St. Louis Style Pork Spare Ribs Recipe In Oven

Name: St. Louis Style Pork Spare Ribs Recipe In Oven
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 240 min
Ingredients: 1 rack spare ribs ((or St. Louis style ribs)); ⅓ cup brown sugar; 2 teaspoons garlic powder ((not garlic salt)); 1 teaspoon onion powder; 1 teaspoon salt; ¼ teaspoon black pepper; ½ teaspoon smoked paprika; 1½ cup water ((approximate)); ½ cup barbecue sauce

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St. Louis Style Spare Ribs are covered in a simple, dry rub and cooked slowly in the oven for delicious, fall off the bone, ribs!

Barbecue St. Louis pork spare ribs on a plat with barbecue sauce in the background.

St. Louis style ribs come from a trimmed section of pork spare ribs. Whether you have St. Louis ribs or spare ribs, they can be cooked the same way. This recipe will show you how to prepare and cook them so that they are moist, tender, and very flavorful!

Making fall off the bone ribs in the oven is really easy to do. You need a low temperature and several hours. This recipe shows you how to make juicy ribs that literally fall off the bone.

Pork ribs aren't just for summer barbecues. These ribs are made in the oven which makes them an easy meal year-round.

Check out my favorite Sweet and Tangy Barbecue Sauce recipe. It is super easy to throw together and it is so good! If you aren't up for making the sauce homemade then my favorite BBQ sauce from the store is Sweet Baby Ray's Original.

There are many types of ribs, we often make these BBQ Baby Back Ribs too! Don't forget to try this Award Winning Dry Rub!

Why You'll Love This Recipe

These are the best ribs! They ALWAYS come out juicy and tender! The rib bones can be pulled right off the meat!
The simple spice rub and barbecue sauce give them a rich flavor.
This spare ribs recipe takes several hours in the oven, but the prep is super easy!

Recipe Ingredients

You'll need the following ingredients to make BBQ Spare Ribs.

Spare Ribs or St. Louis-Style Ribs are the same set of ribs, just cut differently by the butcher. Both will work in this recipe.

Brown Sugar is the basis for the rub recipe. It adds just a touch of sweetness to the finished ribs.

Garlic Powder and Onion Powder add flavor to the meat.

Salt enhances the taste of all the ingredients.

Black Pepper gives it a little spice, without it being spicy.

Smoked Paprika provides a lightly smoked flavor without having to use liquid smoke or a smoker.

Barbecue Sauce gives it the finishing flavor at the end of the recipe. So pick your sauce wisely!

How to Make St. Louis Style Spare Ribs Recipe in the Oven

Here are some quick visual instructions. The full recipe with ingredient measurements is in the recipe card below!

Preheat the oven and remove the tough membrane on the back of the ribs if your butcher hasn't already.

Pro Tip: Using a paper towel will help you to grip the slippery silverskin.

The back of a rack of ribs on a cutting board with a hand using a paper towel to remove the membrane.

Combine the dry rub mixture in a small bowl and spread the homemade rub on top of the ribs as well as on the underside.

St. Louis spare ribs with dry rub on them on a cutting board.

Place ribs in a single layer in a roasting pan. You may need to use a sharp knife to cut off a couple of ribs if they are too long. Just add them where they will fit in the pan.

Pork spare ribs in a roasting pan with dry rub on them.

Add enough water so that about ¼ of an inch covers the bottom of the pan. This will help the ribs stay juicy while cooking.

Water being added to the bottom of a roasting pan with ribs in them.

Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and bake for about 4 hours.

Roasting pan with tin foil wrapped tightly on it.

Check to make sure the ribs are tender by inserting a fork and pulling the meat away from the bone. It should pull apart very easily. The cooking time will vary, you will need to check for tenderness and put them back in the oven as necessary.

A fork pulling meat away from the bone to show to tender the ribs are.

Transfer the cooked ribs to a cookie sheet and brush barbecue sauce onto every side. Put the ribs under the broiler or on a grill to caramelize the BBQ sauce.

Cooked spare ribs with barbecue sauce on them.

Put the ribs back in the oven under the broiler or on the grill to quickly caramelize the BBQ sauce.

Rack of barbecue spare ribs on tin foil.

You will be able to easily pull the meat apart and away from the bone.

Pulling tender meat from oven roasted pork spare ribs.

Recipe Tips & Tricks

Make the rack of ribs the day before the party and heat them up right before it is time to serve them!
Removing the membrane (silver skin) can be difficult. Try using a dull knife to lift up an edge and use a paper towel to grab hold of the membrane so it doesn't slip from your fingers.

Storage and Reheating

Storage: Refrigerate ribs in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Reheating: Reheat ribs in the microwave or cover them in the oven to prevent them from drying out.
Freezing: Wrap the cooked and cooled ribs tightly in plastic wrap and then add them to a freezer bag.
Thawing: Thaw frozen ribs in the refrigerator or the in microwave on the defrost setting.

Additions and Substitutions

Spicy: Add up to 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper to the ribs to give them a spicy kick!

What to Serve with St Louis Spare Ribs

German Potato Salad (recipe coming soon!)
Balsamic Asparagus
Patriotic Fruit Skewers (or fruit salad)

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to BBQ spare ribs?

Ribs can be cooked on a grill, but you will need to maintain a low 250 degrees Fahrenheit for a few hours to allow the meat to become tender. You will also need to cover the ribs so they do not dry out during the process. Instead, try roasting the ribs, covered, in an oven at 250 degrees Fahrenheit for about 4 hours. Add ¼ inch of water to the bottom of the pan to ensure that they stay moist during the cooking process. When they are finished, carefully set them on the hot grill to caramelize the BBQ sauce.

How do you prepare pork ribs for BBQ?

First, rinse the ribs and dry them. Next, pull off the membrane on the back of the ribs if your butcher hasn't already done so. Then, add your dry rub to the ribs. Add them to a roasting pan with a little water on the bottom of the pan and cover them tightly with foil. Bake them at 250 degrees Fahrenheit until they are tender. Add the BBQ sauce and caramelize the sauce on the grill or under the broiler.

How do you pre cook pork ribs before grilling?

Pre-cooking ribs is a great way to ensure they are tender and juicy before finishing them on the grill. First, rinse the ribs and dry them. After that, pull off the membrane on the back of the ribs if your butcher hasn't done that. Next, add the dry rub to the ribs. Add them to a roasting pan with a little water on the bottom of the pan and cover them tightly with foil. Bake them at 250 degrees Fahrenheit for about 4 hours until they are tender. Add the BBQ sauce and caramelize the sauce on the grill.