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Juicy, tender, and sticky BBQ ribs baked right in the oven – no grill required.
These oven baked St. Louis style ribs are my go-to for an easy, family-favorite dinner.
The meat literally falls off the bone and the flavor is smoky, sweet, and perfectly balanced.
Serve with my favorite Perfect Boiled Corn On The Cob or Oven Fries.
For a summer potluck, you can pair them with this flavorful Mango Salsa.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Fall-off-the-bone tender, juicy ribs baked right in your oven
- No grill required, easy and fuss-free
- Flavorful dry rub and caramelized BBQ glaze
- Great for family dinners, cookouts, or cozy weekend meals
- Easy cleanup using foil-wrapped ribs
What Are St. Louis Style Ribs?
St. Louis-style ribs come from the belly side of the rib cage and are trimmed into a neat, rectangular rack. They are meatier and more flavorful than baby back ribs, with a little more fat that keeps them juicy when cooked slowly.
The name “St. Louis style” refers to the cut, not the seasoning or sauce. These ribs are a barbecue competition classic.
Ingredients You’ll Need for Baked Saint Louis Ribs:
Here’s what you need for the best St. Louis ribs in the oven (see recipe card for full quantities):
• St. Louis ribs, about 3 to 4 pounds
• Barbecue sauce, your favorite kind
• Dry rub: paprika, garlic powder, cayenne, oregano, salt, black pepper, and a touch of brown sugar
How to Make Oven Baked St. Louis Style Ribs
Step 1: Prepare the Ribs
Remove the membrane from the underside of the ribs to help them absorb flavor and become tender. Pat dry with paper towels.
Step 2: Season
In a small bowl, mix all the spice rub ingredients. Rub both sides of the ribs generously. Let rest for at least 15 minutes, or refrigerate for up to 2 hours.
Step 3: Bake Covered
Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Wrap the ribs tightly in foil and place them on a baking sheet. Bake for 2 hours, until tender and cooked through.
Step 4: Add the Sauce
Carefully unwrap the ribs and brush them generously with barbecue sauce. Return to the oven uncovered and bake for another 20 to 25 minutes, until the sauce thickens and caramelizes.
Step 5: Serve
Slice between the bones and serve hot with extra sauce and your favorite sides.
Recipe Tips
• Choose ribs with even marbling and no dry edges
• Don’t skip the foil, it keeps the ribs moist and tender
• Use a meat thermometer, ribs are done at 190–205°F (88–96°C)
• Let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before cutting
• Pair a spicy rub with a sweet sauce for perfect flavor balance
Grill or Smoker Option
- You can finish these ribs on the grill for a smoky flavor.
- Preheat grill to 350°F. Cook wrapped in foil for 1 hour.
- Unwrap, brush with sauce, and grill uncovered for another 20 to 25 minutes, flipping once.
- They can also be made on a Traeger or Kamado Joe using similar timing.
FAQ
Baby back ribs are shorter, leaner, and cook faster. St. Louis ribs are flatter, larger, and have more fat, giving them a richer flavor.
Yes. Cook fully, cool, cover, and refrigerate up to 2 days. Reheat at 300°F for 15 to 20 minutes.
Yes. Wrap tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
A tangy-sweet or smoky sauce works great, such as honey BBQ, Carolina vinegar, or bourbon molasses. Homemade BBQ sauce is a great option! Make sure you check my Keto Bbq Sauce recipe out.
Why buy these instead of Baby Back Ribs?
You may be curious, why did I choose St Louis Cut ribs, over baby back.
I always cook St Louis Style Ribs at home and order Baby Back when I’m at a restaurant.
They have more fat and are a lot more flavorful.
And St Louis Style are less expensive to purchase than Baby Back. St Louis Style ribs also require longer cooking time, since they are bigger.
Sides to serve with ribs
Oven Baked St Louis Style Ribs
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 lb St. Louis style ribs 1 cup barbecue sauce, or more to taste
Dry Rub:
- 1 tbsp salt
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp paprika
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Remove membrane from ribs, pat dry, and rub both sides with the spice mix. Let sit 15 minutes.
- Wrap ribs tightly in foil and bake for 2 hours.
- Unwrap, brush with BBQ sauce, and bake uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes until caramelized.
- Slice and serve hot with extra sauce.
Video
Notes
- Grill method: Rub ribs with the seasoning and wrap in foil. Grill at 350°F for 60 minutes, then unwrap, brush with barbecue sauce, and grill 20–25 minutes more until tender.
- Smoking method: You can also smoke these ribs low and slow at 225°F for about 5–6 hours until they reach 190–205°F.
- Always remove the thin membrane from the back of the ribs so the seasoning penetrates better.
- Bake ribs covered with foil to keep them moist and tender.
- Use your favorite BBQ sauce and add it only during the last 20–30 minutes of baking so it caramelizes without burning.
- Check doneness: Ribs should reach 190–205°F internally and pull back slightly from the bone.
- No liquid needed for basting — the foil locks in steam.
- St. Louis ribs are meatier and more flavorful than baby back ribs, and they’re usually less expensive too.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
There are definitely a few things I would do differently next time, but there WILL be a next time! These turned out perfectly tender, juicy and falling apart. Not to mention, they took only half the time as some other recipes I’d tried.
If using the suggested spice rub, I would definitely recommend using a sweeter BBQ sauce to offset it. I used a tangy, slightly spicy one because this is what we usually prefer. It was very flavorful but a little overpowering and unbalanced. Excited to try this again using a different sauce!
Thank you!
this came out absolutely amazing!! fell right off the bone. I altered the seasoning a bit but still great recipe for oven ribs!