If you love cooking ribs but don’t have the time to set up a grill, then you might want to consider cooking them in your oven.
There are more than a few different ways to cook ribs because of this. In fact, people dispute over the “best” way to cook ribs in more regional areas, so there are many localized styles that someone who enjoys cooking ribs can look into.
Cooking ribs in the oven is, understandably, a bit more different than cooking ribs on the grill.
Cook Ribs on in Your Oven
1. Remove the Silver Skin
One of the first things you will want is to remove the silver skin from the ribs. This can be a bit tricky, but with a little patience, it can be done.
The easiest way to do this is to use a sharp knife and cut along the bone on one side of the meat. Then, using your fingers or a fork, pull the silver skin off the meat.
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2. Add a Dry Rub
Next, it is time to add a dry rub. There are many different kinds of dry rubs that can be used on ribs, and most will provide the meat with a wonderful flavor.
The easiest way to do this is to sprinkle your favorite spices onto each slab of ribs before sealing them in foil packets and cooking them for four hours at 225 degrees Fahrenheit.
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3. Bake the Ribs
After four hours have passed, it is time to bake the ribs. Place them directly onto a baking sheet and put them in an oven preheated to 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes.
After this has been done, apply barbecue sauce or another glaze on top of the meat and cook for 15 more minutes. This should be enough to give the ribs a nice glaze.
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4. Add BBQ Sauce
After the 15 minute cook time has ended, it is time to add more barbecue sauce.
At this point, you should have already set out your favorite type of BBQ sauce in anticipation of when this step would be completed.
You can either spoon or brush on a thick layer onto both sides of the ribs and continue cooking them at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes.
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5. Broil or Grill
Finally, the only thing left is to broil or grill your ribs. This step can take five minutes on each side, and it will give them a nice char that you are looking for in these types of meaty dishes.
After completing this, let them rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing into them with either a steak knife or a cleaver. Enjoy!
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The Best Surface to Cook Ribs on in Your Oven
For one, you have to consider what surface you want to prepare the ribs on. You might be surprised at how much difference the right cooking surface can make when preparing ribs.
Some people swear by cooking their ribs in an oven-safe dish like a Dutch oven or casserole dish.
This allows the ribs to braise in their own juices and results in a very tender texture. This is definitely an option worth trying out if you have the time!
If you’re looking for something that will take less time, another popular way to cook ribs in the oven is on a wire rack.
This allows for all of the excess fat and sauce to drip off of the ribs, which can help them to cook a bit more evenly.
Ensure that you have a rimmed baking sheet handy so that any messes will be easy to clean up.
Whichever way you choose to cook your ribs in the oven, make sure that you watch them so that they don’t overcook.
Depending on the cut of ribs you use, they might take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour and a half to cook through.
Once they’re done cooking, let them rest for a few minutes so that the juices will redistribute before serving.
What About Unwrapped Ribs?
Another thing to consider when cooking ribs in the oven is whether or not you want to leave them wrapped up.
Some people love that they can wrap their ribs tightly and let them cook without paying attention for hours on end, but others find it difficult to keep an eye on all of those different layers of meat.
This leads some cooks to opt for unwrapped cooking, which can also improve the texture of your ribs.
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- Some people swear by cooking their ribs in an oven-safe dish like a Dutch oven or casserole dish. This allows the ribs to braise in their own juices and results in a very tender texture. This is definitely an option worth trying out if you have the time!
- If you’re looking for something that will take less time, another popular way to cook ribs in the oven is on a wire rack. This allows for all of the excess fat and sauce to drip off of the ribs, which can help them to cook a bit more evenly. Ensure that you have a rimmed baking sheet handy so that any messes will be easy to clean up.
- Whichever way you choose to cook your ribs in the oven, make sure that you watch them so that they don’t overcook. Depending on the cut of ribs you use, they might take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour and a half to cook through. Once they’re done cooking, let them rest for a few minutes so that the juices will redistribute before serving.
You have to consider what surface you want to prepare the rib on, which will either be an aluminum foil or sheet pan—you can also use tin foil if both are unavailable—and preheat it for about five minutes.
Once the pan is hot, add a bit of oil and place your ribs on it with the meat side down for about eight to ten minutes.
After this time has passed, flip them over so that they’re bone side down and then turn off the oven while leaving the door open just slightly.
You can also consider putting an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet on the oven rack beneath it.
This will catch any extra fat that drips off of your ribs while they’re cooking, but if you want to be healthy about it and avoid this altogether, there are alternatives like placing a cooling rack or elevated grate over tin foil instead.
You can also prepare these in advance to cut down the time you’ll need to spend cooking, but it will take longer than ten minutes if done before.
Some home cooks prefer to line their baking sheets with parchment paper instead of aluminum foil for this very reason since it doesn’t contain any chemicals or toxins that can seep into your food under high heat.
Once these are done, remove them from the oven and let them cool slightly before cutting into individual ribs or pulling apart meat with a fork.
Add your favorite barbecue sauce before serving on top of white rice if desired—you can also enjoy these meats with mashed potatoes for added flavor.
What About Cooking the Ribs?
Another thing to keep in mind when cooking ribs is that you can also choose whether or not to let them cool down before serving.
For example, some cooks enjoy the texture of warm barbecue sauce with their meat, while others prefer having it chill out on a plate for a while first.
This might be because they like how it tastes better once cooled or simply because it’s easier to eat that way.
If you want your ribs to stay warm for as long as possible, consider letting them rest on a cooling rack after they finish cooking so that the heat will dissipate into the air more quickly than if they were sitting flat on a plate or cutting board.
You can also put them in a container like an airtight casserole dish and place them in the fridge.
Just be sure to reheat them before serving so that they’re nice and warm!
Conclusion
Ribs are a very popular dish for many people. They can be prepared in different ways and there is no one way that is the “best” way to cook ribs because everyone has their own preference of how they like them cooked, whether it’s grilled or baked.
Ribs are best if you prepare them ahead of time so that you don’t have to spend too much time cooking at your dinner party – but make sure not to forget about reheating before serving!