BBQ Oven Ribs Recipe for Tender Beef Ribs
These BBQ oven ribs are a good reminder that you do not need an outdoor grill to make tender ribs. I have made beef ribs indoors for years, especially when the weather was not cooperating or I simply wanted the oven to do the work.
In This Article
How I Cook Beef Ribs in the Oven
My basic method is simple: cook the ribs covered at 350 degrees F for about 2 ½ hours, giving the connective tissue time to soften so the meat becomes tender.
I use a blue enamelware oval covered pan. A heavy roasting pan or Dutch oven works too. If your pan does not have a lid, cover it tightly with aluminum foil so the ribs stay moist while they cook.
The exact cooking time can vary depending on how thick and meaty the ribs are, so tenderness matters more than the clock. The meat should be easy to pull from the bone when they are done.
Preparing a Large Rack of Beef Ribs
If the rack is too large for your pan, cut it into manageable sections. I usually try to leave about three bones in each section. Smaller pieces are easier to brown, arrange in the pan, turn if needed, and serve.
Patting the surface dry before seasoning also helps spices and sauce cling instead of sliding off. If I am starting with ribs from the freezer, I thaw them completely in the refrigerator before cooking so they heat evenly.
Covered Cooking Makes the Difference
For this recipe, the covered portion of the cook is important. It traps moisture and gives the ribs time to become tender without the surface drying out. If you want a stickier, more caramelized barbecue finish, uncover the ribs near the end and add or refresh the sauce, watching closely so it does not burn.
Food safety and tenderness are two different things. Beef may reach a safe temperature before tough connective tissue has broken down. For ribs, continue cooking until the texture is where you want it rather than stopping the minute the meat is technically cooked.
BBQ Oven Ribs Recipe
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Easy BBQ Ribs
Ingredients
- ¾ cup flour
- 1 tablespoon chicken fat or bouillon
- 2 tablespoons safflower oil or olive oil
- 2 tablespoons dried rosemary or 3 ½ tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 tablespoon dried savory
- 1 ½ cups red wine
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 Tablespoon A-1
- To taste: garlic powder, McCormick's Montreal Steak Spicy Grill Seasoning, salt and fresh ground pepper
Instructions
- Begin by putting the rosemary, chicken fat or bouillon and oil into a frying pan.
- Cook over medium heat until the mixture begins to gently bubble.
- Flour the beef ribs so all the sides are covered. Then put the ribs, one section at a time into the frying pan.
- Brown the ribs.
- As the ribs brown, set them into the pan that they will be baking in. Once all the ribs are in the pan, add the additional spices to taste as well as the soy sauce and A-1 sauce.
- Pour the beef broth and wine in the bottom of the pan. Then add enough water so the liquid is covering the sides of the ribs. See the photo above to get a better idea of how much water to add.
- Cover the pan and place it in a 350 degree F oven. Set the timer for one hour. When the timer goes off, check the ribs to make sure there is still plenty of water in the pan. If there is not enough water in the pan at that point, add more being careful not to get it on the top of the ribs.
- Put the pan, covered back into the oven for another hour. When that hour is up, check the ribs. The meat should be tender enough that it will easily fall away from the bone using a fork.
- Once the beef ribs have cooked for two hours, remove the pan from the oven, remove the lid, check the water level one last time. If it is low, add more water.
- Before putting the ribs back into the oven for the final half hour of cooking, cover the top of the ribs in BBQ sauce. How much you use will depend on what your family likes. I like to put it on thick. Remember the heat will cause it to run and thin.
- Cover the pan again and put it back in the oven. Set your timer for thirty minutes. When the timer goes off, the beef ribs are done.
Using Leftover Ribs
Leftover rib meat is worth saving. Once chilled, I remove the meat from the bones and use it in sandwiches, wraps, baked potatoes, rice bowls, or other quick meals. If I know we will not use it within a few days, I freeze the meat in meal-size portions.
That is one reason ribs can still make sense in a practical homestead kitchen even though they take a while to cook. The oven time is mostly hands-off, and one batch can provide more than one meal.
What to Serve With Oven Ribs
Ribs are rich, so I like simple sides that do not compete with them. Potatoes, baked beans, coleslaw, corn, green beans, or a salad all work well. On a homestead, this is also an easy place to use whatever vegetables are coming from the garden or freezer.
If the oven is already hot, baked potatoes or a pan of vegetables can cook alongside the ribs for part of the time. That saves another burner and keeps cleanup manageable.
Make the Most of the Bones
After the meat is removed, the bones can sometimes be saved for stock if they are not heavily coated with a very sweet barbecue sauce. I freeze usable bones until I have enough for a batch rather than making stock from only a few at a time.
More Recipes and Cooking Ideas
- Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Bone Broth Recipe
- How To Use The Instant Pot
- Instant Pot Pork BBQ Ribs
- Instant Pot Spaghetti Sauce
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