Dry Rub for Ribs in Oven

Why Make Dry Rub Ribs in the Oven?

I love oven baked ribs, especially baby back ribs, because they are so easy to make and come out perfect every time! With a grill, so many factors come into play with the weather being good and the heat being consistent – using the oven is totally hassle free. Cooking at 300 degrees F gives you a 2.5-3 hour cooking time, which is really fast for ribs. This dry rub for ribs recipe:

• Does not require a grill.
• Can be used for baby back ribs or St. Louis style.
• Is perfect for dairy free and gluten free family members.
• Super simple ingredients.

Dry Rub For Ribs Ingredients

This is one of my favorite dry rub recipes for ribs because it doesn’t require a ton of different ingredients – just six ingredients total. Besides salt and pepper, here are some of my tips for choosing the right spices.

• Chili Powder – My favorite chili powder is from Morton and Bassett, which uses a really basic blend without any cocoa powder. It’s also salt-free for those following a low sodium diet. If you’re following a migraine diet, you’ll want to watch out for mixes containing onion powder as well.
• Brown Sugar – Brown sugar is essential to adding a hint of sweetness, especially when the dry rub transforms into a bbq sauce while the ribs are in the oven.
• Garlic Powder – Unless you have a chili powder with a lot of garlic in it, the extra garlic powder adds so much flavor.
• Paprika – I love to use a combination of smoked paprika and regular paprika. The smoked paprika makes these ribs taste like they’re hot off the grill without the effort, but it’s not overpowering when you mix the two.
• Kosher salt – This is super important! I used Diamond Brand Kosher Salt for this recipe which is much less salty tasting than Morton’s because of the salt crystal. Therefore, if you use Morton’s or another type of salt, either decrease the added salt by about half or taste and adjust as needed once the ribs are finished cooking.

Types of Pork Ribs

A few things to note. “St Louis” aka “Spare Ribs” vs. “Baby Back” ribs will both work well with this recipe. I prefer baby back as there’s a little more actual meat, less fat, and just overall easier to eat. My husband vehemently disagrees with me and thinks St Louis/spare ribs have more flavor and are heartier.

• St Louis style is also less expensive than baby back, which is good if your husband can also polish off a whole rack by himself. I know you can usually get both types pre-packaged, but I highly recommend asking your local butcher for fresh ones. They’re usually quite common this time of year and that way you don’t have to worry about any additives or preservatives.
• Baby back ribs are trimmed of a thick, shiny membrane on the back of the ribs, but if not, you can ask your butcher do it for you, or remove the membrane from the ribs yourself. This technique will result in more tender and flavorful ribs that are easier to eat!

Step by Step Process

Step 1: Make the dry rub for ribs

Start by removing any excess membrane on the back of the ribs, or have the butcher do it for you. Pat them dry with a paper towel. Prepare a tin foil piece that’s just as long as your rack of ribs and lay them on top. Combine all the spices for the dry rub in a bowl and stir to combine.

Step 2: Apply the dry rub

Pat the dry rub on the meaty side of the rack. (Picture 3) Then flip and rub the mixture on the back side of the ribs (meatiest side down).

Step 3: Wrap the ribs

Curl the tin foil up around the ribs as much as you can on all sides, you need the juices to stay inside the foil. You will most likely need to lay an extra sheet of tin foil on the top and wrap it around snugly. (Picture 3, 4) Place your tin foil-wrapped rib rack on an oven-safe rack over a sheet pan. (Picture 5 below). You can also place foil underneath the rack for easy clean up in case any juices leak.

Step 4: Bake ribs in oven

Bake in the oven at 300 degrees for 2.5-3 hours or until the ribs reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees F. I find these ribs to be pretty forgiving – they don’t get dried out unless you leave them in a really long time! A smaller rack will be on the shorter end and if they’re thick and meaty, I tend to go 3 or 3 1/2 hours.

Step 5: Broil the ribs (optional)

To finish these dry rub ribs off, you can either grill them or broil them. Since you’re already using the oven, I prefer broiling to make it easier on yourself and dirty fewer dishes. This is also an optional step. These ribs are still great if you skip this! While you make the BBQ sauce, turn the oven broiler on high. Place the ribs, meaty side up, about 6-10 inches away from the heat. Leave them for about 10 minutes, rotating the pan every so often so they are darkened evenly. (Picture 7)

Step 6: Make BBQ Sauce

Remove the rack of ribs carefully, reserving the juices that accumulate in the tin foil – this will be your homemade BBQ sauce! Transfer the juices to a small pot and whisk in cornstarch to help thicken it while reducing the sauce over medium heat. You can do this 1 teaspoon at a time until desired thickness is reached. Just give it some time to reduce before adding more. (Picture 8)

To slice the ribs, place them meat side down so you can clearly see where the bones are, making for easy cutting.

Dry Rub Substitutions

These dry rub oven ribs are already gluten free and dairy free, so they work well with lots of diets. For low sodium, you can control the amount of salt you add. I like to start with a tablespoon of Diamond Kosher, but the spices are so flavorful you don’t need too much.

• Honey for brown sugar – If you have an issue with brown sugar, I’ve tried this with honey and it was also really good. The trick is to mix the spices all together and apply them to the meat, then drizzle the honey on top. If you try to mix the spices with the honey and then apply it, everything will clump together. Once it all warms in the oven, it’s not an issue.
• Maple syrup for brown sugar – Maple syrup is also a great substitute and you don’t have to worry about that one clumping.

Sides for Dry Rub Ribs

There’s also not much else that goes better with dry rub ribs in the oven than these sides.

• Fingerling Potato Salad
• Coleslaw
• Green salad
• Ranch dressing
• Watermelon Basil Salad
• Peach Watermelon Salad
• Mac and cheese cauliflower
• Pasta salad
• Couscous salad

Storage and Reheating

This dry rub for ribs can be stored in a cool, dry place for up to 2 weeks and used as needed. Once the dry rub has been applied to the ribs, I’ll wrap in foil and place in the refrigerator until I’m ready to bake them. This can be done a few hours before. Often I will prep the ribs in the morning and put them in the oven about 2-3pm for dinner.

Once cooked, the ribs can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days or frozen. To reheat, I’ll cover them and warm them in the oven at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for about 10-15 minutes, or until warmed through.

Frequently Asked Questions