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This question is: how do you make ribs without a grill? Use my foolproof beef back ribs recipe, which bakes them in the oven and produces insanely juicy, flavorful, fall-off-the-bone tender ribs every single 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 beef ribs 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 in 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 Tasty Barbecue Recipes
- Instant Pot Country Style Ribs
- Sous Vide Ribs
- Keto BBQ Sauce
- BBQ Jackfruit Sandwiches
- Chick-Fil-A Coleslaw
- Cauliflower Potato Salad
- Smoked Queso
- BBQ Chicken Salad
- Red Potato Salad
- Instant Pot Corn on the Cob with Honey Butter
- Smoked Chicken Legs
- Oven-Baked Celebration Chicken
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.
- 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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I have made this easy recipe three times now! Have not even used the barbecue sauce at any time and really loved the outcome. The rub is great and simple!
So great the flavors stand out without BBQ sauce!
How important is it to PLACE THEM BONE SIDE UP? I forgot and put them in bone side down. smh
Not at all! Bone side down is okay! You’re totally fine to continue as-is. If you want a little extra browning at the end, you can always flip them or pop them under the broiler for a few minutes. The reason the instructions say bone side up is it lets fat render down over the meat and gives slightly more surface browning. I’m sure yours turned out well!
Very good! Nice and tender.used regular paprika with a dash of smoked so as not to be too spicy!
Nice substitute! Happy it worked out and wasn’t too spicy.
You mention the video, but I can’t see any videos
Thanks for letting us know, we adjusted the recipe to reflect your comment.
My husband loved this dish. Very easy to make.
We’re so glad to hear it! Thanks for sharing, Nadine!
Had never made beef ribs, this recipe was easy and delicious!! Thanks, will make again.
We’re so happy you enjoyed them! Thanks for sharing, Marcy!
I followed the recipe exactly as noted. The ribs were incredible. The dry rum permeated the meat. Absolutely delicious! Will make again and again.
We’re so they turned out great! Thanks for sharing!
the ribs were perfect, I am planning on using this recipe
We’re so glad you enjoyed it!