How to Make Easy Oven Baked Beef Ribs

Tender, juicy oven baked beef ribs with bbq sauce are seasoned to perfection. No grill needed! Perfect for BBQ season when you don’t have outdoor space or just want a no-fuss dinner.

FYI, please carefully read the recipe notes below before you make these beef ribs

Want to see these ribs in action? The quick video in this post is also up on my YouTube channel as a Short, so if you’re more of a scroll and watch kinda person, check it out there and hit subscribe while you’re at it!

You’ll find easy recipes (some exclusive to YouTube), hauls, grocery store finds, and useful kitchen stuff I actually use. Come check it out!

Why You’ll Love This Oven Baked Beef Rib Recipe

I love firing up the grill as much as anybody when the weather warms up. But not everyone has a grill, a backyard, or even the time to stand outside babysitting a smoker for 6 hours. And maybe you do have an outdoor grill but sometimes you don’t feel like grilling outdoors for whatever reasons.

Whether you like them fall-off-the-bone or with a little bite, it’s foolproof, flavorful, and turns simple oven baked beef ribs into a BBQ lover’s dream.

Should Meat Fall Off the Bone or Not?

Back when I lived in Kansas, I learned from the locals that ribs shouldn’t fall off the bone. In traditional barbecue, that’s actually a sign they’re overcooked. According to the Kansas City Barbeque Society, properly cooked ribs should be tender but still have a slight tug when you bite in, leaving a clean bite mark behind. That said, plenty of people even my family included love ribs so tender they fall right off the bone, and honestly, there’s nothing wrong with that if that’s what you enjoy.

Store-Bought BBQ Sauce or Homemade?

Normally I’d whip up a homemade sauce, but this time I grabbed a bottle of Traeger’s Original BBQ Sauce. Shoutout to TikTok for putting me on. It’s one of the best store-bought sauces I’ve had. Sweet, thick (doesn’t slide off the meat) and tangy, and deeper in flavor than the usual store-bought stuff and just enough spice to stand up to these ribs.

That said, use whatever BBQ sauce you love. If you’ve got a go-to bottled sauce, pour it on. If you prefer to make your own from scratch, go for it. This oven baked beef rib recipe plays well with both. It’s all about what you like and what you have on hand.

Ingredients You’ll Need To Make Oven Baked Ribs

For the Rib Seasoning:

• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tbsp chili powder
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 1/4 tsp Traegers Apple and Honey Rubs (optional)
• salt and pepper for taste
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional, for heat)
• Traeger Original BBQ Sauce (or your favorite store-bought)
• 5 lbs of meaty separated beef ribs (I get mine from Costco. They’re pretty big and meaty)

Marinade

• 3/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• ½ tsp liquid smoke
• 2 tbsp minced garlic

How to Make Oven Baked Beef Ribs

FYI. I used pre-sliced beef ribs to keep things quick and easy, but this recipe works with any kind of beef ribs you’ve got.

1. Preheat your oven to 275°F (150°C). Line a baking pan with foil for easy cleanup if you like.
2. Pat the cleaned ribs dry with paper towels. This helps the seasoning stick better and keeps the ribs from steaming.
3. Mix your seasoning blend in a small bowl. Drizzle the ribs with olive oil and rub it in all over both sides. This helps the seasoning stick better and keeps the meat juicy while it cooks.
4. Wrap the ribs tightly in foil You want them sealed up like a little flavor packet. This keeps them juicy and tender while they cook low and slow. I usually use the layers of aluminum foil. Make sure the pan is sealed up like really sealed. Okay? Cool!
5. Bake for about 2-3 hours, depending on the thickness of your ribs, until they’re fork tender and the meat starts to pull back from the bone. You’ll notice that the meat has pulled back quite a lot and usually that’s a sign that its done! Yay!
   
6. Carefully open the foil because it’s very hot, brush your ribs with butter then generously with your favorite BBQ sauce. I love to use Traeger’s Original BBQ Sauce. Next pop them under the broiler for 5-7 minutes until the sauce bubbles and caramelizes.
7. Rest for 5-10 minutes, and serve with extra sauce on the side. Perfect with my Southern Coleslaw.

Pro Tips

• Don’t skip the dry rub. This is where most of your flavor comes from. Don’t be shy with the seasoning, meaty ribs can handle it.
• Keep the oven door shut as much as possible. You want steady heat for tender, juicy ribs.
• If you like a smokier flavor, mix 1/2 teaspoon of liquid smoke into the olive oil before rubbing it onto the ribs or brush it directly onto the ribs after the olive oil, before adding the dry seasoning.
• Swap out the Traeger’s sauce for a homemade one if you’ve got the time , but honestly, no one’s judging when it tastes this good straight from the bottle.

Serving Suggestions

I love serving these beef ribs with classic sides like coleslaw, baked beans, and cornbread. Or if you’re keeping it casual, some dinner rolls works too.

Final Thoughts

You don’t need a fancy grill or smoker to enjoy fall off the bone beef ribs. With a solid dry rub, a slow oven bake, and a good bottle of BBQ sauce, you’re all set for a backyard-style meal no matter where you live.

