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Discover our single serving, Oven-Baked Ribs! Enjoy tender, juicy, fall-off-the-bone ribs, perfect for a delicious solo meal.
Delight in the rich, savory taste of oven-baked ribs crafted especially for you. This single serving recipe uses half a rack of ribs and is ideal for those who yearn for scrumptious ribs without preparing an entire slab. By incorporating our homemade dry rub you can effortlessly enhance the ribs’ flavor, ensuring a truly satisfying experience.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ribs are baked in the oven: There’s no need to bring out the smoker or the grill. These ribs are slow-baked in the oven and are perfectly tender and juicy.
- Made with easy-to-find ingredients: There are no fancy ingredients needed in this small batch ribs recipe.
- The perfect amount: This recipe yields 6-7 of the best oven-baked ribs!
- Recipe doubles well: If you’d like to make a whole rack of ribs, just double the ingredient amounts.
Ingredients
What Are Baby Back Ribs?
Baby back ribs are a cut of pork taken from the upper part of the ribcage, near the backbone. They are smaller, leaner, and more tender than spare ribs, making them perfect for our single-serving oven-baked ribs recipe.
Ingredient Notes
See below for ways to use leftover ingredients.
- Baby back ribs: Use a half rack of baby back ribs which usually contain 6-7 ribs. A half rack of ribs usually feeds one to two people, depending on their appetites. You can ask the butcher at your grocery store to open the pack of ribs and divide it in half and rewrap them or you can cut them in half at home. This way you can use one half now and wrap and freeze the remaining ribs for up to 4 to 6 months.
- Dry rub ingredients: Use paprika, chili powder, salt, sugar, black pepper, and garlic powder.
- BBQ sauce: Use your favorite brand of BBQ sauce or make a small batch of homemade BBQ sauce which yields the perfect amount for this recipe. If you aren’t a fan of barbecue sauce, the ribs are great as they are with just the seasoned rub.
This is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why I used them. For the full recipe please scroll down to the recipe box at the bottom of the post.
How To Make Oven-Baked Ribs
The photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make a small batch of oven-baked ribs. See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- Make the dry rub: Mix together the dry rub ingredients in a small bowl or use a small jar or plastic container and shake it well to mix the spices together. Set it aside.
- Prepare the ribs: Preheat the oven to 225° F (107° C). Place the ribs with the rib bones facing up on a large cutting board. Remove the thin membrane by gently sliding a knife under the membrane and then using your fingers, pull the membrane away from the bones. If it is slippery or hard to grasp, use a kitchen towel to hold it and pull it off.
Pro Tip: The membrane is the white piece of tissue attached to the underside of the ribs. It can be a little tough when cooked, and since we want the meat to fall off the bones, we suggest you remove it. You may find that the butcher has already removed it for you. Keep in mind that removing the membrane is optional. Some people prefer ribs that are a bit more chewy, if so feel free to leave the membrane on.
- Flip the ribs over with the meat side up. With a sharp knife remove any fat from the ribs if there is any that needs to be removed.
- Generously season both sides of the ribs with the dry rub seasoning.
- Bake the ribs: Cover a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and place the ribs in the middle, meat side up. Bake the ribs for 3.5 hours.
- Remove the ribs from the oven. Generously brush both sides of the ribs with barbecue sauce.
Pro Tip: If you aren’t a fan of barbecue sauce you can leave it off. The ribs are delicious as they are with the seasoned rub. Just cover with foil as shown in the next step and continue baking the ribs.
- Cover the ribs with foil. Using both the bottom sheet of foil and the top, fold the two layers of foil together around the edges to form a sealed pouch with the ribs inside.
- Put the ribs back in the oven to bake for an hour longer.
Pro Tip: Baby back ribs should be cooked to an internal temperature between 198 and 202 degrees F. A quality instant-read thermometer will let you know if your ribs are done. Insert the probe into the thickest part of the meat, between the bones. Make sure your probe is not in a piece of fat or touching bones or you will not get an accurate read. I recommend taking the temperature in a couple of places across the ribs. Having multiple readings will give you a better indication as to whether or not your ribs are done.
- Remove the ribs from the oven and let them rest for 10 minutes before uncovering.
- Using a sharp knife, cut the ribs apart.
- Optional: For less saucy ribs, place the ribs under the broiler and broil the ribs for 3 to 4 minutes, just until the barbecue sauce begins to caramelize. Keep a close eye on the ribs to make sure the sauce does not burn.
