Fall off the Bone Ribs

You may think that you need to spend hours and hours in front of a hot grill, filling up a spray bottle with vinegar, checking the ribs every 20 minutes (etc.) to get those fall of the bone tender ribs. Well I’m here to tell you – the most tender ribs are actually made in the oven! And they’re so easy to make.

These fall of the bone oven baked ribs come out perfectly every time. They’re juicy, melt in your mouth, make you wanna slap yo mama good and ony call for a couple ingredients to make it happen.

After you make this recipe, you’ll come to the conclusion that the best way (and the easiest way) to make the perfect ribs doesn’t have to be spent in the hot sun. 

Season them up, cover them in foil, and pop them in the oven. Done and done. The end result? The most delicious ribs you’ll ever eat, made right in your kitchen. Let’s get into it. 

Why You’ll Love this Ribs Recipe

• Easy Peasy! Clean the ribs, season, and plop in the oven. That’s it!! 
• Fall of the Bone Tender! Low and slow baking makes these ribs so tender, you barely need a knife. Just grab a bone and the meat practically melts off.
• Sweet, smoky, and perfectly seasoned. This recipe hits all the right notes. Savory, sweet, a little smoky, with just enough heat to round it out.
• No grill, no problem! If you’re like me and hate being on grill duty, these ribs are made entirely in the oven. No fancy equipment, no smoke-filled kitchen – just set it and forget it.

Ingredients to make Oven-Baked Ribs 

• I used st. louis-style ribs (pork ribs) because they’re meatier and a bit larger than baby back ribs. If you prefer baby backs, they cook a little quicker because they’re smaller so be sure to adjust the cooking time accordingly. 
• Homemade BBQ seasoning blend is a dry rub made up of brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, chili powder, kosher salt, and black pepper.
• Use your favorite BBQ sauce! I used Sweet Baby Ray’s but you can use whatever you want. You can even go as far as to make your own homemade bbq sauce – start with my honey BBQ sauce. It’s delicious! 
• Yellow Mustard ​acts as a binder. After you pat the ribs dry, brush with the mustard and then season. This allows the seasonings to stick to the ribs.

Recipe Variations 

• ​For some heat, add in a dash of two of cayenne pepper. I have small kids so I avoid heat, but feel free to adjust to your personal preference. 
• I like to use apple juice to help steam the ribs as they bake in the oven. This makes this nice and juicy and adds a touch of sweetness. You can also use beer, apple cider vinegar, chicken or beef broth, or even pineapple juice. 
• Adjust the recipe to your personal taste – use your favorite seasoning blend, 

How to make Fall of the Bone Ribs 

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Combine the spices for the BBQ seasoning blend in a small bowl. 

Next step, Remove the silver skin from the back of the ribs and pat them dry with a paper towel. (you can remove excess fat or leave it is you prefer. I like to leave it because fat = flavor!) Use a pastry brush to brush the ribs with yellow mustard on both sides.

Then sprinkle the seasoning blend all over the ribs. Add a splash of apple juice onto the bottom of the pan.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake in the oven for 2 1/2 hours.

Uncover the ribs and coat them in barbecue sauce and cover loosely with the foil. Continue to bake for an additional 30 minutes. Remove the foil and broil in the oven for 5-10 minutes (be sure to place the ribs on the middle rack and keep a watchful eye so that they don’t burn). Drizzle the cooked ribs with the remaining sauce and serve. 

Pro Tips for the Best Ribs 

• Remove the membrane from the bottom of the ribs. Flip the ribs over and peel off the thin, silver skin (membrane) on the back. It can get tough when cooked and blocks the spice rub from soaking in.
• After they’re finished baking, Let them rest. Give the ribs 10 minutes to rest after cooking so the juices can redistribute. Then slice and devour.
• Choose the right ribs! Baby back ribs are leaner and cook a bit faster. Spare ribs have more fat and flavor, but take longer. Either works—just adjust your cook time accordingly.
• Check doneness by doing the toothpick test. When a toothpick slides between the bones with little resistance, the ribs are done. I don’t call these fall off the bone ribs for no reason!

​What to Serve with Ribs

Only the cookout classics! I’m talking soul food potato salad, grandma’s old fashioned mac and cheese, coleslaw, deviled eggs, baked beans, and buttermilk cornbread. Yep, a big ol plate of soul food because this is how we get down at cookouts. It’s VERY serious. 

Oh, and don’t forget some ice cold homemade peach sweet tea or frozen strawberry lemonade to wash it down with. 

I like to keep it simple, however, if you wanna get fancy, you can also serve alongside a big ol seafood boil with some seafood pasta salad, green beans and potatoes, and slow cooker collard greens.