In my opinion, St. Louis-style just might take the crown for the most flavorful ribs. I know, I know—it’s a hot take. But, let me back it up: with a complex rub, a low-and-slow cook, and a sweet BBQ sauce, these spareribs turn into tender, fall-of-the bone dreams. To get REALLY traditional, you'll want to smoke your ribs, but I opted to bake mine in the oven for convenience. Don’t worry—oven-baked ribs still get perfectly fall-off-the-bone-tender! Keep reading on below the recipe for all of my top tips on how to ace this BBQ favorite:
What People Are Saying:
“These are amazing! The rub goes with just about any bbq sauce. They are fall off the bone delicious!” - Katrina Kelley
“Excellent recipe. Ribs turned out tender, flavorful, juicy, and crispy on the outside. Even hubby liked them, and he's a grill hard-liner!” - Jina Miller Antosz
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- Yields:
- 6 serving(s)
- Prep Time:
- 10 mins
- Total Time:
- 3 hrs 35 mins
- Cal/Serv:
- 793
Ingredients
- 3 lb.
spareribs
- 2 Tbsp.
brown sugar
- 2 tsp.
kosher salt
- 1 tsp.
garlic powder
- 1 tsp.
onion powder
- 1 tsp.
oregano
- 1/2 tsp.
freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp.
chili powder
- 1/2 tsp.
mustard powder
- 1/4 tsp.
cayenne pepper
- 4 Tbsp.
butter, cut into cubes
- 1 c.
barbecue sauce
Directions
- Step1Preheat oven to 300° and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. If your ribs have a thin membrane over the bones on the backside, remove by carefully sliding a knife under the membrane and then peeling it away.
- Step2In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and seasonings. Rub mixture all over ribs until well coated.
- Step3Evenly distributebutter cubes over ribs, wrap tightly in foil, and place on prepared baking sheet. Bake until very tender, about 2 1/2 hours.
- Step4Switch oven tobroil, unwrap ribs, and brush all over with barbecue sauce. Place back on baking sheet and broil until sauce starts to caramelize, 5 minutes.
How To Make St. Louis-Style Ribs
Ingredients
• Spareribs: For the traditional St. Louis-style, use spareribs and ask your butcher to cut them "St. Louis style". This simply means that the breastbone will be cut off and the ribs will be in a rectangular shape.
• Brown Sugar: Brown sugar not only helps to tenderize the ribs, but adds that caramelized, sweet flavor.
• Seasonings: Garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, black pepper, chili powder, mustard powder, and cayenne combine to create my seasoning mixture. This packs these ribs with flavor in every bite.
• Butter: You may be wondering, where does butter come into play? Cubes of butter get evenly distributed over the ribs before they are wrapped tightly in foil and baked. The addition of butter adds richness and moisture to the ribs, making them oh so tender—don’t skip this.
• BBQ Sauce: I prefer to use Kansas City-style BBQ sauce with these ribs, but you can use your favorite variety (Carolina-style BBQ sauce is another great option).
Step-By-Step Instructions
Put the grill away—we’re baking these ribs. Before baking, check to see if your ribs have a thin membrane over the bones on the backside. If they do, carefully remove it by sliding a knife under and peeling it away.
Next, it’s time to create your rub. Combine brown sugar, kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, freshly ground black pepper, chili powder, and cayenne pepper together to create your rub mixture. Rub it all over your ribs until they are thoroughly covered. Seriously, I can’t stress this enough: you want every inch of your ribs to be extra flavorful.
Once your ribs are well-seasoned, evenly distribute butter cubes over your ribs, wrap in foil, and place on your baking sheet. You’re going to want to bake your ribs until ultra-tender—this took a little over 2 hours for me, but depending on the size of your ribs, they could need more time.
When your ribs are perfectly tender, it’s time to turn up the heat. Switch to broil and unwrap your ribs before brushing all over with your chosen BBQ sauce (don’t be afraid to get extra saucy here). Broil until the sauce starts to caramelize, making every bite saucy, tender perfection.
Once your ribs are perfectly caramelized, slice 'em up and serve! Don't forget to add extra BBQ sauce on the side.
Ribs Variations
• Grilled Ribs: If you’re looking to skip the oven and get your grill on, turn to these BBQ-basted grilled ribs.
• Slow-Cooker Ribs: Looking for a basically hands-off method? Take out your slow cooker for this easy, low-and-slow recipe.
• Grilled Short Ribs: These sweet-salty short ribs are fall-apart tender and full of flavor thanks to a Korean-inspired marinade.
What To Serve With St. Louis-Style Ribs
Baked Beans
Cheddar Bacon Ranch Corn
Red Potato Salad
Made This?
Let us know how it went in the comments below!
