When winter hits, many pitmasters throw away all hopes of a good eating rib until the temperatures rise. With my Ribs in the Oven, you can enjoy delicious barbecue all year long with the help of your trusty oven. These simple ribs require just a little prep work and the consistent warmth of your stove to create a competition-worthy meal. 

These St. Louis-style ribs are cooked low and slow, giving them the ultimate tender texture. They are topped with a sticky-sweet, caramelized glaze that adds the perfect whisper of heat. This recipe is ideal for chilly days or when you’re in a pinch. It’s also great for those who want to dabble in barbecue techniques without purchasing a grill. With a rib this delicious, no one will ever guess they weren’t cooked in a smoker.

Ribs in the Oven | Heath Riles BBQ

Oven-baked ribs are a lifesaver during colder months. I created this recipe when it was a chilly 20℉, and I wanted to stay cozy indoors. It turned out better than I could have imagined!  Not only does the oven give the meat consistent heat, but it also provides the perfect environment for juicy ribs..even without a wrap or butter bath! I kept this recipe simple but gave it a great blend of seasonings that will fill your home with the richest aroma. 

Some home chefs find smoking on a grill intimidating, but anyone can confidently use their oven. Try this recipe, and let me know what you think!

The Ingredients

• Prairie Fresh Prime St. Louis-style ribs. Prairie Fresh is my favorite brand of ribs, and I always use them when cooking at home or on the circuit. These ribs are high-quality, produce great results, and require minimal prep work. You can purchase them at your local big box store or request that your small-town grocer import them. 

• Mustard. If you want to ensure your seasonings stick to the meat, add a binder. My favorite binder is a smooth mustard because it adds a little twang to the meat. You can also use avocado or olive oil, water, or no binder at all. 

• Heath Riles BBQ Competition BBQ Rub. This mouthwatering rub helped me win first-place ribs at the 2022 & 2024 Memphis in May World Championship BBQ Cooking Contest! From what I’ve heard, it’s doing pretty well for other competitors, too. This blend contains a mix of granulated honey, paprika, salt, pepper, and garlic. It’s great on ribs, roasts, burgers, or steak.

• Heath Riles BBQ Garlic Jalapeńo Rub. This zesty AP rub is my #1 bestseller, and it’s easy to see why! It contains multiple types of garlic for a well-rounded flavor with just a hint of spice. You can use it on everything from popcorn to seafood. See what creative ways you can come up with to use this fun replacement for salt and pepper. 

• Heath Riles BBQ Sweet BBQ Sauce. It took me over 10 years to perfect this sauce, but it was worth it! This ketchup-based sauce is excellent alone or when combined with a vinegar-based sauce. Drizzle it over BBQ nachos, pizza, chicken wings, and even baked beans. 

• Heath Riles BBQ Competition BBQ Sauce. I created this sauce with my good buddies from Checkered Pig. With their input, we landed on a combination that played a huge role in my 2022 & 2024 Memphis in May World Championship BBQ Cooking Contest. I know this sauce will make you feel like a winner, too. 

• Heath Riles BBQ Cherry Apple Habanero BBQ Glaze. If you love ribs with a fruity note, you’ll want to snag a bottle of this cherry and apple-infused glaze. It adds a brilliant sheen to roasts and ribs, but you can also use it to top salads or chicken thighs! I refined this flavor for 6 years and am so excited that you can experience the magic in your own home. 

The Process for Making Ribs in the Oven

You can find a detailed demonstration of this recipe in my video and recipe card. For now, here’s a quick rundown of how I cooked these Ribs in the Oven. 

• Preheat the oven. I preheated the oven to 300℉, the perfect temperature for cooking low and slow.

• Trim the ribs. I took the St. Louis-style ribs from their packaging and skinned the membrane off the back. Then, I squared the ends to help the meat cook evenly and leveled out the meat by removing any pieces of gristle and hard fat caps. This step takes just a few minutes but gives you a beautiful presentation! If you want to learn how to trim St. Louis-style ribs, click here. 

• Add binder and seasoning. I placed a layer of aluminum foil over a baking tray and set a cooling rack over the top. Then, I drizzled the ribs with mustard, giving the seasonings something to adhere to. I seasoned the meat on all sides with Heath Riles BBQ Competition BBQ Rub and Heath Riles BBQ Garlic Jalapeńo Rub, patting it in with my hand. I transferred the meat to the cooling rack, then bunched the meat up, similar to what I would do if cooking on a pit.

• Start cooking. I set the ribs on the bottom rack of my preheated oven and let them cook for one hour. Then, I spun the meat and transferred it to the top rack to give it some color. I let the ribs cook for another hour, which gave me an internal temperature of 182℉-183℉. I rotated the ribs to the bottom rack and cooked them for 30 minutes before glazing. 

• Add glaze. To make a flavorful glaze, I combined equal parts Heath Riles BBQ Sweet BBQ Sauce and Heath Riles BBQ Competition BBQ Sauce with a dash of Heath Riles BBQ Cherry Apple Habanero BBQ Glaze. At the 2½ hour mark, I took the Ribs in the Oven off the heat and brushed them on both sides with glaze. I put the ribs back in the oven for 10 minutes to tack up. The only thing left was to let them rest for a few minutes before digging in!

The Results

Once glazed, the ribs looked identical to smoked varieties. They even passed my “wave test!” The meat was juicy, tender, and had the perfect texture. The flavor was spot-on, featuring a tasty combination of savory and sweet, with my signature pop of heat on the back end! If you’re looking for a good oven-baked rib, you have to try this one.

Serving Suggestions for Ribs in the Oven

These ribs make a tasty snack on their own, but you can’t go wrong with a few great side dishes! If you’re craving a taste of summer, try my favorite coleslaw recipe or creamy potato salad. Enjoy my baked beans straight from the oven if you want a warm side. Finish your meal with a plate of peach cobbler, which you can also make in the oven if desired. 

Storing Leftovers

You can refrigerate leftover Ribs in the Oven for up to four days or freeze them for up to five months. If you’re reheating from frozen, I recommend making more glaze to keep the recipe feeling fresh. 

Equipment and Tools

ThermoWorks Thermapen ONE, Heath Riles BBQ Heat Resistant Gloves, disposable cutting board.