BBQ St. Louis Ribs In The Oven - Bites With Bri

Maybe your like

Home › Recipe Index › Game Day

BBQ St. Louis Ribs in the Oven

By Brianna May

on Jun 04, 2021, Updated May 18, 2022

5 from 267 votesSavePinShareJump to Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

These easy BBQ St. Louis Ribs in the Oven are tender, sweet, saucey, and caramelized on top. They start with a dry rub, then are basted with apple cider vinegar and honey as they are cooked low and slow for hours at 275 degrees.

Save this recipe!Just enter your email and get it sent to your inbox! Plus you’ll get new recipes from us every week!Name *Email *Save Recipe

St louis rubs in oven on a cutting board with sauce on top.

If you are looking for more easy oven recipes, learn How to Cook Pork Tenderloin in the Oven too.

You will also love my Slow Cooker Dr. Pepper Ribs and Easy Bratwurst in the Air Fryer.

If you need a recipe for baby back ribs, learn How To Make Baby Back Ribs in the Oven or try my Sticky Asian Pork Rib Recipe.

If you just need a spice mixture recipe, try the BEST Dry Rub for Ribs.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Ingredients & Substitutions
How to Make St. Louis BBQ Ribs in the Oven
Recipe Serving Suggestions
Expert Tips & Variations
What Is the Difference Between St Louis Ribs and Baby Back Ribs?
Storing Leftovers
Recipe FAQs
More Main Dish Recipes
Oven Baked St. Louis BBQ Ribs Recipe

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This St. Louis style ribs recipe is easy to make & no grill or smoker is needed.
The combination of the dry rub (with garlic powder, smoked paprika, & chili powder) and barbecue sauce make these BBQ St. Louis Ribs in the Oven super flavorful.
These ribs are basted with honey and apple cider vinegar.
These are perfect for any summer barbecue or the Fourth of July.
Learn how to make a dry rub for ribs, baste ribs, and how long to cook St. Louis ribs in the oven at 275 degrees.

Ingredients & Substitutions

Ingredients needed to make baked bbq st louis ribs.

St. Louis Ribs: Be sure to remove the membrane (or silver skin) and cut the rack into about 2-3 pieces so it will fit in the pan.
BBQ Sauce: Some of my favorite brands are Stubbs, Jack Daniels, and Sweet Baby Ray’s. Use your favorite!

Check out the best substitutes for apple cider vinegar!

Complete list of ingredients and amounts is located on the recipe card below.

How to Make St. Louis BBQ Ribs in the Oven

Quick Overview

Preheat oven & season the ribs with the dry rub.
Wrap the ribs in foil.
Bake at 275 degrees & baste for 4 hours.
Remove ribs from foil and bake uncovered.
Broil.

Step by Step Instructions

A 2 photo collage showing ribs being rubbed with spices and wrapped.

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. In a small bowl, combine the salt, pepper, garlic, paprika, cumin, and onion powder. Rub the ribs with all of the dry rub, focusing on the meat side.

Step 2: Wrap each piece of the rack of ribs by itself tightly with foil so they are completely covered. Place these in a large pan lined with foil.

TIP – Line the pan with foil for easier clean up.

A 2 photo collage showing ribs being basted and unwrapped.

Step 3: Bake for 2 hours. While the ribs bake, combine the vinegar and honey. Set aside. Lift the foil gently just to expose the top of the ribs. Spoon or brush about half of the vinegar mixture on the ribs.

Step 4: Rewrap and bake for another 2 hours. Lastly, unwrap the ribs and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Brush them with the remaining vinegar mixture.

A 2 photo collage showing ribs with sauce and caramelized in the oven.

Step 5: Next, brush them with the barbecue sauce. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.

Step 6: Broil on high for 5-10 minutes, or until the sauce bubbles and dark spots begin to form.Serve with more sauce or pan drippings.

TIP – The ribs should be about 195-200 degrees.

Recipe Serving Suggestions

Here are some of my favorite sides to serve with these BBQ St. Louis ribs in the oven:

Baked Potatoes
Crispy Seasoned Tater Tots
Red Skin Mashed Potatoes
Copycat Panera Broccoli Cheddar Mac & Cheese
Instant Pot Southern Green Beans
Cast Iron Corn
Old Fashioned Yeast Rolls

Use your leftover ribs to make Recipes with Leftover Ribs.

