These oven to grill ribs are super easy to make and require minimal hands-on time. They cook low and slow in the oven until they get incredibly tender, then they’re finished off on the grill to get that char-grilled flavor that we all love and to caramelize the BBQ sauce.

The dog-days of summer are over and the days are getting cooler and shorter. But that doesn’t mean our summer has come to an end. There is still time for one last backyard barbecue. We are doing up some Easy Barbecue Pork Ribs with a little heat and a lot of flavor. These bbq oven to grill ribs will not disappoint!

Tender Ribs that Start in the Oven and Finish on the Grill

Many years ago, our friend and neighbor, Jim, shared his method of cooking ribs that produce juicy, tender and succulent ribs that are to die for. First, they get cooked in the oven, low and slow for a couple hours and then transferred to a grill, sauced up and cooked until the sauce gets charred and caramelized. That sounds easy enough, right? It really is!

The dry rub we are using on these ribs is our own combination of flavors. It is pretty basic with all the standard spices but with a dash of chipotle powder to give it some heat. And, we love the unique flavor that the smoky paprika brings to the party. Give the ribs a good rubbing over both sides so they get those awesome flavors into all the nooks and crannies.

Ingredients for BBQ Pork Ribs

You only need three ingredients for these oven to grill bbq pork ribs. Scroll down to the printable recipe card for all the details.

pork ribs. You can use baby back ribs or spare ribs but keep in mind that baby back ribs will cook quicker in the oven than the spareribs.
dry rub. We have an easy recipe for the dry rub but you can also purchase your favorite brand.
barbecue sauce. If you want to make your own bbq sauce, try our chocolate chipotle bbq sauce, or our raspberry chipotle sauce.

Everybody and their uncle has a preferred bbq sauce, whether homemade, store-bought or store-bought and doctored up. We suggest that you use whatever sauce you like best for your ribs.

How to Cook Ribs That Turn Out Flavorful and Tender

There is a thin membrane on the underside of pork ribs. The membrane is tough and chewy. It is also a barrier and will prevent the flavors from penetrating into the ribs. You will want to take the membrane off if you want the best BBQ pork ribs.

Have you ever tried, unsuccessfully, to remove the silvery papery membrane on the underside of the ribs? This is how to do it. Just slip a dinner knife between the membrane and a rib bone at one end of the rib slab. Stretch the membrane loose and up until it tears. It is slippery so hold it with a paper towel and just peel it off.

How to Make BBQ Pork Ribs that Start in the Oven and Finish on the Grill

This is how to pre cook ribs before grilling. We start these bbq ribs out in the oven low and slow. That will make them so tender they fall off the bone. Once they finish in the oven, we stick them on a hot grill outside to get them charred over a flame. The hot flames will caramelize the bbq sauce and give them a sticky, sweet glaze.

The Spice Rub Recipe

Our recipe for the dry spice rub is so easy and you can make it ahead and store it for several weeks. If you want to take a shortcut and purchase a store bought spice rub that works great too. Just be sure to season the ribs generously with the spice rub before they go in the oven.

Combine the ingredients for the spice mixture in a small dish. Sprinkle both sides liberally with the rub mix to get some flavor in there.

Oven Baked Ribs

Wrap the slab of ribs in foil. Crimp the foil edges together and place onto a baking sheet. Transfer the baking sheet to the oven for two to three hours until tender.

Sauce Them Up and Finish Them Outside

Just before they finish in the oven, fire up the bbq to medium heat. Unwrapped the ribs, lightly slather one side with sauce, and transfer them to the grill. Slather the other side with sauce and grill them over the hot coals or in your Traeger.

How long to pre cook ribs in oven before grilling?

It depends on the size of your ribs. For most spare ribs, you’ll want to pre cook the ribs in the oven for 2-1/2 to 3 hours at 250°F-300°F. You can also test whether or not they are done by using a meat thermometer.

They will be done when the thermometer reads 165°F internally, but if you want them so tender that they fall off the bone, let them cook until the ribs reach 190°F to 200°F. Baby back ribs will take less time because they are smaller and have less meat.

When they finish cooking in the oven, slather some bbq sauce on them and stick them on a hot grill to get a nice char. You can use a pellet grill smoker, a charcoal grill, or a propane grill. Just make sure the grill is nice and hot.

We repeated the saucing and grilling one more time watching for a deep brown crust to form on the ribs. It is important not to get the grill too hot as once the sauce goes on the ribs, the sugar in it will begin to burn if the heat is too hot.

These ribs are finger-licking good! We served these easy bbq pork ribs with smoky baked beans and corn on the cob.

More Grilling Recipes

Whether you prefer baby back ribs or spare ribs, these oven-baked ribs cook slowly and evenly in the oven, giving them a deliciously tender texture. Finishing them on a hot grill will make the bbq sauce sticky and caramelized, giving them a smoky flavor.

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Oven to Grill Pork Ribs

Easy Barbecue Pork Ribs with a little heat and they pack a lot of flavor! Tender and succulent ribs that are finger-licking good. First they are cooked low and slow for a couple hours in the oven. Next they are transferred to a low-heat grill, sauced up and grilled.

4.93 from 27 votes

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Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 2 30

Total Time: 2 45

Servings: servings

Calories: 319kcal

Author: Pat Nyswonger

Ingredients

1 rack pork spareribs or baby back ribs (about 2 1/2 pounds)

To Make the Dry Rub:

1 tablespoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder
1 teaspoon ground mustard seed
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons smoked paprika

For the Barbecue Sauce:

8 to 12 ounces barbecue sauce—your favorite

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 250°F
Remove the silvery membrane from the underside of the ribs by sliding a table knife between the membrane and a rib bone. Pry the membrane up, stretching until it tears. Holding one end of the membrane with a paper towel, peel off the membrane and discard.
In a small dish or canning jar, add the dry rub ingredients and combine thoroughly.
Place the rack of ribs on a large sheet of aluminum foil and liberally coat each side of the ribs. Place another sheet of foil on top of the ribs and seal the two sheets of foil together by crimping them tightly at the edges.
Set the foil covered ribs on a large baking sheet and transfer to the center rack of the oven and bake for 3 to 3-½ hours (or 2-½ to 3 hours for baby back ribs).
Remove from the oven and partially unwrap the foil to check for doneness. Insert a fork into the meat between the bones at the thickest part of the ribs. If it slides in easily with little or no resistance your ribs are done. If there is resistance, re-cover with the foil and give them another 15 to 30 minutes more oven time. When ribs are tender, remove them from the oven and allow them to rest while the grill is heating.

To grill the ribs:

Prepare the grill for a medium heat.
Remove and discard the foil and brush the exposed side with a light brushing of the barbecue sauce.
Transfer the ribs to the grill with the sauced side down and brush the exposed side with another coating of bbq sauce.
Grill for 3-5 minutes and flip the ribs over and grill another 3-5 minutes. Repeat this process once more, saucing and grilling until desired degree of color has been achieved, being cautious that they do not burn.

To Serve:

Remove the ribs from the grill, cut between the ribs into serving pieces and enjoy.

Notes

These ribs can be enjoyed in the dead of winter when the outdoor grill is covered with snow. Simply slather on the sauce and finish them under the broiler.