Simple BBQ Ribs Recipe (2024)

This delicious, fall-off-the-bone Simple BBQ Ribs recipe is a tried and true family favorite! Simple to make, these tender ribs are lip-smacking good!

Scrumptious Simple BBQ Ribs are incredibly tender and are such a favorite food for so many types of gatherings of family and friends.

Simple BBQ Ribs Recipe (1)

When I was growing up, I could always depend on BBQribs being at all of our major summer celebrations. Events like Father’s Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, and birthdays all had such delicious foods like these ribs to enjoy! But the wonderful fact is that we didn’t have to wait for a national holiday to enjoy these ribs. They are simple to make so you can enjoy them often. And these Simple BBQ Ribs are so tender, they practically fall off of the bone as you are eating them!

Simple BBQ Ribs Recipe

Simple BBQ Ribs Recipe (2)

The secret that makes these ribs so amazing is that this recipe starts in the oven and finishes on the grill. Their time in the ovenmakes them extremely tender and juicy. Since they are wrapped in foil as they bake, they steam as they bake giving the most incredible tender ribs I’ve ever tasted.

Here’s how I make them.

How to Cook Simple BBQ Ribs

Ingredients Needed for Ribs:

To make these ribs, you’ll need:

  • Pork spareribs – you’ll need 5 pounds of these ribs, uncut
  • Homemade BBQ Sauce

Instructions to Cook Ribs

This is one of the recipes given to me by my Grandmother and I’ve added my family favorite Homemade BBQ Sauce. Make sure you don’t skip any of the steps in cooking the ribs. You won’t regret it!

Preheat. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cook in Oven. Wrap ribs in foil and place in roasting pan. Bake 1 ½ hours.

Prepare Homemade BBQ Sauce. While ribs are in oven, whisk together all bbq sauce ingredients in a medium saucepan situated over medium heat. Allow to come to a bubble and then reduce the heat to low. Allow to simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes.If you make this sauce ahead of time, allow sauce to cool slightly and place in airtight container and then place in the refrigerator. It is good in the fridge for up to a week if you are making ahead or storing any leftover sauce for later.

Remove and Drain Ribs. Remove ribs from oven after cooking 1 ½ hours. Drain any fat from the ribs.

Grill and Baste Ribs. Place ribs on grill. Grill for 10 minutes. Baste with Homemade BBQ Sauce. Continue grilling another 10 minutes.

Cut and Serve. Cut the racks into individual ribs. Reheat the remaining bbq sauce, if it’s not still warm. Serve the ribs with additional sauce so guests can add more sauce if they wish. Enjoy!

Simple BBQ Ribs Recipe (3)

What to Serve with BBQ Ribs

So many delicious side dishes and desserts are great with these ribs! I’ve listed several dishes that my family and friends love to eat with them.

Southern Potato Salad

Southern Baked Beans

Coleslaw

Macaroni Salad

Southern Banana Pudding

Peach Cobbler with Old Fashioned Vanilla Ice Cream

Here’s my Simple BBQ Ribs recipe. I think you’ll love these!

Simple BBQ Ribs Recipe (4)

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Simple BBQ Ribs Recipe

Robyn Stone

5 from 1 vote

This delicious, fall-off-the-bone Simple BBQ Ribs recipe is a family favorite! Simple to make, these tender ribs are lip-smacking good!

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours hours

Total Time: 2 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 8

Ingredients

  • 5 pounds pork spareribs, uncut
  • 1 recipe BBQ sauce

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350º F.

  • Wrap ribs in foil and place in roasting pan. Bake 1 1/2 hours.

  • Prepare Homemade BBQ Sauce recipe

  • Drain ribs. Grill 10 minutes. Baste with sauce. Continue grilling 10 minutes. Cut into individual ribs.

  • Reheat sauce and brush on ribs. Serve some sauce on the side if desired.

Nutrition

Calories: 785kcal | Carbohydrates: 0.1g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 66g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 11g | Monounsaturated Fat: 24g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 227mg | Sodium: 231mg | Potassium: 686mg | Fiber: 0.001g | Sugar: 0.04g | Vitamin A: 0.3IU | Vitamin C: 0.001mg | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Enjoy!
Robyn xo

Categorized as:All Recipes, BBQ, By Cooking Style, By Special Diets, Camping, Cooking, Dinner Recipes, Egg-Free Recipes, Father’s Day Recipes, Game Day Recipes, Gluten-Free Recipes, Grain-Free Recipes, Holiday and Occasion Recipes, July 4th Recipes, Pork Recipes, Recipes, Simple Recipes, Southern Favorites

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About Robyn

Robyn Stone is a cookbook author, wife, mom, and passionate home cook. Her tested and trusted recipes give readers the confidence to cook recipes the whole family will love. Robyn has been featured on Food Network, People, Southern Living, and more.

