Juicy Oven-Baked Pork Ribs

Before you start this recipe: Know that the ribs should sit in the rub for 12-48 hours so keep that in mind before you start!

Prep the ribs. Trim any areas that have an excessive amount of fat. Remove any silver skin from the back of the ribs (optional). Pat the ribs dry and set them bones-side down side by side on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. I recommend using heavy duty foil that can cover the baking sheet with a single sheet.

Rub the ribs. In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, mustard powder, paprika, and chipotle powder. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the ribs, on both sides, and gently rub the spices into the ribs. Loosely cover the ribs with plastic wrap and transfer to the fridge for 12-48 hours.

Braise the ribs. Let the ribs come to room temperature for 1 hour before cooking. Set an oven temperature to 325 F. Pour the beer or soda over the ribs so that they’re partially submerged. Lay another sheet of heavy duty foil over the ribs and crimp the edges of the two pieces of foil together to create a sealed package. Place the ribs in the oven for 2 hours. Remove the ribs from the oven, vent the foil, and let the ribs rest for 20 minutes.

Grill the ribs. Preheat a grill to medium heat for at least 15 minutes, so that the internal temperature sits between 400-450 F. Liberally brush the ribs with bbq sauce and place them on the grill meat-side down. Grill the ribs for 20 minutes, flipping them every 4-5 minutes, and continuing to brush them with more sauce. Once the ribs are really tender, remove them from the grill and serve with more sauce on the side.

For smoker cooking: preheat an outdoor smoker to 250 F. Brush the ribs liberally with sauce and put them on the smoker for 1 hour, brushing with sauce every 20 min and spritzing with a mixture of water and cider vinegar. For finishing under the broiler: Preheat a broiler on high. Transfer the ribs to a new foil-lined baking sheet and brush both sides with sauce. Make sure the rack is set in the center of the oven. Cook the ribs for 15-20 minutes, flipping occasionally, until very tender.