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These baby back ribs are seasoned with an easy homemade dry rub and baked in the oven till they are tender and fall off the bone. These dry rubbed ribs are slathered in BBQ sauce and finished on the grill for juicy, tender fall-off-the-bone ribs! Keep this homemade rib dry rub in your pantry at all times.
What is a dry rub?
A dry rub is a mixed spice blend that is adhered to meat prior to cooking. The spice blended dry rub creates a coat to season the meat and infuse it with flavor. By leaving a dry rub on meat for a few hours, you can marinate the meat which allows the spices to permeate deeper.
Different types of pork ribs
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There are different types/styles of pork ribs you can buy. The most common pork ribs people barbecue are baby back ribs and spare ribs.
Here’s the difference!
Baby back ribs
Baby back ribs come from the part where the ribs meet the back of the pig and are lean and short (hence the baby in the name).
Although short, they have a lot of meat on all sides of the bone and are so tender!
Spare Ribs
Spare ribs come from the lower ribs and are typically cut in St. Louis style. They are more fatty, which people like for flavor purposes.
This is why you typically will see rib recipes or BBQ restaurants clarify if they are serving St. Louis style or baby back ribs.
I prefer baby back ribs and used them in this recipe!
How to prep ribs for grilling
Before seasoning the baby back ribs with the dry rub, there is some prep work to be done.
The thick membrane on the back of the ribs needs to be removed before seasoning and cooking the ribs. If you don’t remove it, it will be tough and chewy once they are cooked.
The easiest way to remove it is to ask the butcher to do it for you when buying the meat. However, if you want to remove the membrane at home yourself, it is quite easy and you can follow the steps below!
How to remove the rib membrane
It takes a bit of work (and some tugging) but here’s how to remove the membrane from a rack of ribs!
- Place the ribs so that the curved back is facing up.
- Using a sharp knife, on one end of the rib rack, slice under the membrane but above the bone.
- Using your fingers, pinch and pull so the membrane begins to lift.
- Because the membrane can be slippery, I use a paper towel to grip the membrane.
- Peel back the entire membrane across the rack of ribs and discard.
The membrane doesn’t always come off at once, and some areas may be more stubborn to get off. Just keep pulling until it all comes off!
What is a dry rub?
Everyone has their favorite way to season ribs. There are dry rubs, wet rubs, and marinades. Making your own dry rub for baby back ribs is so easy to do at home.
It is called a dry rub because the ingredients are dry, and you rub them into the uncooked meat.
Best spices for rib dry rub
My dry rub gives the baby back ribs the most incredible flavor. It’s both smoky and sweet and has a hint of heat.
Here are the spices and ingredients I use for my dry rubbed ribs:
- Brown sugar
- Paprika
- Chili powder
- Granulated garlic
- Granulated onion
- Black pepper
- White pepper
- Cayenne
- Smoked salt
- Kosher salt
How to make the best dry rub for ribs
Using a spoon, mix the seasonings together.
These dry rub ingredients are enough for two racks of ribs. This dry rub can be easily multiplied to accommodate extra racks of ribs. Whatever is leftover, I just put it in a jar so it’s ready to go the next time I make dry rub ribs. It should be a staple in your pantry!
Spice tip:
The brown sugar can clump, so use a spoon to smooth it out.
How to add dry rub to ribs
- Slather some yellow mustard on first and brush it all over the ribs. Using the yellow mustard not only helps the rub stick to the ribs, but the vinegar helps tenderize the rib meat.
- Sprinkle some of the spice rub over the ribs, and using your fingers, massage it into the rack.
- Flip over and repeat.
- After you have rubbed both sides of the ribs, wrap them in foil. The curved side of the ribs that you tore the membrane off, should be facing down.
- Place the two racks in the fridge for 2 hours to marinate.
Seasoning tip:
Be gentle so you do not tear the foil. If there is a tear, the liquid will leak and leave you with dried-out ribs. I wrap an extra piece in the middle to really make sure they are sealed.
How-to bake baby back ribs in the oven
What makes these baby back ribs fall off the bone, is the low and slow cook time in the oven.
I cook them at 275°F for 2 1/2 hours. The moisture is locked in, giving you tender, juicy ribs. After 2 1/2 hours, remove from the oven and use a thermometer to check the temperature. Ribs are technically done at 145°F, but if you want them falling off the bone, the temperature should be 190-200°F.
Finish the dry rub ribs on the grill
To get that delicious char on the ribs, I finish them on the grill. Once you remove them from the oven, brush your favorite BBQ sauce on top!
On a medium-heated grill (350°F), place the ribs top side down (the side you slathered the BBQ with). While that side chars, brush more BBQ sauce on the ribs.
Char the dry rub ribs for about 10 minutes total, flipping halfway through and adding BBQ sauce as needed.
How to flip ribs on the grill
Since the ribs will be SO tender coming out of the oven, they may split when grilling. I use two sets of tongs, one on each side, to flip them and help them from falling apart.
How to cut the ribs
The best way to cut baby back ribs is curved side up. This allows you to see the bones and make even slices. Make sure to use a good sharp knife to get clean cuts.
Serve with extra BBQ sauce on the side and enjoy!
