Beth's Melt in Your Mouth Barbecue Ribs (Oven)

Submitted by BETHANY T.

"I almost didn't want to share this ribs recipe because this is one of the dishes that I make that keep my sons coming back home! These can be done with baby back or regular pork ribs. I have also made split chickens this way. The ribs are tender, moist and just slide off of the bone. I know that your family will love them just as much as my family does. I noticed that some are unable to find hickory smoked salt. You can use smoked paprika or just brush the ribs with liquid smoke before applying the rub. The smoke flavor is nice because it helps give the ribs a cooked-on-the-grill flavor. Also, the easiest way to remove the membrane is to work a spoon, or I use the tips of my kitchen shears, into the bottom center of the membrane, work it back and forth to form a "pocket," then I slide my thumbs in and work the membrane off from the center outward to the ends."

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Ready In:: 3hrs 15mins
Ingredients:: 7
Serves:: 6

ingredients

4 lbs pork ribs, membrane removed
³⁄₄ cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon hickory smoke salt, if you cannot find, you can substitute 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons Hickory liquid smoke
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon garlic powder
¹⁄₂ teaspoon ground red pepper (optional)
2 cups of your favorite barbecue sauce (mine is Sweet Baby Ray)

directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with two layers of foil, shiny side out.
Peel off tough membrane that covers the bony side of the ribs.
Season the ribs on both sides with salt and pepper. If using, divide the Hickory liquid smoke evenly over the ribs.
In a medium bowl, combine the light brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder and ground red pepper. Apply the rub to all sides of the ribs.
Lay ribs on the prepared baking sheet, meaty side down. BONE SIDE DOWN FOR GRILLING!
Lay two layers of foil on top of ribs and roll and crimp edges tightly, edges facing up to seal.
Transfer to the oven and = bake for 2-2 1/2 hours or until meat is starting to shrink away from the ends of the bone.
Remove from oven.
Heat broiler.
Cut ribs into serving sized portions of 2 or 3 ribs.
Arrange on broiler pan, bony side up.
Brush on sauce.
Broil for 1 or 2 minutes until sauce is cooked on and bubbly.
Turn ribs over.
Repeat on other side.
Alternately, you can grill the ribs on your grill to cook on the sauce.

Questions & Replies

The only ribs I enjoy are Chinese, because I dislike the smoke flavour...although I have only the barbecue sauces sold in pubs and restaurants to go by! I always buy sauces without smoke flavour or with the tiniest amount. Do I have to use the smoke flavour, or is it completely different in home made sauces?

jennimgraham
If I am making 8lbs do I need to double cook time?

MrMopar493 ..
I haven't tried these in a slow cooker. But, when you cook them in the oven with the foil, yes, the juices do run off to the bottom of the foil, and that's fine. The flavors still get steamed into the meat. The rub doesn't become the sauce, you apply the sauce after they are removed from the foil and the juices .

BETHANY T.
Hi, is 300° in a normal oven or convection oven (in Australia we call them.fan forced)? We also work in celsius so my calculation makes it close to 150° celsius. Thank you

Jodie S.
Could you use this recipe for beef ribs too?

rhonda

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Reviews

This method is awesome! For those trying to find the hickory smoked salt, the brand I use is "Spice Islands" they have it some of my local grocery stores, but it is available online too. I cook the ribs 2 hours in the foil packet as suggested, and I place the packet on a cookie sheet (in case of leaks. After two hours I remove them from the oven. I then turn up the oven temp to 350 degrees. I open the foil and roll back the edges to expose the ribs, (watch out for the steam!) and tilt the pan and use a small measuring cup to remove the excess liquid. Then, I slather the meaty side of the ribs with sauce, and return them to oven for 30-45 mins. Just our preference, as the sauce doesn't burn or char and I don't have to watch them so closely. Fabulous ribs, and clean up is so easy!

rebecca93105_8841379
These ribs are absolutely wonderful! Even my picky eater had bbq sauce from ear to ear and a big smile on his face. Just a couple of quick notes. I've made this recipe twice, the first time using a roasting pan to cook the ribs in the oven and the second time I used foil as the recipe calls for and there was a noticeable difference in the ribs. While the roasting pan ribs were really excellent, using the foil took the flavor and tenderness of the ribs to a whole new level. Also, the smoked hickory salt can be made by mixing liquid smoke with sea salt and letting it dry out on a cookie sheet.

