BBQ Glazed Pork Back Ribs Recipe

Looking to make juicy ribs that are melt-in-your-mouth, fall-off-the-bone, finger-licking delicious? Look no further! Our recipe for oven-baked ribs doubles up on the flavour with a savoury, spicy dry rub and a sweet, smoky barbecue sauce. Made with pork back ribs (also known as baby back ribs), this succulent recipe leads to tender meat that will be a star at any cookout. Ready in a few hours, you can finish them in the oven or on the grill if you prefer a little extra char. Sticky, messy, and so yummy, you’ll want to have plenty of napkins handy when you dig into these!

 

What Kinds of Ribs Are There?

There are three common types of pork ribs: back ribs (also known as baby back ribs), spare ribs, and St. Louis-style ribs. This recipe uses pork back ribs, but here’s some info about all three.

Back ribs/baby back ribs

Shorter and smaller than the other ribs, it’s easy to see why baby back ribs get their name. These ribs come from the upper portion of the ribcage, which is why they’re smaller than other ribs, like spare ribs. Extremely tender, these ribs have meat both between the bones and on top of them. One rack of baby back ribs is between 10 to 13 ribs, which feeds about two people.

Spare ribs

Larger and meatier than baby back ribs, pork spare ribs come from the midpoint of the ribcage. Well-marbled, they tend to be fattier and richer. A full rack of spare ribs is about 11 ribs. Due to the fat content and amount of meat on these ribs, they need to be cooked for more time than baby back ribs. A longer cook time also allows for the fat to melt for a more tender bite.

St. Louis-style ribs

These ribs come from the same part as spare ribs, but the difference is in the butchering and preparation. St. Louis-style ribs are prepared so as to have more meat and less cartilage, and they’re trimmed down to be smaller and stouter than the average spare rib. The rib tips that are cut from these ribs can be cooked low and slow to provide tender, delicious meaty morsels that are popular in barbecue.

How Can I Cook My Ribs?

Pork ribs can be cooked in the oven, the slow cooker, or on the barbecue. This recipe is for oven-baked ribs, with the option to finish them on the grill if you’d like a little extra char and caramelization. A few steps to keep in mind for this pork ribs recipe:

1. Rub: A seasoning rub or paste adds some important flavour to your ribs.
2. Bake: We bake our ribs in a roasting pan, and we do it uncovered. Some recipes may call for covering in aluminum foil, but this one does not.
3. Time: Pork back ribs should bake in the oven for 2.5-3 hours.
4. Glaze: In the final 10 minutes, glaze your ribs liberally with your barbecue sauce of choice. Replace them in the oven for a few more minutes to get crispy edges from the sauce’s sugars caramelizing, before removing, resting, and serving.

Tips For Perfect Pork Back Ribs

1. Pay attention to your oven temperature. If you notice your oven runs hot and your ribs are browning too quickly, cover them in aluminum foil for the remainder of the cooking time.
2. Use a meat thermometer. No one likes dry ribs! Use a meat thermometer to ensure that you ribs don’t dry out during the cooking process. Ribs will be at their juiciest when they’ve reached an internal temperature between 190-200°.
3. Season your ribs overnight. Ribs are a labour of love. Get the most flavour out of them by coating your ribs in the dry rub, wrapping them tightly, and keeping them in the fridge overnight.

Barbecue Sauce 101

What are pork ribs without the sauce? Slathering a rack of ribs with some sweet, savoury, and maybe even slightly spicy sauce is what transforms this cut of meat into something that’s crave-worthy. Barbecue sauce can vary wildly between regions, but we think ribs go best with the sticky style of Kansas City barbecue sauce, which is thicker and sweeter than regular sauces. You can always make your own, but we have an extensive array for when you want your ribs ASAP. Use your sauce of choice for both glazing and serving for the best succulent, messy ribs. Our Gourmet BBQ Sauces are all made by us in the Farm Boy Kitchen for delicious, homestyle flavour.

Farm Boy™ Chipotle BBQ Sauce

Not for the faint of heart – or those who fear the heat. Our Chipotle BBQ Sauce is sweetened with brown sugar and molasses, but has a kick thanks to chipotle and chili. Rounding out the flavour is onion, vinegar, garlic, and ginger.

Farm Boy™ Jerk BBQ Sauce

An unexpected barbecue sauce, our Jerk BBQ Sauce brings some island flavour to your rack of ribs. Sweetened with brown sugar and honey, it has a variety of aromatic spices including chili, cayenne, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and thyme.

Farm Boy™ Maple BBQ Sauce

A Southern barbecue, but with a Canadian twist! The sweetest sauce in our Gourmet BBQ lineup, it contains maple syrup, apple juice, brown sugar, and molasses for a sticky-sweet flavour.

Farm Boy™ Smokehouse BBQ Sauce

Things are getting smoky in here! Sweet and savoury, this is a classic barbecue sauce option. Made with ketchup, molasses, and brown sugar, it gets extra flavour thanks to liquid smoke, garlic, lemon, and black pepper.

What to Serve with Pork Back Ribs

Embrace the spirit of a Southern barbecue by enhancing your rib feast with some traditional sides. Sticky pork ribs are always a crowd-pleaser, but you’ll be the cookout champion if your spread includes any of these:

Potato Salad: A cookout classic! Creamy potato salad is a must-have pairing for pork ribs. This warm-weather staple should have a zesty dressing to cut through the richness of the ribs and sweetness of the barbecue sauce.

Mac & Cheese: Creamy and comforting, homemade mac and cheese can be daunting to the novice chef. If you’re not prepared to go to the trouble of making a roux and grating piles of cheese, we recommend trying our Farm Boy™ Classic Macaroni & Cheese, which features an all-important crunchy panko topping.

Cornbread: A warm wedge of cornbread with a nice pat of butter melting on it? We’re drooling already! Making your own from scratch is always an option (we love our recipe for Cheesy Jalapeño Cornbread Muffins), but if you’re in a hurry and can’t wait to tuck into some juicy ribs, you can always pick up our Farm Boy™ Jalapeño Cornbread.

Coleslaw: Refreshing and cooling, a classic coleslaw is an excellent side dish to sticky ribs. Texturally, the crunch of coleslaw contrasts well with the tender meatiness of these baby back ribs, as does the light flavour.

Buttermilk Biscuits: If cornbread isn’t your think, how about whipping up (or picking up) a batch of buttermilk biscuits? Flaky biscuits do a great job of sopping up all the extra barbecue sauce and when they’re warmed up first, they’re just *chef’s kiss*.

Baked Beans: A barbecue staple, baked beans are a humble side at the cookout, but are no less important (or tasty). Choose from our line of baked beans: Campfire, made with Canadian Whiskey; Maritime, sweetened with blackstrap molasses; or Sugarbush, prepared with pure maple syrup.

Corn on the Cob: As easy as shucking a few ears and throwing them on the grill (or in a pot of water on the stove)! If you’re going the barbecue route, try and get a little char on your cobs to really enhance the corn’s natural sweetness. Slather it in butter and then go to town!