If you grab a bottle of Traeger’s Original BBQ Sauce, let me know what you think. I saw a guy on Tiktok using it and I’ve been hooked ever since. This bbq sauce has been my go-to shortcut lately for beef ribs and chicken lately because life has been lifing lol. If you try them please let me know what you think.

Easy Oven Baked Beef Ribs

April Boller Wright

These oven-baked beef ribs are a lifesaver when you’re craving BBQ but don’t have a grill, or just feel like keeping it simple indoors.

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 3 hours hrs

Course Beef

Cuisine American, Southern American

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

Beef Ribs Seasoning

• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 1/2 tbsp chili powder
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 1/4 tsp Traegers Apple and Honey Rubs optional
• salt and pepper for taste
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper optional, for heat
• Traeger Original BBQ Sauce or your favorite store-bought

For the Ribs

• 5 lbs meaty separated beef ribs I get mine from Costco.
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Rib Marinade

• 3/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• ½ tsp liquid smoke
• 2 tbsp minced garlic

Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

 

For the Marinade

• In a bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, liquid smoke, and minced garlic until well combined.
• I used 5 lbs of ribs, so I placed them into two large Ziploc bags. Add half of the ribs to one bag and the other half to the second bag. Then, divide the marinade evenly between the two bags. Don’t pour it all into one bag. Seal each bag tightly, making sure the ribs are well coated.
• Marinate overnight in the refrigerator. The next day, let the ribs come to room temperature before baking (about 30-45 minutes on the counter) and then cook according to the instructions below.
• Preheat your oven to 275°F (150°C). Line a baking pan with foil for easy cleanup if you like.
• Pat the cleaned ribs dry with paper towels. This helps the seasoning stick better and keeps the ribs from steaming.
• Mix your seasoning blend in a small bowl. Place the ribs bone side up. Drizzle the ribs with olive oil and rub it in all over both sides. This helps the seasoning stick better and keeps the meat juicy while it cooks.
• Wrap the ribs tightly in foil You want them sealed up like a little flavor packet. This keeps them juicy and tender while they cook low and slow. I usually use about 3 layers of aluminum foil. Make sure the pan is sealed up.
• Bake for about 2-3 hours, depending on the thickness of your ribs, until they’re fork tender and the meat starts to pull back from the bone. You'll notice that the meat has pulled back quite a lot and usually that's a sign that its done! Yay! If you want them to fall off the bone, use your best judgement. Read the notes in the recipe notes below for more info.
• Carefully pull off the foil because it's very hot. Brush the ribs with the melted butter then generously brush with your favorite BBQ sauce **See notes below. I love to use Traeger’s Original BBQ Sauce. Next pop them under the broiler for 5-7 minutes until the sauce bubbles and caramelizes.
• Rest for 5 minutes, and serve with extra sauce on the side. This is perfect with coleslaw

Video

Notes

Important Pro Tips

Marinade: Unfortunately, I lost the video footage of the marinade process but if you are short on time you don’t have to marinate the ribs. They’ll still be tender and flavorful baked as-is. But if you want that deeper, richer flavor that really penetrates the meat, marinate them overnight.

Marinade: Since I was working with a 5-pound pack of beef ribs, I divided them between two Ziploc bags. Pour half of the marinade into each bag to evenly coat the ribs. This ensures everything gets coated evenly without overcrowding.

Important: Be sure to let the ribs come to room temperature before baking the next day. Cold meat straight from the fridge can cook unevenly, and bringing them to room temp helps them bake more evenly and stay juicy.

• • Don’t be shy with the seasoning, meaty ribs can handle it.
  • Cooking time for BBQ ribs can vary depending on how meaty they are. If your ribs are meaty like mine (they took about 3 hours), they may need more time, while thinner cuts will cook faster. When I lived in Kansas, I learned from locals that ribs shouldn’t fall off the bone; they should be tender enough to pull off with a little tug but still have structure.
    Everyone has their preference. Some like fall-off-the-bone tender, while others prefer ribs with a little more bite. At the end of the day it’s your food and all about what you enjoy.
    Check your ribs at the 2-hour mark to assess tenderness. If not tender enough, add more time and check again at 2.5 hours. For thicker, meatier ribs, you may need 3 to 4 hours to reach the desired tenderness. Be sure to seal the pan tightly with foil before returning to the oven.
  • Keep the oven door shut as much as possible. You want steady heat for tender, juicy ribs.
  • There will be quite a bit of fat and liquid in the pan as the ribs cook down. You can go ahead and pour that out before brushing on the BBQ sauce. I like to get rid of it so the sauce has a chance to really cling to the ribs.

• • I used Traeger’s sauce but you can swap it for your favorite homemade sauce if you’ve got the time. Either way, no one’s judging when it tastes this good straight from the bottle.

•  

Keyword bbq ribs, beef ribs, oven baked beef ribs, oven baked ribs

Like this? Leave a comment below!Let us know how it was!