Greek Recipes
Greek Baby Back Ribs in the Oven
Prep
10 minutes
Cook
2 hours 10 minutes
Yield
4 -6
These Baby Back Ribs are made in the oven and Greek-inspired with the flavorful dry-rub, and tangy Greek BBQ sauce. Paired with an easy slaw, or your fav side.
These Greek Baby Back Ribs in the Oven are the perfect easy recipe for an impressive (and delicious) dinner. The ribs are rubbed with orange zest and Greek seasoning, then brushed with a Greek-inspired BBQ sauce after they are done baking when they are finished up on your grill. I love to serve these with a Greek slaw, and you’re all set for the perfect summer BBQ meal.
❤️ Why You’ll Love Baby Back Ribs in the Oven
- Easy: A lot of people are intimidated by making ribs themselves, but it can actually be so easy, especially when you start them out in the oven then only throw them on the grill to finish them off.
- Flavorful: I love the combination of flavors in this recipe. The orange zest in the BBQ sauce and in the dry rub adds some brightness to the meat that I think you’re going to love.
- Versatile: You can serve these Baby Back Ribs with anything. I paired them with a slaw, but you can serve them with any of your fav summer sides like pasta salad or corn.
🍲 Ingredients
Baby Back Ribs – Baby back ribs come from the top of the rib cage and are known for being lean, tender, and smaller in size. They are so delicious when baked, and/or grilled, and are the perfect recipe for your summer BBQ.
Greek Freak Seasoning – A popular Mediterranean seasoning blend that I love to have in my spice rack. It’s made with herbs like rosemary, basil, and oregano, along with garlic, orange peel and sun-dried tomato and it’s just such an easy flavor booster. However, if you don’t have access to it you can totally replace it with a DIY blend of similar herbs.
👩🍳 How to Make Baby Back Ribs in the Oven
- Preheat the oven to 325F. Prepare the dry rub for the ribs by mixing together Spiceology Greek Freak Seasoning, salt, pepper, orange zest, Spiceology garlic powder and Spiceology onion powder.
- Set a large baking sheet aside.
- You’ll need two large pieces of foil and two large pieces of parchment paper that will wrap around each rack of ribs.
- Lay one piece of foil on the counter followed by one piece of parchment paper. Place one rack of ribs on the parchment paper, rub 1 tsp mustard on the rack of ribs and rub half of the dry rub mixture onto the ribs. Wrap with the parchment paper and then wrap again with the foil. Place on the large baking sheet. Repeat with the second rack of ribs, using 1 tsp of mustard rubbed onto the ribs, the rest of the dry rub to season and then wrap with the parchment paper and foil. Place on the large baking sheet.
- Bake the wrapped ribs for 2 hours and then remove from the oven.
- While the ribs bake, make the Greek barbecue sauce by adding all of the sauce ingredients to a pot. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, simmer for 8-10 minutes, until slightly thickened and the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Set the sauce aside.
- Once the sauce is made, make the Greek cabbage salad: To a large bowl add the shredded cabbage and sprinkle over the salt. Use your hands to massage the cabbage with the salt for a few minutes – this helps to just slightly soften the cabbage. To the cabbage add all of the remaining ingredients (pepper, olives, feta, dill, olive oil, red wine vinegar and dried oregano) and toss well. Set in the fridge.
- Once the ribs are done baking, let the ribs sit while you preheat the grill to medium-high heat.
- When the grill is ready, remove the ribs gently from their parchment paper/foil wrap and place directly on the baking sheet. Bring the ribs and sauce out to the grill and don’t forget a brush for the sauce.
- Grill the ribs for 8-10 minutes, turning every 2 minutes, basting with the sauce on both sides of the ribs during the final 2-4 minutes of cooking time.
- When the ribs come off the grill, set aside to rest for a few minutes while you remove the salad from the fridge and toss a few times.
- Cut the rack of ribs into individual pieces and serve with a side of Greek cabbage salad.
🗒 Tips & Tricks
- Remove the Membrane: This is the most crucial step. On the bone side of the ribs, you’ll find a thin, tough membrane. Removing it is essential for tender, fall-off-the-bone ribs, as it won’t break down during cooking and can make the ribs chewy. To remove it, slide a butter knife under the membrane at one end and then pull it off with a paper towel for a better grip. It is not abnormal for your kids to already come with this removed so this may be a step you can skip.
- Cook Slow & Low: The secret to tender ribs is cooking them at a low temperature for a long time. A temperature between 250-275°F (120-135°C) for about 2.5 hours. This slow cooking process breaks down the tough connective tissues without drying out the meat.
- Wrap In Foil: Wrap the seasoned ribs tightly in a double layer of aluminum foil before placing them in the oven. This creates a moist, steamy environment that tenderizes the meat.
🗒 Variations
There are so many ways to make Baby Back Ribs. This is only one method that uses primarily the oven and finishes them on the grill, however, you can approach this recipe in different ways. Here are some tips and ideas:
- Grilling: For a smoky flavor, cook the ribs on a grill using indirect heat. You can wrap them in foil for the initial cooking phase to keep them tender and then finish them directly over the heat to get a nice char and caramelize the sauce.
