Baby Back Ribs Recipe

Make dry rub

Combine brown sugar, paprika, kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, ground cumin and ground mustard in a bowl. Stir thoroughly to break up any brown sugar clumps so mixture is uniform.

Prep ribs

Remove ribs from packaging and pat dry with paper towels. If membrane still attached on the bone side, slide a thin spatula or your fingers under the silver skin at one end, loosen, then use a paper towel to grip and pull it off in one piece.

Apply binder and rub

Brush both sides of each rack lightly with yellow mustard (this acts as a binder and won’t taste mustardy after cooking). Sprinkle and press the dry rub evenly over both sides of the ribs, using all of the rub. Let sit at room temperature 20–30 minutes or refrigerate up to overnight, loosely covered.

Preheat oven to 275°F (135°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup and place a wire rack on the sheet if you have one. If you like very tender fall-off-the-bone ribs, wrap each rack individually in heavy-duty aluminum foil.

For wrapped method: on a large sheet of foil, place the rack bone-side down. Add 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar and 2 tablespoons water (per rack) to the foil pocket to create steam and keep ribs moist. Tightly seal the foil into a packet. Repeat for the second rack.

Place wrapped (or unwrapped) ribs on the baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven until tender, about 2 to 2 1/2 hours for 2-lb racks (time will vary depending on thickness). Ribs are done when a toothpick or probe slides in with little resistance and the meat has pulled back from the bone ends ~1/4–1/2 inch.

If you used foil, carefully unwrap the ribs and discard any accumulated juices or reserve for basting. Increase oven temperature to 425°F (220°C) or preheat a grill to medium-high for finishing.

Place racks bone-side down on the baking sheet or grill. Brush a generous, even layer of BBQ sauce over the meat side. If desired, mix the BBQ sauce with honey or maple syrup for extra gloss before brushing.

Return to the oven or place on the grill for 8–12 minutes, watching closely, until the sauce is bubbling and slightly caramelized. For extra glaze, brush a second thin coat of sauce and cook another 2–3 minutes.

Remove ribs and let rest 10 minutes to allow juices to redistribute. Sprinkle with chopped parsley if desired.

Cut between the bones into individual ribs using a sharp knife. Serve warm with extra BBQ sauce on the side.