Easy Dutch Oven Ribs

spice rubbed spare ribs in a dutch oven lined with aluminum foil

5 from 4 votes

This easy recipe makes the best ribs in the dutch oven. Perfectly juicy pork ribs slathered in dry rub and bbq sauce, cooked low and slow until tender and delicious.

Prep Time5

Cook Time3

Resting Time10

Total Time3 15

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Servings: rack of spare ribs

Calories: 460kcal

Author: Eden Westbrook

Ingredients

Spice Rub (or use a store bought one)

2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried onion
½ teaspoon ground mustard
1 teaspoon ground chili pepper

Dutch Oven Ribs

1 2.5 lb rack of St. Louis Style spare ribs
¼ cup water or chicken stock
1 cup BBQ sauce your choice

Instructions

Mix all of the ingredients for the dry rub together in a small bowl.
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Prepare your large dutch oven by lining it with aluminum foil on the bottom of the pot.
Dry off the pork ribs with a paper towel. With another paper towel or rib membrane removing tool, get a secure grip on the edge of the membrane on the back of the ribs and firmly peel it off of the ribs.
Use a sharp chef's knife to cut between two ribs, splitting the rack in half so the ribs fit in your dutch oven.
Use clean hands to cover every part of the ribs in the dry rub.
Pour the water or broth into the pot, and place the ribs into the dutch oven as well. Put the lid on and place into the oven for 2 hours and 30 minutes at 325 degrees F until the ribs are cooked through, around 195 degrees F if you're using a meat thermometer.
Remove the oven baked ribs from the dutch oven and transfer them to a baking dish. Generously brush on the barbecue sauce then put the ribs in the oven for another 30 minutes.
Pull the ribs from the oven and cover with aluminum foil. Let the ribs rest for 10-15 minutes before serving.
Slice between the ribs with your chef's knife and serve with classic cookout sides.

Notes

Variations and Substitutions

This recipe can be made with baby back ribs or country style ribs, though the country-style ribs will have a shorter cooking time.
Dry rub for the ribs can be homemade or store bought.
This can be done in the slow cooker! You're going to want to cook it on low for about 6 hours until the meat is tender.
Pour in chicken broth instead of water if you'd like for even more flavor.

Pro Tip

To ensure beautifully tender ribs, use a meat thermometer. When the internal temperature reaches 195-202 degrees F, know that those babies are ready!

Storage and Reheating

Store leftover ribs in an airtight container or zip top bag in the fridge for up to 3 days.

To reheat these ribs, wrap them in aluminum foil, place them back into a 325 degree F oven for 15-20 minutes until they're warmed through.

Nutrition