Sticky Asian Ribs (in the OVEN) Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Should you cover ribs when baking in oven? ›

Do you bake ribs covered or uncovered? You can cook ribs either covered with foil or uncovered. Foil is used to stop the meat from drying out but is not essential. If cooking uncovered and you notice the meat is drying out or browning too quickly, you can cover with foil for the remaining cook time.

The reason you would boil ribs before cooking them is simple. This process helps tenderize the ribs and makes them more juicy. It not only shortens the cooking time significantly, but it also helps make the meat far easier to chew.

Do not fully submerge the ribs. Bake, covered tightly with foil until tender, about 3 hours. Editor's Note: A tightly sealed pan topped with aluminum foil will lock in the heat, steam and moisture around the ribs to keep them extra moist and juicy while they cook.

Rub seasoning all over ribs and wrap completely in foil. Place wrapped ribs on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 2-3 hours (the exact cook time will depend on the size of your ribs. If they are 2-3 pounds, check at 2 hours. If they are 3-4 pounds, check at 2.5 hours, and go from there — they will be tender when done).

Shoot for around 2 hours at 350 degrees if the ribs are uncovered, as in our Barbecued Pork Ribs. If wrapped in foil, the ribs can go for up to 3 hours at 300°F degrees, or crank the oven up to 400 degrees for a briefer baking time—1.5 to 2 hours.

Remove ribs from the pot, and place them in a 9x13-inch baking dish. Pour barbeque sauce over ribs. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil. Bake in the preheated oven until the internal temperature of the pork has reached 160 degrees F (70 degrees C), 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Make sure the meaty side of the ribs is facing up. Brush the barbecue sauce in the last half hour of cooking. Let the ribs rest for 10 minutes. When it's done, your knife will easily slide into the meat.

Quick Overview: How to Cook Ribs in the Oven

Generously season both sides with salt and pepper. This is also a great opportunity for adding more flavor with your favorite spice rub. Cover the ribs with aluminum foil. Bake the ribs at a low temperature (275°F) for 2 ½ to 3 ½ hours or until they are tender.

Boiling the meat not only renders out the fat but it also naturally releases the natural juices of the spareribs, both of which are important to maintaining the true flavor of the ribs.

Boiling renders the fat you need to make the ribs flavorful. And it cooks them too quickly to break down the meat and make it tender. It depends what you are doing with them but people often boil (simmer) them to make them tender then finish them on the grill with sauce on them.

What cooking method is best for ribs? ›

Grill all the way

For ribs with incomparably smoky flavor, you have to cook them low and slow on the grill, adding more charcoal and wood chips every so often to keep the temperature steady. Ribs cooked this way need some pampering (you would too, if you were spending hours in a sauna).

Be sure to wrap the foil tightly to lock in moisture, as the steam from the ribs helps tenderize the meat, imbuing it with its own porky flavors. This is pork on pork, and one of the best ways to ensure the juiciest results. Another is the simple glaze you then prepare on the stovetop.

Fill a small baking pan two-thirds full with cold water and place on the lowest rung in the oven. This helps to keep the ribs moist during the lengthy cooking time.

Rub the ribs on both sides with oil and season with salt and pepper. Cover the ribs tightly with foil. Place covered ribs on the middle rack in the oven and bake for 1 ½ hours. Open the oven and carefully remove the foil.

I start cooking ribs in the oven at around 200 degrees if they're wrapped in foil, and unwrapped ribs at 225 degrees to compensate for the cooling effect of evaporation from the exposed meat surface. These temperatures bring the inner meat temperature up to around 170 degrees in 3 to 4 hours.

The best temperature to bake ribs is typically around 275°F to 300°F (135°C to 150°C). Cooking ribs at this temperature allows them to cook low and slow, which helps break down the tough connective tissues and makes the meat tender and juicy.

Place ribs, meat side down, in baking dishes. Cover the baking dishes with aluminum foil and place in the oven. If you are using small baby back ribs, take out after 3.5 hours. If you are using regular baby back or St. Louis style ribs, then take out after 4 hours.