Expert Tips & Variations

Use paper towels to dry the ribs. Removing the moisture will help the rub stick.
Press in the rub. Use your hand and some pressure to press the rub into the ribs. If you just sprinkle it across them, it will not adhere.
Wrap in foil. I tested this recipe by just placing the ribs in the pan and covering it with foil. The ribs were significantly drier. So be sure to wrap each piece of the rack. When in doubt, use another piece of foil. You want the ribs to be completely covered. This prevents the juices from escaping.
Don’t skip out on the basting. Pork loves acid. It makes the ribs more tender and the sweetness of the honey pairs perfectly with the vinegar.
Use a meat thermometer. If you want your ribs to be super tender, they need to reach about 190-200 degrees. This is the temperature when the collagen begins to break down. You can also use a fork to check the tenderness.
Broil. That caramelized charred sugar crust on top is almost reminiscent of the char you get on the grill. So I keep a close eye on them, but purposely allow some black spots to form.

What Is the Difference Between St Louis Ribs and Baby Back Ribs?

St. Louis-style ribs are cut from near the pork belly, right below the baby back ribs.

St. Louis ribs are less expensive, larger, more uniform, and flatter compared to other ribs. They also contain more bones compared to baby back, but they have more fat and flavor.

With that being said, baby back ribs are more leaner and more tender. They will get fall off the bone tender. If that’s what you are looking for, you might not like oven baked St. Louis-style ribs as much.

Storing Leftovers

Refrigerator: Store leftover ribs in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

How to Reheat Ribs in the Oven

Place the ribs in a baking dish, brush with sauce or melted butter, and cover. Bake at 275 for 30-45 minutes, or until heated through.

Recipe FAQs

Why do you bake ribs covered and uncovered?

The covered portion of the baking process allows the ribs to become tender and still remain moist. The uncovered portion is where the caramelization begins. If you do not uncover them, you are basically just steaming the ribs.

Why are the ribs not tender?

It is likely because they did not cook enough. Like I mentioned above, the ribs needs to get over 190 degrees for the collagen to break down. St. Louis ribs have to be cooked longer than baby back ribs to achieve a similar tenderness.

Should I wrap ribs in foil?

Yes! This will create the most tender ribs. You will also want to cook them uncovered but for the first few hours, they should be wrapped. At the end remove from the oven and bake uncovered.

What temperature do you cook St Louis ribs?

I recommend 275 degrees. You want to cook ribs low and slow. Any higher will cause the ribs to dry out.

Do spare ribs take longer than baby back ribs?

Yes. Like I mentioned above these will take longer than baby back ribs to reach the same tenderness. This is because they have more bones.

Do ribs get more tender the longer they cook?

Yes, but there is a sweet spot. They will also begin to lose moisture. So you really do not want to completely over cook them. But ribs are technically overcooked in the sense that pork only needs to reach 145 degrees. However, ribs need to break down more.

At what temperature do ribs fall off the bone?

Between 190 and right over 200 degrees is when ribs will begin to fall off the bone. Do not cook them past this.

More Main Dish Recipes

Chicken

Garlic Butter Chicken Thighs (Baked & Crispy)

Pasta

Baked Stuffed Shells with Meat Sauce

Fall

Dutch Oven Pot Roast

Soup & Chili

Ground Chicken Chili with Beans

If you try this recipe, please leave a star rating in the recipe card below and/or comment! I always appreciate your feedback. Follow me on Pinterest, Facebook & Instagram.

Pin Print SaveSaved

Oven Baked St. Louis BBQ Ribs

Brianna May 5 from 267 votes These easy BBQ St. Louis Ribs in the Oven are tender, sweet, saucey, and caramelized on top. They start with a dry rub, then are basted with apple cider vinegar and honey as they are cooked low and slow for hours at 275 degrees. Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 5 hours Total Time: 5 hours 5 minutes Servings: 4 people

Ingredients

▢ 3 pounds St. Louis style pork ribs about 1 large rack, trimmed & cut*

Dry Rub

▢ 1 Tablespoon salt
▢ 2 teaspoons black pepper
▢ 1 Tablespoon granulated garlic
▢ 1 Tablespoon smoked paprika
▢ 1 teaspoon cumin
▢ 1 teaspoon onion powder
▢ 1 teaspoon chili powder
▢ 3/4 cup barbecue sauce*

