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These beef back ribs are insanely juicy and flavorful! Baked in the oven until fall-off-the-bone tender, this foolproof recipe yields perfectly cooked ribs every time. Finish these oven baked beef back ribs with a slathering of your favorite barbecue sauce and enjoy!
What Makes This Recipe So Good
- The oven takes all of the guesswork out of cooking this particularly tricky cut of meat! Simply season your beef back ribs, wrap them in foil, and transfer them to the oven. Leave them to cook low and slow, before returning to perfectly tender and juicy ribs – YUM!
- You can serve them however you’d like! The quick and easy homemade dry rub included in the recipe is insanely delicious on its own. However, if you’re like me and crave even more flavor, finish your ribs off with your favorite barbecue sauce. These beef back ribs are incredibly tasty no matter which way you serve them!
- They’re a total crowd pleaser! Everyone will go crazy for this intensely flavorful recipe. I especially love throwing this recipe together for dinner guests and watch as they go crazy over this dish!
Key Ingredients
Beef Back Ribs – Beef back ribs are the meat remaining after the butcher removes the ribeye roast off the bones. These ribs are known for being particularly lean since they don’t contain much meat. Though you’ll still find a decent amount of beef that when properly cooked is juicy and delicious! You can make this recipe using either a full rack of beef back ribs, or sliced ribs. I used sliced ribs since an entire rack is sometimes hard to come by.
Smoked Paprika – Since we’re cooking these ribs in the oven, the smoked paprika emulates that delightful smokey flavor as if you’d cooked them on the grill. If you don’t have smoked paprika, I highly recommend you pick some up. However, you can definitely use regular paprika instead!
Chef’s Tips
- Resist the urge to remove the ribs from the oven before at least the 3 hour mark. By baking them wrapped in foil, the meat soaks in as much flavor as possible. If you check on them too early, you risk releasing too much steam, and therefore flavor, from the beef back ribs.
- These ribs are best enjoyed immediately after cooking! However, you can store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat, transfer the ribs to a baking sheet, cover them with aluminum foil, and bake at 350° Fahrenheit for 15 to 20 minutes or until warm throughout.
- Do not attempt to increase the temperature of your oven. Four hours seems like a long time, but trust me, it is so worth it! Cooking these beef back ribs low and slow encourages the collagen in the meat to slowly break down, creating super tender beef.
Other Barbecue Recipes You’ll Love
- Instant Pot Country Style Ribs
- Sous Vide Ribs
- Keto BBQ Sauce
- BBQ Jackfruit Sandwiches
- Chick-Fil-A Coleslaw
- Cauliflower Potato Salad
Beef Back Ribs in the Oven
Equipment
- baking sheet
- 2 large sheets Aluminum Foil
- Cutting board
- small mixing bowl
- small whisk or mixing sopon
Ingredients
For the Dry Rub
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
For the Ribs
- 4 pounds beef back ribs
- ½ cup BBQ sauce see Notes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 275° Fahrenheit. Line baking sheet with sheet of aluminum foil and set aside. Place 4 pounds beef back ribs on cutting board.
- Add 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper to small mixing bowl. Mix until ingredients are well blended, then cover ribs with dry rub on all sides.
- Place seasoned ribs on foil-lined baking sheet, bone-side up. Cover ribs with second sheet of foil and wrap edges of foil sheets tightly to seal foil around ribs. Note: see video below if unsure how to cover ribs.
- Place baking sheet in oven and bake ribs bone-side up for 4 hours.
- After 4 hours, remove ribs from oven. Unwrap ribs and discard aluminum foil. Drain any remaining fat from baking sheet, then return ribs to baking sheet with bone side facing down.
- Brush ½ cup BBQ sauce on ribs, coating ribs thoroughly on all sides.
- Set broiler to High. Place baking sheet approximately 6 inches below broiler and broil 3 to 5 minutes, or until skin of ribs is crispy and caramelized.
- Carefully remove baking sheet from oven. Divide ribs into preferred portions and serve warm with desired sides.
Video
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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Please, 2 Questions before I venture into making this recipe. Bone side up or bone side down on the baking sheet? I’ve seen recipes both ways and wondering how you find best, please. Is there any benefit to settin the foil wrapped ribs on a rack inside the baking sheet ?
Hi there! Step 3 of the recipe actually answers both questions for you! The ribs are placed bone-side up, then covered in foil. Be sure to let us know if you try them!
Excellent recipe. But I made my rub with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and a bit of cumin. Spread that all on both sides and then put a layer of dark brown sugar on both sides before wrapping in foil. Removed the foil wrap and finished it off under the broiler with BBQ sauce. Simple and easy. Tasted wonderful
Ooh, that sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing! 😊
I have never before successfully cooked beef ribs, but these were outstanding! And so simple!
We’re so glad you loved them! Thanks for sharing, Kerry!
Foolproof, literally. These big, beefy ribs were incredibly tender and moist. I followed the cooking instructions exactly. Not fans of BBQ sauce, I instead doubled the rub recipe. The smoked paprika gives them a genuine “off the BBQ grill” flavor. EASY too.
We’re so glad they were a hit! Thanks for sharing, Denisa!
This continues to be one of our favorite recipes. So easy and always delicious.
We’re so glad it’s been a repeat favorite! Thanks for sharing, Kathy!
I have never been a fan of beef ribs – they were always like jerky on a stick. These were amazing. Moist! Tender! Flavorful. [The only change I made was to increase the rub by 1 1/2.]
We’re so glad they were a hit! Thanks for sharing, Ron!
Love it. Ribs were amazing. My bbq sauce was hickory brown sugar. Like I said. Amazing
That sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing, Garry!
Tried these tonight for the first time! Perfect! We do not care for saucy ribs and have no smoker. The flavor, the texture, ease of cooking – all wonderful! Chef’s kiss! New favorite! Plus we have access to very good, local beef even up here in the northernmost state 🙂
Many thanks!
Ooh, that’s lucky to have great local beef! Thanks for sharing, Susan!
Any ideas on how to make this a more Italian meal flavour rather than American? Glad of thoughts. Would like to use this method instead of slow cooking in a tomato sauce base.
Hi Tony! You could play around with Italian herbs or seasonings instead of the dry rub recipe provided. Be sure to let us know if you tried it! 😊