Expert Tips
Oven-baked ribs can be a delicious, tender, and flavorful dish when prepared correctly. Here are a few expert tips to help you make the best oven-baked ribs:
- Read through the entire recipe, the Ingredient Notes section of the post, and take a look at the process photos to see how this recipe comes together. We provide a lot of information within the body of this recipe post to ensure that your ribs come out perfectly every time.
- Select quality ribs: When choosing ribs, look for a good amount of meat on the bones, with some marbling for extra flavor. Avoid ribs with too much fat.
- Remove the membrane: The membrane on the back of the ribs can be tough and chewy. Use a knife to lift a corner of the membrane, then grasp it with a paper towel or a kitchen towel and gently pull it away from the ribs. This will allow the seasoning and flavors to penetrate the meat more easily.
- Check for doneness: Baby back ribs should be cooked to an internal temperature between 198 and 202 degrees F. A quality instant-read thermometer will let you know if your ribs are done. Insert the probe into the thickest part of the meat, between the bones. Make sure your probe is not in a piece of fat or touching bones or you will not get an accurate read. I recommend taking the temperature in a couple of places across the ribs. Having multiple readings will give you a better indication as to whether or not your ribs are done.
Frequently Asked Questions
Baby back ribs are smaller, leaner, and more tender than spare ribs. They come from the upper part of the ribcage, closer to the backbone, while spare ribs are larger, meatier and come from the lower part of the ribcage.
While marinating can add flavor, it’s not necessary for oven-baked baby back ribs. Instead, we prefer using a dry rub to season the ribs, which helps create a flavorful crust during the cooking process. If you prefer a saucy finish, brush on your favorite barbecue sauce and cover the ribs during the last hour of cooking as we show in our recipe.
At 225 degrees F, the ribs should cook for 4 hours or until they are tender and the meat seems to fall off the bones. They should be cooked to an internal temperature between 198 and 202 degrees F.
We recommend it. Allowing the ribs to rest for about 10 minutes after removing them from the oven helps the juices redistribute, resulting in more tender and flavorful ribs. After resting, use a sharp knife to slice the ribs between the bones.
Absolutely! If you’d like to bake the entire rack of ribs, just double the ingredient amounts.
How To Store Leftover Oven Baked Ribs
- Store the leftover ribs in the refrigerator if you plan to consume them within 3-4 days. For longer storage, tightly wrap the ribs or store them in an airtight container and place the ribs in the freezer, where they can be kept for up to 3 months. Be sure to label and date the container or bag to keep track of when the ribs were stored.
- Reheat the ribs in a 250° F (120°C) oven on a baking sheet covered with foil. Heat for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the ribs are warmed through. You can also brush on additional barbecue sauce before reheating if desired.
Serving Suggestions
Oven-baked baby back ribs can be paired with a variety of side dishes to create a satisfying and balanced meal. Here are a few popular options to consider:
- Baked beans: A classic barbecue side dish, baked beans provide a sweet and savory flavor that pairs well with ribs.
- Macaroni and cheese: Creamy, cheesy macaroni and cheese is a comforting side dish that pairs wonderfully with the bold flavors of oven-baked ribs.
- Potato salad: Potato salad is a flavorful side that complements the richness of the ribs.
- Mashed potatoes: Creamy, buttery mashed potatoes pair well with the robust flavors of ribs.
- Cornbread: Warm, slightly sweet cornbread is a comforting side that can be used to soak up any extra sauce from the ribs.
- Ambrosia: The sweetness of this fruit salad pairs well with the sweet and spicy ribs.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
- Paprika: Baked Stuffed Fish, Smothered Pork Chops, Tomato Soup, Baked Black Bean Tacos
- Chili powder: Mexican Corn Dip, Chili, Zuppa Toscana, Beef Enchiladas
- Garlic powder: Hash Browns, Personal Pizza Dough, Baked Pork Chop. Jalapeño Poppers
- BBQ sauce: BBQ Chicken, Baked Chicken Wings, Twice Baked Potato, Pizza Bowl
For examples of the dishes used at One Dish Kitchen, please visit our Store page.
If you’ve tried this single serving oven baked ribs recipe or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
Also, if you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see it!
Oven Baked Ribs For One
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ rack baby back ribs (6 to 7 ribs)
- ¾ cup barbecue sauce (optional) Consider using our homemade small batch BBQ sauce recipe.
Instructions
- Make the dry rub seasoning by mixing together the paprika, chili powder, salt, sugar, pepper, and garlic powder in a small bowl. Set it aside.
- Preheat the oven to 225° F (107° C).