Scout3699
This is my first attempt at making ribs and I was so surprised at how easy and delicious these were! I baked them in the oven, but finished them on the grill. They were absolutely fall-off-the-bone tender. I also read about an easy way to take the membrane off the ribs that I'd like to share. Just grip one end of the membrane with a dry paper towel and pull towards you. The membrane came off so easily and quickly! I honestly avoided making ribs because I was never sure how to get the membrane off. What have I been missing?! These really are great, though. I'll be making them again VERY soon.

Beaglemom
Today was the second time I have made these ribs...and they are the BEST and the EASIEST ribs ever! I do not know what bandcphilly did wrong, but even before I put the BBQ sauce and broiled them, they were SO good! I followed the directions exactly, but I did not have any smoked salt, so I just used mesquite liquid smoke rubbed on prior to adding the rub, as suggested in the instructions. Just be careful not to use too much liquid smoke, or it will make it better. Liquid smoke is definitely one of those things, more is NOT better, and a little goes a long way! Again, the best ribs I have ever made, and some of the best I have ever had!

stephanie.jones
Honestly incredible. Not sure if people will read this due to all of the other raving reviews, but I joined just so I could say how great this was. My boyfriend kept asking all these questions about how I made it to get it so tender and if I really could just leave it in the oven for 2 1/2 hours and do something else. (He clearly wanted to try this recipe himself!!) It was so fast, so easy, and so simple. Not to mention that it only takes a few ingredients. I was however worried about the smoke salt. I literally spent about 20 minutes at my local grocery store (Vons) in the spice aisle looking for it. Sadly they didn't carry it. However, I WAS able to find liquid smoke in the aisle that had BBQ Sauce in it. The cap is very small and I only used about half a capful for both sides combined. It ended up being just the right amount. Seriously though, this recipe is SO great and you will NOT regret making it!!

kl0ck0

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Tweaks

The easiest way to remove the membrane is grabbing it at the corner using papertowels. The paper towels gives you a grip on the membrane and you can pull it off in one piece. I usually start at the widest side of the slab and pull towards the small end of the slab

Michael R.
For the fellow Aussies here who don't have today access to items like liquid smoke or hickory smoke salt, i just went with smoked paprika instead, and it turned out delicious. Just in case you are caught in a tight spot. :P

Peter S.
I really questioned and worried about the meat side down portion of the recipe, but I gave it a chance. It was on point! It perfectly caramelized the meaty side. One of my foil packets leaked and wasn't caramelized at all. That's probably my biggest word of advice... make sure the bottom foil is totally enclosed and sealed. I used half as much sugar. They were just mildly sweet and still caramelized. Also, I used smoked salt, AND liquid smoke AND smoked paprika... which worked out great.

Angelique
I don’t have hickory smoked salt, so instead I use smoked paprika and coarse kosher salt (same measurements in recipe) and I add 1 tsp of liquid smoke! Works like a charm! The brand I use is shown below.
Saraya R.
I prefer to mix a complete BBQ rub which is as follows; 2 Tbls. each of Brown Sugar and Paprika, 1 Tbls. each of salt, bl. pepper, chili powder, granulated onion, granulated garlic and cumin, and a pinch of nutmeg, ground cloves or allspice. I do like to use liquid smoke 1rst and then generously sprinkle the BBQ rub on both side of the ribs and let the dry rub do it's dry marinade overnight in the fridge. Remove from fridge 2 hrs before going into oven BONES DOWN and cook covered with foil for 1 hour, then uncover and bake for another 45-60 minutes, raise temp to 400F-425F and baste with BBQ sauce every 15 minutes til you have enough layers of glaze to your liking. Let rest for 10-15 minutes, slice & serve. I like to have homemade rolls for rib sandwiches and beans & rice on-the-side.

robert p.