Oven BBQ Spare Ribs

By: Vanjo Merano 27 Comments Published: 7/27/23

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Let’s be honest: some of the best meals are those which require us to get our hands a little dirty. When we dig into delicious seafood, for instance, or snack on some sloppy burgers, the yumminess of what we’re eating overcomes any desire to keep proper at the dining table. We Filipinos especially pride ourselves on our kamay-kamayan culture, and we don’t hesitate to use our hands when chowing down on delicious food. But if you’re one of the few who still don’t quite enjoy the idea of eating with their hands, I think this oven barbecue spare ribs recipe may be the one to change your mind!

When you think of ribs, what first comes to mind? For many, it’s the smoky and lip-smacking smell of a rack of barbecue ribs cooking over a grill. But for today’s recipe, we won’t be needing a grill at all! We’ll actually be making these juicy and fork tender barbecue spare ribs using your oven. Doubtful? Fear not! After you try a bite of these gorgeous ribs, you won’t want to make this dish any other way again! With a succulent sauce you just can’t deny, these barbecue spare ribs will be the talk of the town.

Pork Baby Back Ribs vs. Pork belly

Pork definitely has its share of choice cuts. Depending on what you want to eat, there are a number of different slices of meat that’ll suit it best! Pork ribs are one of the most popular, but another equally tantalizing and irresistible part of the pig is none other than thick and fatty pork belly.

But how do you differentiate the two? We can first look at the part of the pig your spare ribs come from. As the name would suggest, spare ribs come from a section above the belly — pork belly, on the other hand, is a pretty self-explanatory name. Where belly is thicker with more layers of fat, pork ribs tend to have more meat. and are leaner. However, a unique trait of ribs is the fact that you have to serve them bone-in. This is what makes eating ribs messier, but ultimately more satisfying. There’s rarely anything better than being able to chow down a juicy piece of meat that practically falls off its own bone.

One can cook pork belly in a myriad of ways — from deep frying it, grilling it, or baking it, just like these barbecue spare ribs. But what are other ways that you can enjoy spare ribs? Spare Ribs Hamonado is a good one, but there are also other recipes that areworth trying.

Look below and you’ll find out for yourself just how versatile this pork cut can be!

Other recipes that use spare ribs

Pork Ribs Binagoongan

Not unlike these barbecue spareribs, this recipe doesn’t skimp out on any flavor! Anyone who knows Filipino cuisine also knows that it’s ripe with recipes that make use of shrimp paste, or bagoong. While a polarizing ingredient for some, there’s no doubting that bagoong truly packs a punch, flavor-wise. And this salty, umami condiment is something that will definitely breathe more life into your pork ribs. With eggplants to accompany it as well, you’re sure in for a treat!

Spareribs Kaldereta

Even tomato-based stews make use of this tasty cut of meat! The classic kaldereta can be made even better when you use spareribs to soak up all its bright and delicious flavors. This cut of pork is perfect to use in this stew, especially when you have them with potatoes, carrots, and bell peppers. Try a piece with any of these vegetables, and pair them with a spoonful of white rice; now that’s definitely a winner to me!

How to Cook Oven Barbecue Spare Ribs

After preheating your oven to 230 degrees Fahrenheit, you can start preparing your oven barbecue spare ribs. You’d be surprised at how easy it can be!

Making your rub and arranging your ribs

To start making this, you’ll first need to focus on your rub. Your rub is essentially your ribs’s marinade; even if you have the sticky barbecue sauce to cover it up, the meat needs to be flavorful on its own. For your rub, you’ll need brown sugar, salt, and ground black pepper. Mix them well, before rubbing over your pork baby back ribs. We’ll be using two pounds’ worth for this recipe.

Once you’ve finished rubbing every corner of your ribs, arrange them on your roasting rack.

Making the sauce and oven roasting

Next, create your scrumptious signature sauce. Combine barbecue sauce, Knorr Liquid Seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, apple juice, and garlic powder.Once again, you’ll need to mix these all well before pouring over your arranged pork ribs. Cover your roasting rack, then put your ribs in the oven. Roast it for about 3 to 3 ½ hours. This may seem like a long time to you, but spare ribs are a cut of pork that require as much time as possible to let your meat tenderize and become as juicy as can be. While letting your ribs roast and bake, you can start to prepare whatever side dishes you want!

Make sure to check on your ribs from time to time. When you feel like they’ve been fully cooked and tenderized, set your oven on broil mode. Keep it on this mode for about 5 minutes.

Thickening your sauce and final touches

When your five minutes are up, take your ribs out from the oven and let them cool. At this point, transfer the sauce you coated them in into your sauce pan, and boil until you have a sauce as thick as you desire.

Once your ribs are cool, transfer them to a serving plate — making sure to brush them with the thick and viscous sauce. Just like that, you and your family can now dig in (but be sure to wash your hands first)!

What do I eat with my BBQ spare ribs?

As we mentioned above, you’ll have plenty of time to make side dishes while waiting for your barbecue spareribs to cook. You have plenty of options to choose from, but here are my personal favorite:

- Ham and Chicken Macaroni Salad

- Mashed Potatoes

- Corn on a Cob

Did you enjoy this oven barbecue spareribs recipe? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below; we’d love to hear from you!

Vanjo Merano

Vanjo Merano is the creator of PanlasangPinoy.com. His goal is to introduce Filipino Food and Filipino Cuisine to the rest of the world. This blog was the first step that he took.

Oven BBQ Spare Ribs

Pork Baby Back Ribs vs. Pork belly

Other recipes that use spare ribs