Replicating the method of a professional pitmaster who tends their specialized smoker through the wee hours can be a far bigger commitment of time and equipment than any regular home cook would want to tackle simply for the sake of making dinner. Do you dream about the tender, smoky baby back or spare ribs at your favorite barbecue joint and wish you could make them at home? However, you can still get delicious results by baking ribs in your oven without spending money on any equipment or rising early to start the fire!
Usually, when ribs are mentioned in a recipe or on a menu, spare ribs or baby back ribs are meant, both of which are made of pork.
These tiny ribs are taken from the pig’s backbone where the ribs meet. The length of the ribs on a rack of baby backs typically ranges from about 6 inches at the wide end to about 3 inches at the narrow end. Baby back ribs are more tender than other types of ribs, but because they also have less fat, they may be more likely to dry out.
The spare ribs are, quite literally, on the other end of the baby back ribs. Following the separation of the “baby back” section, this cut is the remaining ribs. Spare ribs are longer and less curved than baby backs. Additionally, they have more fat, which makes them more flavorful and moist.
The only thing that sets these apart from spare ribs is that St Louis-style has the rib tips removed. This meat flap contains tiny pieces of bone and cartilage.
Since they are almost cartoonishly large at about 12 inches long and weighing over a pound each, whole beef short ribs, also known as plate ribs or dino ribs (yes, as in dinosaur!) are much less common than pork ribs. They come from a part of the cow called the short plate, which is why they are called short ribs rather than because of their diminutive stature, of course. Texas-style barbecue restaurants are one place where you can always find them on the menu. If you want to prepare full-size beef ribs at home, you’ll probably need to look for a specialty butcher.
The cut of beef that most people refer to as short ribs may be chuck ribs from the next adjacent section or may originate from the short plate, just like dino ribs. For easier handling, butchers typically cut short ribs crosswise into much smaller sections of about 3 inches.
The only difference between this cut of beef ribs and the short rib section is its thickness. Ribs in the flanken style are very thinly cut, typically 12 inch. They are known as kalbi or galbi in Korean barbecue, one of the most well-liked methods of preparing them. These thin-cut beef rib sections cook a lot faster than other types of ribs.
How Long Do You Cook Ribs in the Oven
The type of pork ribs you use and the oven’s temperature have a major impact on how long you cook ribs in the oven. Here’s a chart of approximate baking times:
| Oven Temp | Back Ribs | Spare Ribs | Country Style Ribs* |
| 225°F | 5 hours | 6 hours | 3-4 hours |
| 250°F | 4 hours | 5 hours | 2-3 hours |
| 300°F | 2 1/2 hours | 3 1/2 hours | 40-60 minutes |
| 350°F | 2 hours | 2 1/2 hours | 20-30 minutes |
| 400°F | 1 hour | 1 1/2 hours | 15-20 minutes |
| 450°F | 45 minutes | 1 hour | 12-15 minutes |
* For bone-in ribs cut 1-inch thick.
By encouraging more even heat distribution, taking the ribs out of the refrigerator an hour before cooking will slightly hasten the cooking process. In addition, using your oven%E2%80%99s convection or forced air feature can accelerate cooking by up to 30%
Given all of these variables, it’s best to always check the level of doneness rather than relying solely on cooking time!
Typically, ribs are done when the bones protrude 1 1/2 inches from the meat. However, that%E2%80%99s not 100% dependable since they%E2%80%99ll also do that when overcooked! The best method is still to insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest section without touching the bone:
The USDA says ribs are safe to eat at 145°F. At the same time, the collagen and connective tissue does not start breaking down until 165°F so most people keep cooking ribs longer to get them nice and juicy.
Before cooking the ribs, remove the silverskin membrane from the underside because it is hard and prevents the seasonings from penetrating the meat. Slide a sharp knife underneath to start separating it. Grab the remainder of it with a piece of paper towel and rip it off.
When preparing the ribs, seasoning should be applied all over. After that, arrange them in a single layer, fat side up, in a rectangular baking pan or sheet pan that has parchment paper underneath (I prefer a broiler pan or roasting pan with a rack to let the fat drip away). ).
Baking the ribs: Place the ribs in a preheated oven. Just take the ribs out of the oven 30 to 60 minutes before they’re done cooking if you want to sauce them. Put them back to the oven until they’re done.
Resting: After the ribs are finished cooking, let them stand for 5 to 10 minutes covered in foil before serving. This crucial step enables the juices to return to the meat, making it nice and tender.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Long to Bake Spare Ribs in the Oven at 350 F
Spare ribs are leaner and longer in comparison to the short, fatty back ribs. They’re cut from the belly, right behind the shoulder. You might see these called St. Louis-style ribs after their cartilage, skirt, and breastbone have been removed They’re also known as side ribs.
Spare ribs weigh twice as much as back ribs. Spare ribs usually weigh about 2-4 pounds. They require more preparation time when they are that much larger.
Spare ribs should be baked at 350 degrees for two and a half hours.
How to Cook Ribs in the Oven?
To produce the best rib dinner results possible, you want to make sure you are properly preparing the ribs in addition to learning how long to cook them in the oven.
How long should you bake ribs for? By baking your ribs at 350 degrees, a low temperature, for a longer period of time, you prevent the ribs from drying out. Baby back ribs should typically be cooked at 350 for two hours, spare ribs for two and a half hours, and country-style ribs for 20 to 30 minutes.
Check your ribs every 10 minutes if they aren’t quite done to make sure they don’t dry out and finish cooking. Allow your ribs to rest for at least 10 minutes before serving once they are cooked to your preference. Enjoy!.