- Smoking: This method is the ultimate way to achieve a deep, smoky flavor. Ribs are cooked at a low temperature for a long time in a smoker, often using wood chips like hickory or applewood.
- Slow Cooker: This is the easiest way to get incredibly tender ribs with minimal effort. The ribs are cooked until fall-off-the-bone tender in a slow cooker or pressure cooker, and then finished in the oven or on a grill to add a final glaze and color.
If you are looking for ideas on flavor variations, you can really get creative with Baby Back Ribs. Instead of adding the BBQ sauce, you can just stick to only a dry rub, or you can swap the sauce for a different kind of sauce like an Asian-inspired glaze with soy sauce, hoisin, ginger, garlic, and honey, or a sweet and spicy combination using a dry rub with some heat, and a sauce with some sweetness.
🗒 Best served with
👝 How to Store Leftovers
Leftover ribs are still so yummy, and the slaw for this recipe stores well to since cabbage holds its shape even with the dressing already on it. Store both in the fridge for up to 3 days.
🤔 Common Questions
A typical rack of baby back ribs cooked in the oven at a low temperature (around 250°F or 120°C) will take approximately 2.5 to 4 hours. I bake these at 325°F for about 2 hours and then finish them on the grill.
A good indicator is the “bend test.” Hold the rack of ribs with tongs in the center; if they are done, the rack will bend easily and the meat will begin to crack on the surface. The meat should also have pulled back from the ends of the bones by about half an inch.
The best way to lock in moisture is to wrap the ribs tightly in a double layer of aluminum foil for most of the cooking time. This steams the meat and ensures it stays tender.
A sweet and fruity glaze like something with cherry or pineapple can be tasty, Asian-inspired sauces that use things like hoisin or sriracha are also delicious, or you can make something super herby for summer using chimichurri, pesto, or a herb-forward dry rub.
Greek Baby Back Ribs in the Oven
Your Greek mommy that is. 😍 Step into my kitchen to learn how to make yummy Greek food. 🍽️💃
Ingredients
For the ribs
- 2 racks baby back ribs
- 2 tsp mustard
- 3 tbsp Spiceology Greek Freak seasoning
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp ground pepper
- 1 navel orange zested
- 1 1/2 tbsp Spiceology garlic powder
- 1 tbsp Spiceology onion powder
Greek inspired barbecue sauce
- 2 1/2 tbsp chicken stock paste
- 4 tbsp mustard
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 4 tsp orange zest
- 4 tsp onion powder
- 4 tsp Worcestershire
- 8 small garlic cloves pressed
- 4 tsp red wine vinegar
- 1 cup water
Serve with
- Greek Cabbage Salad (our Greek Cabbage Salad recipe)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325F. Prepare the dry rub for the ribs by mixing together Spiceology Greek Freak Seasoning, salt, pepper, orange zest, Spiceology garlic powder and Spiceology onion powder.
- Set a large baking sheet aside.
- You’ll need two large pieces of foil and two large pieces of parchment paper that will wrap around each rack of ribs.
- Lay one piece of foil on the counter followed by one piece of parchment paper. Place one rack of ribs on the parchment paper, rub 1 tsp mustard on the rack of ribs and rub half of the dry rub mixture onto the ribs. Wrap with the parchment paper and then wrap again with the foil. Place on the large baking sheet. Repeat with the second rack of ribs, using 1 tsp of mustard rubbed onto the ribs, the rest of the dry rub to season and then wrap with the parchment paper and foil. Place on the large baking sheet.
- Bake the wrapped ribs for 2 hours and then remove from the oven.
- While the ribs bake, make the Greek barbecue sauce by adding all of the sauce ingredients to a pot. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, simmer for 8-10 minutes, until slightly thickened and the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Set the sauce aside.
- Once the sauce is made, make the Greek cabbage salad: To a large bowl add the shredded cabbage and sprinkle over the salt. Use your hands to massage the cabbage with the salt for a few minutes – this helps to just slightly soften the cabbage. To the cabbage add all of the remaining ingredients (pepper, olives, feta, dill, olive oil, red wine vinegar and dried oregano) and toss well. Set in the fridge.
- Once the ribs are done baking, let the ribs sit while you preheat the grill to medium-high heat.
- When the grill is ready, remove the ribs gently from their parchment paper/foil wrap and place directly on the baking sheet. Bring the ribs and sauce out to the grill and don’t forget a brush for the sauce.
- Grill the ribs for 8-10 minutes, turning every 2 minutes, basting with the sauce on both sides of the ribs during the final 2-4 minutes of cooking time.
- When the ribs come off the grill, set aside to rest for a few minutes while you remove the salad from the fridge and toss a few times.
- Cut the rack of ribs into individual pieces and serve with a side of Greek cabbage salad.
Notes
- Save time by making the barbecue sauce one day in advance. Warm the sauce for about 5 minutes and stir on low heat before using to brush on to the ribs once they’re on the grill.
- Make this a meal by serving with Greek Potato Salad
