Fall Off the Bone BBQ Baby Back Ribs

These fall off the bone BBQ baby back ribs are so easy to make! They are slow roasted and made with homemade BBQ sauce. Full of smokey, sweet flavor, these tender ribs make the perfect main dish for your backyard barbecue or family dinner.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 2 10

Marinating Time 2

Total Time 4 20

Servings servings

Calories 386kcal

Author Alana Lieberman

Cost $20

Equipment

sheet pan
barbecue grill

Ingredients

1 slab pork baby back ribs (about 3 pounds)
¼ cup brown sugar
2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon ground mustard
¼ teaspoon cayenne optional
sweet and tangy pomegranate bbq sauce (below)

Instructions

Prepare a sheet pan with aluminum foil. I usually layer one piece to protect the pan and another to wrap the ribs. Spray the piece that’ll be used to wrap the ribs with nonstick cooking spray. Place the slab of ribs on top, bottom side up.
If not done so already, remove the thin membrane (skin) from the bottom side of the ribs. (Read above for an article on how to do this.) I use a butter knife to separate the membrane from the meat. Then, I pull it off with my fingers. Once the membrane is removed, trim off most of the fat.
Combine all the rub ingredients in a bowl. Using your hands, place the rub on both sides of the ribs, patting it down so it sticks.
Fold the foil very tightly around the ribs. If it does not cover the ribs completely, use an additional piece of foil. This prevents the ribs from drying out.
Let the ribs sit in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight to soak up all the rub flavor.
When ready to cook them, take the ribs out of the refrigerator and allow them to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F. After 30 minutes, cook the ribs in the oven for about 2 to 3 hours or until cooked through and tender.
When the ribs are done in the oven, pull them out and unfold the foil. Brush them liberally with sweet and tangy pomegranate BBQ sauce.
On medium heat, heat up your barbecue grill. When it’s hot, place the ribs sauce-side down on the grill to caramelize. (Be careful handling the ribs, as they will be hot and fall-off-the-bone tender.) Brush the other side of the ribs with sauce. After about 5 minutes or once you get beautiful grill marks, flip the ribs and caramelize the other side for another 5 minutes.
Remove the ribs from the grill and let them sit a few minutes before cutting and serving.
Brush some additional sweet and tangy pomegranate BBQ sauce over the ribs to keep them saucey and flavorful. Serve extra sauce on the side for any additional dipping.

Notes

One slab of ribs feeds about 4 people. For a crowd, add a few more slabs and double or triple the recipe.
The cayenne is optional but highly recommended. It adds a little extra spice and helps to balance the sweetness of the BBQ sauce.

Nutrition