How to store leftover ribs
If you have any leftover ribs, you can just reheat them and enjoy them the next day. It’s best to cut the meat from the bones before you store the ribs.
Store leftover rib meat in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
These slow-cooked oven ribs literally fall off the bone. I hope you enjoy these juicy, tender, dry-rubbed ribs!
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Fall-Off-The-Bone Dry Rub Ribs
Ingredients
- 2 racks baby back ribs (membrane removed (see note #1))
- 4 tablespoons yellow mustard
- 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon granulated garlic
- 1 tablespoon granulated onion
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked sea salt
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- BBQ sauce of choice
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Instructions
- See note #1 on removing membrane from baby back ribs. This step is important! If you do not remove the membrane you will end up with tough chewy ribs.
- In a bowl, add all of the spices. Mix with a spoon until combined. Use the back of the spoon to press out any large clumps.
- Tear two sheets of aluminum foil, long enough to pass the sides of each rack of ribs. Place one rack, curved side down (the side that you removed the membrane will be facing down), per foil. Using a brush, spread 1 tbsp of yellow mustard on each rack. Sprinkle a 1/4 of the dry rub on the rack and using your fingers, spread. Flip the racks over and repeat mustard and dry rubbing.
- Once the ribs have been rubbed, carefully wrap the aluminum foil closed. I add an extra sheet of foil around the center, to ensure the ribs are fully sealed. [See note #3]. Place them curved side down, so that the side you removed the membrane, is facing down.
- Place in the refrigerator and allow to marinate for 2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 275℉. Remove ribs from refrigerator, place on baking sheet curved side down(the side you removed the membrane, is facing down) and bake for 2 1/2 hours. If you see liquid start coming out onto the baking pan, carefully wrap with more foil.
- Preheat grill to 350℉. After the ribs have baked low and slow in the oven for 2 1/2 hours, remove from the oven. Carefully open the foil. Using a meat thermometer, take the temperature in between the bones. Pork is technically done at 145℉, but if you want fall-off-the-bone ribs the temperature shoud be at 190°F-200°F.
- Using your favorite BBQ sauce, brush the top of the ribs with the sauce. Since the ribs will be so tender, they may fall apart transferring to the grill. Use two sets of tongs (one on each side) to help them stay together when flipping. Place the ribs sauced side down, onto the grill. While that side chars, brush BBQ sauce on the side facing up. Grill for about 5 minutes per side, until ribs get charred grill marks. Remove from grill.
- To slice, place the ribs curved side up, so you can see the bones. Slice in between bones and serve with additional BBQ sauce.
Notes
Removing the membrane
- Butcher: Ask a butcher to remove the membrane when buying the ribs.
- Doing it yourself: Place the ribs so the curve back is facing up. Using a sharp knife, on one end of the rack, slice under the membrane but above the bone. Using your fingers, pinch and pull so the membrane begins to lift. Because the membrane can be slippery, use a paper towel to grip the membrane and peel back to remove, discard. The membrane doesn’t always come off at once and some areas may be more stubborn to get off.Â
Sides of the baby back ribs
- In this recipe I refer a lot to the “curved side”, this is the bone side which is also the side where you are removing the membrane from.
Dry rub
- This dry rub recipe makes enough for 2 racks of ribs. Double ingredients for 4 racks of ribs. If you have leftover rub, you can store in a sealed jar for later use.
- Minimum time to marinate the ribs in the rub is 2 hours. You can also marinate them overnight in the fridge.
Foiling the ribs
- Make sure there are no holes or tears in the foil. Any punctures or rips will let liquid out and you’ll end up with dried out ribs.
BBQ Sauce
- Feel free to use your favorite BBQ sauce for this recipe
- My personal favorite BBQ sauce to use: Lillie’s Q Smokey BBQ sauce
Don’t have a grill?
- After the ribs have baked in the oven and you have applied the BBQ sauce, you can broil them in the oven for a few minutes to get a crisp top. Keep an eye on them so they do not burn.
OMG… I Took a gamble using this recipe for two racks of spare ribs. All I did was double the ingredients and left just a hair longer on grill, it impressed our entire friend group and even my barbecue pro boyfriend!! He said they were so tender he was extra careful moving around on the grill haha Fall off the bone.. so good. The only change I would make, is if you like your ribs a little bit spicier… Slightly decreased the brown sugar and slightly increase the cayenne pepper. We used head country spicy sauce with recipe as is, they were still pretty sweet. Either way, excellent recipe! Would recommend to anyone!
Hi Alicia, such a compliment! I’m so glad everyone loved them! Great tip on the cayenne and brown sugar adjustment. Thanks for making them and leaving a comment!
Just tried your fall off the bone ribs! My husband loved them sooo much. I did too! Best recipe ever! I did use honey mustard with a bit of onion powder to coat them first and then after baking I just used the broiler. So fantastic! Thank you for this recipe!
Can I add a few drops of liquid smoke to the BBQ sauce? How much would you recommend for 4 racks?
Hi Theresa, I’ve never used liquid smoke in this recipe, so I can’t speak to the amount to add. I typically just buy Smokey BBQ sauce if I want that flavor. I use Lillie Q’s smokey BBQ sauce for this recipe all the time.
