It’s a good night for Feast & Merriment when Baby Back Ribs are on the menu.
I’m a big fan of pork. All of it- bacon, chops, tenderloin, shanks, shoulder. I like it fresh, I love it cured. Above all, coming in on the top as my favorite cut are Baby Back Ribs. I can’t resist them (when they are cooked right). And I’m not the only one. You know you love them too!
The trick to making Baby Back Ribs is to cook them low and slow for about 3 hours so you do need to plan ahead. However, you can make them a day in advance which is helpful when you are planning to feed a crowd.
If serving ribs as the primary main course, I estimate 8-10 ribs per person. If serving with other items at a gathering, I estimate about 3 ribs per person.
Let’s talk sides.
When serving 2-4 people with ribs as the main course, I like to serve Mac & Cheese as the side dish. (Who can resist ribs with mac & cheese? Not this girl!) When serving to a larger crowd such as at a barbecue, I keep it simple and serve cold or room temp side dish such as Potato Salad with Summer Herbs and Vinaigrette or Corn & Basil Salad.
Feaster’s Tip: How to make Ribs in advance
- If you want to serve individual ribs rather than racks, slice the ribs into individual ribs and cover with dry rub seasoning. Do the same with full racks of ribs.
- Line a sheet of foil with a piece of parchment paper. (I don’t like when food touches tin foil. It sticks, effects the flavor and studies have been done regarding health impacts.)
- Reassemble the ribs like a puzzle into their original half or full rack formation on the parchment and then wrap tightly into the foil packet.
- Cook according to instructions. Let cool and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- When ready to serve, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lay ribs on a parchment lined baking sheet (for easy clean up) and baste ribs with your favorite Barbecue sauce. Bake for about 8-10 minutes until heated through.
- Pile high on a serving plater and serve with extra sauce on the side.
How to make Baby Back Ribs!
Oven Baked BBQ Baby Back Ribs
Ingredients
- Baby Back Ribs
- BBQ Sauce (I recommend Sweet Baby Ray’s original BBQ Sauce)
- Homemade or store bought rub
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Flip the ribs upside down and check to see if the membrane is still in tact. If so, slide a knife under the back membrane until you can rip it back. With a paper towel, grab it and pull. It should come right off. (If you do not know how to do this, there is a video linked below.) Note: Some BBQ enthusiasts don't agree with this step so the rib meat doesn't fall apart. It's totally you're call.
- Portion your ribs into your preferred serving sizes. (Singles, doubles, half racks)
- Cover the ribs in your favorite dry rub, or make one of your own.
- Line a sheet pan with foil and then place a sheet of parchment paper on top of the foil. Place the seasoned ribs, meat side up, so there is a "tunnel" underneath them on the parchment. You essentially want to reassemble them into their original full rack leaning on each other. Cover them with another sheet of parchment and then cover then pan with foil and pinch the foil over the pan sides to form a tight seal.
- Bake at 350 oven for 45 min. Then, lower temp to 250 and bake for another 2 hours. Check for doneness. The meat should be very tender, but still attached to the bone. (We aren't making pulled pork here!)
- If serving immediately, remove the foil and parchment, drain any excess liquid fat that has gathered in the pan and then coat the ribs with BBQ sauce and broil for about 5 minutes to caramelize the sauce. Serve with extra BBQ sauce on the side. If serving later, let cool and refrigerate. When ready to serve, coat with BBQ sauce and bake in a preheated oven at 400F for about 10 minutes or until heated through. Serve with extra BBQ sauce on the side.
1 thought on “Ohhhh Baby! Baby Back Ribs”
“Don’t care for ‘things on the bone?’ Not a problem! The meat falls right off!” – Sure does!!!