Basting Liquid

▢ 4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
▢ 2 Tablespoons honey

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. In a small bowl, combine the salt, pepper, garlic, paprika, cumin, onion powder, and chili powder. Rub the ribs with all of the dry rub, focusing on the meat side.
Wrap each piece of the rack of ribs by itself tightly with foil so they are completely covered. Place these in a large pan lined with foil.
Bake for 2 hours. While the ribs bake, combine the vinegar and honey. Set aside. Lift the foil gently just to expose the top of the ribs. Spoon or brush about half of the vinegar mixture on the ribs.
Rewrap and bake for another 2 hours. Lastly, unwrap the ribs and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Brush them with the remaining vinegar mixture.
Next, brush them with the barbecue sauce. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.
Broil on high for 5-10 minutes, or until the sauce bubbles and dark spots begin to form.Serve with more sauce or pan drippings.

Did you make this recipe? Leave a comment below!

Notes

St. Louis Ribs: Be sure to remove the membrane (or silver skin) and cut the rack into about 2-3 pieces so it will fit in the pan.
BBQ Sauce: Some of my favorite brands are Stubbs, Jack Daniels, and Sweet Baby Ray’s. Use your favorite!
Press in the rub. Use your hand and some pressure to press the rub into the ribs. If you just sprinkle it across them, it will not adhere.
Wrap in foil. I tested this recipe by just placing the ribs in the pan and covering it with foil. The ribs were significantly drier. So be sure to wrap each piece of the rack. When in doubt, use another piece of foil. You want the ribs to be completely covered. This prevents the juices from escaping.
Don’t skip out on the basting. Pork loves acid. It makes the ribs more tender and the sweetness of the honey pairs perfectly with the vinegar.
Use a meat thermometer. If you want your ribs to be super tender, they need to reach about 190-200 degrees. This is the temperature when the collagen begins to break down. You can also use a fork to check the tenderness.
Broil. That caramelized charred sugar crust on top is almost reminiscent of the char you get on the grill. So I keep a close eye on them, but purposely allow some black spots to form.

Save this recipe!Get this sent to your inbox, plus get new recipes from us every week!Email *Save

Nutrition

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Like this recipe? Share it with friends!PinFacebookTweetYummlyEmail

Asian

Easy Orange Chicken Recipe (No Deep Frying)

Fall

25 Savory Pumpkin Recipes for Fall

Side Dish

What To Serve With Mashed Potatoes (25 Dinner Ideas)

Main

Chicken and Dumplings with Gnocchi Recipe

5 from 267 votes (245 ratings without comment)

48 Comments

This is a great recipe, and the foil wrapping technique is well explained. I have made this a few times with predictable success. It is my go-to recipe for sure.
Reply
Love this recipe- easy, very flavorful and lots of compliments!!
Reply
I am so happy that I found your recipe! I followed the instructions to the letter, excluding the sauce. (Next time) Using the foil to wrap the ribs made all the difference. The meat fell off the bone and was delicious! Thank you for the instructions and pictures. I will make it again when time permits.
Reply
This has become my go-to BBQ recipe! Tastes delicious every time!
Reply
Thanks, I learned 250 for four hours for ribs, but I just put in some St Lewis Style and they were just NOT budging on the tenderness. Took 6 hours just to get edible. 250 works great for smaller ribs, but these definitely need just a tad more heat to penetrate the thicker rack.
Reply
Made to recipe. Great flavors! Spicy, sweet and smokey. Delicious! Wife said to “put it on the list”. Thank you!
Reply
I had planned on putting a couple of racks of ribs on my smoker this morning. I cleaned it last night and everything was working fine. However, the thermostat went out on it while preheating and I was forced to make them in the oven. I thought I would be disappointed, but I was pleasantly surprised. These ribs were fall off the bone tender and just about is tasty as coming off the smoker. It’s so much easier that this may be my my main rib cooking method.
Reply
Fall off the bones delicious 😋
Reply
Followed the recipe exactly as written and it was delicious. Definitely on our menu rotation…thank you!
Reply

Comment navigation

Older Comments

Welcome, I'm Bri!

As a passionate recipe developer and avid home cook, my goal is to empower you to embrace cooking as a joy, not just a task. I love crafting boldly flavored dishes and putting unique spins on classics that anyone can enjoy. Flavor always comes first in my kitchen. Dive into my collection of easy, family-friendly, and well-seasoned savory recipes that are guaranteed to leave you wanting seconds. These are the kind of simple yet unforgettable recipes that will keep you eager to cook at home.

Learn more about Bri