- Place the ribs with the rib bones facing up on a large cutting board. Remove the thin membrane by gently sliding a knife under the membrane and then using your fingers, pull the membrane away from the bones. If it is slippery or hard to grasp, use a kitchen towel to hold it and pull it off.Pro Tip: The membrane is the white piece of tissue attached to the underside of the ribs. It can be a little tough when cooked, and since we want the meat to fall off the bones, we suggest you remove it. You may find that the butcher has already removed it for you. Keep in mind that removing the membrane is optional. Some people prefer ribs that are a bit more chewy, if so feel free to leave the membrane on.
- Flip the ribs over with the meat side up. With a sharp knife remove any fat from the ribs if there is any that needs to be removed.
- Generously season both sides of the ribs with the dry rub seasoning.
- Cover a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and place the ribs in the middle, meat side up. Bake the ribs for 3.5 hours.
- Remove the ribs from the oven. Generously brush both sides of the ribs with barbecue sauce.Pro Tip: If you aren't a fan of barbecue sauce you can leave it off. The ribs are delicious as they are with the seasoned rub. Just cover with foil as shown in the next step and continue baking.
- Using both the bottom sheet of foil and the top, fold the two layers of foil together around the edges to form a sealed pouch with the ribs inside.
- Put the ribs back in the oven to bake for an hour longer.Pro Tip: Baby back ribs should be cooked to an internal temperature between 198 and 202 degrees F. A quality instant-read thermometer will let you know if your ribs are done. Insert the probe into the thickest part of the meat, between the bones. Make sure your probe is not in a piece of fat or touching bones or you will not get an accurate read. I recommend taking the temperature in a couple of places across the ribs. Having multiple readings will give you a better indication as to whether or not your ribs are done.
- Remove the ribs from the oven and let them rest for 10 minutes before uncovering.
- Using a sharp knife, cut the ribs apart.
- Optional: For less saucy ribs, place the ribs under the broiler and broil the ribs for 3 to 4 minutes, just until the barbecue sauce begins to caramelize. Keep a close eye on the ribs to make sure the sauce does not burn.
Notes
- Read through the entire recipe, the Ingredient Notes section of the post, and take a look at the process photos to see how this recipe comes together. We provide a lot of information within the body of this recipe post to ensure that your ribs come out perfectly every time.
- Select quality ribs: When choosing ribs, look for a good amount of meat on the bones, with some marbling for extra flavor. Avoid ribs with too much fat.
- Remove the membrane: The membrane on the back of the ribs can be tough and chewy. Use a knife to lift a corner of the membrane, then grasp it with a paper towel and gently pull it away from the ribs. This will allow the seasoning and flavors to penetrate the meat more easily.
- Check for doneness: Baby back ribs should be cooked to an internal temperature between 198 and 202 degrees F. A quality instant-read thermometer will let you know if your ribs are done. Insert the probe into the thickest part of the meat, between the bones. Make sure your probe is not in a piece of fat or touching bones or you will not get an accurate read. I recommend taking the temperature in a couple of places across the ribs. Having multiple readings will give you a better indication as to whether or not your ribs are done.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
As a single senior I love your recipes for one. I will be making these ribs for 7/4/23. Thank you so much.
Thank you, Deborah! Please let me know how you enjoyed the ribs – and happy 4th!!
I really enjoyed these ribs. They have a slight bite to them (for me anyway) and I did make the BBQ sauce, which is also great. Have made these twice so far and will make again.
These were perfection! I went to a local butcher, who was more than happy to cut me a half rack. The rub had just the right kick & I will be making the BBQ sauce all the time. Being a happily solo home cook, I love having these options. Thank you, Joanie!
Hi, I really enjoy your recipes for 1 ! Thanks !
Do these need to be wrapped in foil ?
What if I chose not too ?
I prefer it when the fat runs off into the bottom of the pan.
Foil is used to stop the meat from drying out but is not essential. If cooking uncovered and you notice the meat is drying out or browning too quickly, you can cover with foil for the remaining cook time.
Love all your recipes thank you very much.
Thank you very much Joanie. All of it looks really yummy.
You have such good ideas and easy to follow recipes.
Kind Regards
Gudrun
Could you write an estimated weight for the ribs?
These sound great! You can really save on oven/cooking time by starting them in an instant pot and then finishing them off under the broiler.
Will be making this this weekend but using my slow cooker, with the foil as a liner; as my gas oven is to costly to use and electricity is less expensive.
Can hardly wait to try this! Definitely will be this weekend. Thank you!
Terrific recipe.
Thank you!
You are welcome.