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Simple BBQ Ribs Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you BBQ ribs for beginners? ›

Learning how to cook ribs on the grill may take a little time and patience, but the process couldn't be easier! Just coat the ribs in the spice rub, wrap them in foil, and stick them on the grill. They cook over indirect heat for about two hours before finishing over the flames.

What is the 3/2:1 rule for ribs? ›

Essentially, 3 2 1 ribs go like this: 3 hours of smoking the ribs directly on the pellet grill. 2 hours wrapped in foil, still cooking on the grill. 1 hour of cooking, unwrapped and slathered in barbecue sauce.

What is the best method for cooking ribs? ›

For ribs with incomparably smoky flavor, you have to cook them low and slow on the grill, adding more charcoal and wood chips every so often to keep the temperature steady. Ribs cooked this way need some pampering (you would too, if you were spending hours in a sauna).

Do ribs get more tender the longer you cook them? ›

Your goal is to get good color and caramelization on the outside of the ribs, but also to cook them long enough that the tough collagen breaks down and the meat becomes tender. Generally, the ribs will be browned before the meat is done, which is where the balancing act comes in.

Do you put barbecue sauce on ribs before cooking? ›

As a fatty cut, ribs take well to spice rubs, but we love our ribs with some sticky barbecue sauce too. Just apply the rub as you normally would before cooking, and then brush the glaze on in the last 5 minutes on the grill to achieve the perfect crusty, gooey ribs.

Should ribs be wrapped in foil when grilling? ›

Wrapping your ribs are key if you want to lock in all of the moisture and flavor! Double wrap each rack of ribs securely and enjoy some ribs in no time.

Why put butter on ribs? ›

Tip #4: Wrap and butter it up.

It also adds moisture and speeds up cooking time. Wrapping should be done about half way through the cooking process or when internal meat temp is 150-160 degrees. Use two layers of heavy duty foil to wrap the meat.

What liquid to use when wrapping ribs? ›

Most recipes call for an apple cider or apple juice wrap during the second step of the smoking where the ribs are tightly wrapped in tinfoil to tender them up. Instead of apple juice, I use a white wine and apple cider vinegar.

Why are my ribs so tough? ›

If your ribs are chewy, you either forgot to remove the membrane from the back of the ribs or you didn't cook them long enough. If your ribs are dry, you likely cooked them too hot and fast.

Do you cook ribs rib side up or down? ›

Place ribs bone-side down in smoker at 225 F /110 C and cook for three hours. Remove ribs from the smoker and wrap tightly in aluminum foil to form an airtight seal. Return to the smoker bone-side up and smoke for two hours.

Is it better to cook ribs in the oven or grill? ›

Slow-roasting your ribs in the oven before finishing them on the grill is the best method we've found for juicy, fall-off-the-bone ribs that don't require an expensive smoker or low temperature grill setup.

Why do you rinse ribs before cooking? ›

USDA research has found that washing or rinsing meat or poultry increases the risk for cross-contamination in the kitchen, which can cause foodborne illness.

What is the secret to tender ribs? ›

The secret to incredibly tender ribs is baking them low and slow. Baking ribs in the oven is so easy.

Do you cook ribs covered or uncovered? ›

Do you bake ribs covered or uncovered? You can cook ribs either covered with foil or uncovered. Foil is used to stop the meat from drying out but is not essential. If cooking uncovered and you notice the meat is drying out or browning too quickly, you can cover with foil for the remaining cook time.

How do you keep ribs juicy? ›

To keep ribs moist while smoking on a grill or oven, use a spray bottle to mist them with liquid (e.g., apple juice) every 20-30 minutes. Consider brining or marinating beforehand, maintaining a consistent temperature, and wrapping the ribs in foil to trap steam.

How long does it take ribs to BBQ? ›

Cook ribs on the preheated grill, adding water every hour if liquid has evaporated, 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours 30 minutes. Add barbecue sauce to ribs and continue cooking for 30 minutes more. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 145 degrees F (63 degrees C).

What is the secret to juicy ribs? ›

Be sure to wrap the foil tightly to lock in moisture, as the steam from the ribs helps tenderize the meat, imbuing it with its own porky flavors. This is pork on pork, and one of the best ways to ensure the juiciest results. Another is the simple glaze you then prepare on the stovetop.

Do you cook ribs up or down on the grill? ›

Remove the ribs from the marinade and add them to the grill over indirect heat, bone-side down. Cover the grill and cook, rotating once or twice, until the meat is tender and the internal temperature reaches somewhere between 180 and 195 degrees.

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