Top rack or middle rack in the oven?
Middle rack
I tried the rib recipe!!!!!! Best Ribs ever, thanks for the delicious recipe. Falls off the bone and lots of flavor.
I’m so glad you enjoyed them Lisha!
I added a sprinkle of liquid smoke, turned out great.
Such a great idea!! Glad you liked them.
Can light brown sugar be used instead of dark brown sugar?
Hi Neda, yes you can use light brown as a substitute
Made these over the last two days. I added half a tablespoon of chipotle powder to the rub and let them sit in the rub for 20 hours. Family agrees that this is a keeper. Finished under broiler, came up just fine. Once I’ve used up this rub, I’m going to try with monkfruit/erythritol sweetener to see if I can make a keto alternative.
James, I am so glad you and your family loved the ribs! Keep me posted with the monkfruit, I would love to hear how that turns out.
I made this recipe using big racks of spare ribs. I followed the recipe just as it was written. I doubled the dry rub, mustard, and BBQ sauce. They came out fantastic!! They fell of the bones when I served them!! This recipe is a keeper!! Thank you Stephanie!!
Hi Steve! I am so glad you enjoyed the ribs! Thank you for making them and leaving a review, much appreciated.
Hi James! Have you tried this recipe with monkfruit yet?
Delicious and wonderful, but they are very decidedly -not- fall off the bone. The meat is tender and tasty, and the rub is incredibly fragrant and rich and the scents filling the house as they cook are beyond belief. As others have pointed out, they maintain their structure and have a firmness to the meat that makes them easy to finish on the grill. All in all I’d give it a 4/5. Delicious recipe that I’d recommend trying, but do be aware that the title is somewhat misleading.
Hi Jackson, I am so glad you enjoyed the ribs! Pork is finished cooking at 145F, but in order for them to fall off the bone, the internal temperature of the meat needs to be 190-200F. That is when the collagen of the meat breaks down and causes them to fall off the bone. Next time give them a bit more time in the oven, some ribs have more meat/thickness and need a bit longer to cook. Also, make sure the membrane is completely removed, that can hinder them from falling off as well. I am so glad you enjoyed them and hope they turn out even better the next time!
Have been making slow-cooked ribs in a crock pot or the oven for years for my family, but never used a rub or wrapped them in tin-foil. Decided to give something different a try and am really glad I did. These were awesome, the whole family loved them! The ribs were tender but still maintained some their structure and stayed on the bones which helped when finishing them on the grill. Rub smelled so good cooking and added a nice flavor in addition to the BBQ sauce. Directions were easy to follow and required very little effort, worst part is trying to remove the membrane and the paper towel trick was very handy.
Thanks again!
Hi Jeff! I am so glad you and your family loved the ribs! I hate the membrane too, sometimes it comes right off and sometimes you have to put some back into it haha. Glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks for making it.
Hi! Excited to try this recipe! Wondering if I could finish them on a stovetop cast iron griddle with similar results.
Thanks!
Hi Brian, I haven’t tried it on a stove top cast iron griddle. As long as the cast iron is well seasoned so it doesn’t stick, I don’t see why not. Keep me posted on how that works out! You can also remove from the foil and broil in the oven as well.
Great recipe…. I’ve made this twice now with my own BBQ sauce twist. Fall off the bone tenderness- yet still keeps it’s structure on the grill…. Thanks for the tips….. absolutely delicious!
I’m so glad you loved it Jamie! Thanks for making!
I made these ribs and they were delicious. I only made one rack so I cut all the seasoning in half. Instead of putting them on the grill at the end I just put them under the broiler in the oven for 5 minutes. I will definitely make these again. Seasoning was just right.
Joanne, thank you so much for making the ribs. I am so glad you enjoyed them!
Okay…so I’m what you would call a ‘Special Needs’ cook… I think I did this recipe backwards. I did the dry rub, then put them on my grill bare naked and smoked them…they look wonderful (temp is varying between 250-300… now I’m wondering if I can finish them in the oven…
Hi Jacalyn, yes you were supposed to do oven first then grill. No need to put them in the oven, just make sure the temp is to 290F of the ribs. They may not be as fall off the bone as the oven first method. I hope you enjoy them!
What if I dont want to grill it? How can I finish cooking it?
Hi Alex, you can remove the ribs from the foil and then broil them in the oven. Keep a close eye on them when broiling them.
How long should you broil it for instead of grilling?
I would only broil for a minute or two, keep a close eye on it so it doesn’t burn.
Can you cook these in a crockpot/slow cooker? Thank you!
Hi Katie, this recipe has only been made in the oven/grill. Unfortunately I can’t speak to preparing it in a slow cooker.
These were the best ribs ever, we had dinner with our pod family and it was sooo so good I wish I could post pics. Thank you!!
I’m so glad you loved them Anastasia!
Awesome Ribs !! Definitely a keeper with my own personal tweeks , family loves them !
Can these be smoked and then cooked on a Treager grill?
Hi Teresa! yes they can, but unfortunately I do not have a smoker myself, so I am unsure of the temperature and time.