Slow Cooked Baby Back Ribs

Baby back ribs in the oven

This recipe came together in the same way a lot of my favorites do, starting with technique. I trusted and building something new around it. The low and slow oven method is a classic, but the Asian BBQ sauce is all ours. Sweet chili, hot honey, sesame, soy, it's bold and sticky and completely different from anything you'd find at a backyard cookout. Serve these alongside our Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese and Veggie Slaw and you have a meal worth remembering.

If you love ribs as much as we do, our Smoked Beef Short Ribs are worth adding to your summer rotation too.

Ingredients you'll need

• Baby back ribs are smaller, leaner, and more tender than spare ribs, which makes them ideal for this method. Look for racks that are evenly sized so they cook at the same rate. We like Chairman's Reserve® Baby Back Ribs when we can find them.
• Smoked paprika is the backbone of the dry rub. It adds a subtle smokiness that complements the grill finish without overpowering the sauce.
• Hot honey is what makes the Asian BBQ sauce special. We use Mike's Hot Honey, but if you can't find it, stir in a teaspoon of red pepper flakes into regular honey and you're good to go.
• Sesame oil adds a deep, nutty richness to the sauce. A little goes a long way, so don't skip it and don't substitute it.
• Sweet Chili sauce brings the sweetness and a gentle heat that ties everything together. Find it in the Asian foods aisle of most grocery stores. Love to experiment with sauce? Try these ribs with our Alabama White BBQ Sauce for a completely different flavor profile.

👉 see recipe card below for exact quantities.

How to make baby back ribs

1. Score the membrane. Before anything else, flip your racks over and score the back with three long cuts. This lets the rub penetrate deeper and helps the meat pull away from the bone as it cooks.
2. Apply the dry rub generously. Don't be shy here. Press the rub into both sides of the ris so it adheres well. The brown sugar will help form a crust during the oven cook that gives the grill something to work with.
3. Seal the pan tightly. The plastic wrap and foil seal is what creates the steam environment inside the pan. That steam is doing the heavy lifting, keeping the meat moist while the low heat slowly breaks down the collagen. Don't skip this step.
4. Low and slow is non-negotiable. 235°F for 3 to 3½ hours. This is where patience pays off. Resist the urge to turn up the heat to speed things along.
5. Rest before you grill. At least 20 minutes. The ribs need to firm up slightly so they hold together on the grill and don't fall apart when you flip them.
6. Finish on a hot grill. 400°F, sauce on both sides, and watch for that sticky caramelization. That's your signal they're done.

Prefer smoke to your ribs? You can use a smoker instead of the oven and finish them on the grill the same way.

Make ahead and Storage

• Make Ahead: Cook the ribs in the oven up to 3 days before you plan to grill. Wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate. This is actually our preferred approach for summer entertaining. The hard work is done the night before and the grill finish takes less than 20 minutes.
• Store: wrap leftover ribs tightly in plastic and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
• Freeze: Wrap cooled ribs in foil, place in airtight container, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
• Reheat: Wrap in foil and warm in a 250°F oven for 20 to 30 minutes.