Memphis-Style Sticky Ribs with Spiced Dry Rub

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-08 · Updated 2026-06-08

Pork ribs coated in a flavorful dry rub and finished with a sticky, sweet Memphis-style barbecue glaze. This American-inspired barbecue recipe, ready in about 210 minutes, pairs pork baby back ribs, brown sugar, paprika for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 550 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 2 racks (about 4 pounds) pork baby back ribs
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons paprika
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat oven to 275°F and line a baking sheet with foil. In a bowl, mix 3 tablespoons brown sugar, 2 tablespoons paprika, 1 tablespoon salt, 1 tablespoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1 teaspoon onion powder to make the dry rub. Remove the silver skin from 2 racks of pork baby back ribs and rub the spice mixture evenly over both sides.
2. Step 2: Place ribs on the foil-lined baking sheet, cover tightly with foil, and bake for 3 hours until tender.
3. Step 3: While ribs bake, whisk together 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 1/4 cup honey, 1/4 cup ketchup, 1 tablespoon yellow mustard, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, and 1 teaspoon smoked paprika in a small saucepan. Simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes until thick and sticky, then remove from heat.
4. Step 4: Remove ribs from oven, discard top foil, and brush the ribs generously with the prepared barbecue glaze. Broil ribs on high for 3-5 minutes until the glaze bubbles and caramelizes, watching carefully to prevent burning.
5. Step 5: Let ribs rest for 5 minutes before slicing between the bones and serving warm with extra glaze on the side.