Learn how to make the perfect St. Louis Style Ribs. Oven Baked St Louis Style Ribs Recipe – made in the oven, covered in bbq sauce, these ribs are so tender, sticky and delicious! Grilling option available in the recipe notes.
These Oven Baked St Louis Style Ribs are one of my favorite family dinners.
They are so easy to make, too!
Why are they called St Louis Style Ribs?
The name St. Louis Ribs comes from the cut of the meat, not the seasoning or sauce used.
These ribs are baked in the oven, but they are perfect for a summer meal.
And of course you can make these oven baked St Louis style ribs for Memorial Day Weekend, at the same time you do all the grilling.
What are St. Louis Ribs?
St. Louis-style spare ribs are cut in a particular way with the sternum bone, cartilage and rib tips removed so that a well-formed, rectangular-shaped rack is created for presentation.
This cut of ribs originated with numerous meat-packing plants located in the region in the mid 20th century and put into the policy by a diehard fan of the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team. St. Louis style ribs are often a class entry in barbecue competitions.”
How to prepare Ribs for cooking?
- Step 1: Remove from the packaging and rinse with water. Pat dry with paper towels.
- Step 2: Remove the membrane on the bottom of the ribs.
- Step 3: Apply the dry rub. You can leave it on for 15 minutes to up to a few hours or start cooking the ribs.
- Step 4: Preheat oven to 350F. Place rack in the middle. Wrap ribs in aluminum foil. Place ribs on a baking sheet and bake for 2 hours, or a little less, until tender.
- Step 5: Remove ribs from foil and generously brush with barbecue sauce. Return to the oven and bake for 20-25 more minutes, until sauce has warmed up and turned darker. Cut into individual ribs. Serve.
How to cook St Louis Cut Ribs?
- These St Louis Ribs are baked at 350F in the oven, wrapped in foil and there is no way they can overcook, get dry or burn.
- You first make the ribs in the oven, seasoned and wrapped in foil, until they are almost done, but not fall off the bone.
- Then you baste them with barbecue sauce (homemade or store bought ), and bake for 30 minutes longer.
- Yes, that’s right, I bake them at 350F, which is relatively high temperature, compared to other recipes. It works just fine.
- I first rub the ribs with a mix of spices, wrap them in foil and bake them for 2 hours in the oven.
- After that, I brush them with a generous amount of barbecue sauce and bake them for another 15-20 minutes, unwrapped.
When is the best time to make ribs?
This recipe is perfect for any time of the year, because it requires minimal effort and tastes amazing!
I usually use store-bought barbecue sauce and this time I used Heinz The Carolina Vinegar Style Tangy Sauce has been a favorite in my house this year!
But really, any barbecue sauce would work!
And it is perfect for these oven baked St Louis style ribs.
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.
Can these ribs be cooked on the grill?
Some people like to cook ribs in the oven and then finish them on the grill.
I personally rarely do so, because it makes a mess.
If you’d like to finish cooking your ribs on the grill, after you add the barbecue sauce on them, cook for 20-25 minutes on the grill, on low heat, flipping once.
Update!!!
I’ve received numerous comments and you guys seem to love this recipe.
I’ve received a lot of questions on how to make these St. Louis ribs on the grill.
I personally prefer making them in the oven, because they take around an hour and a half of cooking on the grill at temperature between 350F – 400F (not higher!) and this is a lot of time for me to spend around the grill, plus it takes a lot of gas (not cheap!).
If you’d like to cook these St. Louis Style Ribs on the grill, follow these steps:
- Rub ribs with the seasoning
- Preheat grill to 350F. Wrap ribs in aluminum foil and grill for 60 minutes.
- Unwrap the ribs, brush with barbecue sauce, wrap and grill for 15 more minutes. Unwrap again, brush with sauce again and wrap in the foil . Cook for 15-25 more minutes until tender.
Can St Louis Style Ribs be smoked?
Yes, absolutely! Check this Smoked Ribs Recipe [1] that I posted in September of 2018. They are so good!
Sides to serve with ribs
Oven Baked St Louis Style Ribs
Ingredients
- 3-4 pounds St Louis Ribs
- 1 cup (or more if needed) Barbecue sauce of your choice
- For the spice 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
- Combine all ingredients for the marinade in a small bowl. Rub both sides of the ribs with it. Let ribs absorb the spices for at least 15 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350F. Place rack in the middle.Wrap ribs in aluminum foil. Place ribs on a baking sheet and bake for 2 hours, or a little less, until tender.
- Remove ribs from foil and generously brush with barbecue sauce. Return to the oven and bake for 20-25 more minutes, until sauce has warmed up and turned darker.Cut into individual ribs. Serve.
Notes
- Rub ribs with the seasoning
- Preheat grill to 350F. Wrap ribs in aluminum foil and grill for 60 minutes.
- Unwrap the ribs, brush with barbecue sauce, wrap and grill for 15 more minutes. Unwrap again, brush with sauce again and wrap in the foil . Cook for 15-25 more minutes until tender.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
