrap the slabs. Tightly cover the ribs with foil to lock in moisture as they bake.
- Elevate the ribs. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top, keeping the ribs elevated so they cook evenly.
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.