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Close up photo of Dry Runned Oven Ribs showing ribs pulled apart

Foolproof Dry Rubbed Oven Ribs

Enjoy these foolproof dry rubbed oven ribs any time of year. These have a perfectly seasoned dry rub & are very slowly oven roasted to succulent perfection.
Course Dinner, Party Food
Cuisine Southern Inspired
Keyword dry rub, ribs
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 20 minutes
Servings 4 or more, as many as your oven will hold!
Author Barry C. Parsons

Ingredients

For the Dry Rub

  • 3 tbsp paprika
  • 2 tbsp smoked paprika
  • 2 tbsp chili powder
  • 3 tbsp kosher salt
  • 1 tbsp powdered ginger
  • 1 tbsp chipotle powder
  • 6 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp ground nutmeg
  • 1 tbsp ground oregano
  • 1 tbsp ground thyme
  • 1 tbsp ground coriander
  • 2 tbsp dry mustard powder
  • 2 tbsp garlic powder
  • 3 tbsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

To make the dry rub

  1. Mix together all ingredients well and store any unused dry rub in an airtight container in a cool place.Makes about 2 cups dry rub.

To prepare the ribs

  1. There is a thin membrane called silver skin on the back of all pork ribs that I like to remove first. If left on, it will shrink during cooking and cause the ribs to curl. It also prevents the spice mix from seasoning the underside of the ribs. I push a butter knife between the silver skin and the first bone on the rack of ribs to loosen the skin, then I poke my finger into the slit the knife has made, grasp the silver skin and pull it off all the way down the length of the rack of ribs.
  2. Liberally rub the spice mix all over the surface of the pork ribs on both sides. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for several hours or as I prefer, overnight.
  3. Place the ribs, uncovered, on a wire rack over a baking sheet and place in a 225 degree F oven for up to 8-9 hours depending on the thickness of the ribs. See Note.

Recipe Notes

After making these ribs quite a number of times, I would say the 8 or 9 hour cooking time is for only the largest thickest racks of ribs, like side/spare ribs or large St. Louis style ribs.
Back ribs in my experience can also vary in size a lot. Baby back ribs might take 4 to 6 to hours for example, whereas a large rack of back ribs might go 6 to 7 hours.
When you twist one of the bones and it begins to break away, then they are cooked well. I like them at a stage where the meat is very tender, the fat is well rendered but you can still easily cut them in individual ribs and eat them off the bone without them falling completely apart. I have been known to slice a test rib off the end on occasion. :)