Oven Roasted Ribs + Homemade Rub

Can you feel it?  The wondrous anticipation of the Christmas holiday.  I love it.  Everything about the weeks leading up to Christmas makes me feel all warm inside.  It's the only holiday that there is an entire season dedicated to one day.  Slowly but surely I've been making my way through my to-do-list, feeling very accomplished with each task I cross off. Being crunched for time, I needed a recipe that was low maintenance and easy to make.  I give you my oven roasted ribs.   

I have some good news for you.  Barbecue is not just for the summer!  You can make fall-off-the-bone ribs right in your oven in the middle of a snow storm. That's exactly what I did this what I did this weekend.   

These.

Ribs.

Are. 

So. 

Good.  

And so easy to make as well!  I'm a sucker for good barbecue.  On road trips, if we see a hole-in-the-wall place that says "Authentic BBQ", we are stopping.  Although these ribs were not cooked for 18 hours in a smoker with hickory wood, they are pretty fantastic.  Just what the doctor ordered for a cold, blustery day!  

I usually make a bunch of this rub to have on hand.  Keep in in a small Tupperware container and it stays good for a few months.

Mix the baste.  This just adds another layer of flavor.

Baste the ribs.

Cover with the rub.

The longer you can let sit with the rub, the better.  I let mine sit overnight but aim for at least 1 hour.  Throw them in the oven and forget about them for 3 hours.

After 3 hours, remove from oven and baste with your favorite barbecue sauce as well the drippings from the pan. Put back in the oven for 30 minutes.

Rib Rub
1 tablespoon granulated garlic
1 tablespoon granulated onion
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Mustard Baste
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons liquid smoke

Assembly
3-4 pounds spare or baby back ribs
1/2 cup of your favorite barbecue sauce

Line large sheet pan with foil and drizzle lightly with olive oil.  Place ribs on pan and brush lightly with mustard baste on both sides.

Time to rub.  I normally use a spoon to dust the ribs with the rub.  You might not need it all and don't want to contaminate the spices with raw meat fingers.  Spoon the mixture on both sides of the ribs and rub in well, being sure to get it underneath any pockets of meat.  If you have time, let the rub sit on the meat in the fridge for at least 2 hours.  Overnight would be even better.  

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Remove ribs from fridge, place in oven and roast for 3 to 3 1/2 hours.  Remove from oven and baste with barbecue sauce and juices in the pan.  Place back in oven and cook for an additional 30 minutes.

Remove from oven and the ribs will be fall-off-the-bone good!