Memphis-Style Sticky Ribs with Sweet and Tangy BBQ Sauce
Fall-off-the-bone ribs glazed with a sticky, sweet, and tangy Memphis-inspired barbecue sauce, oven-baked to perfection. This American-inspired barbecue recipe, ready in about 210 minutes, pairs pork baby back ribs, kosher salt, black pepper for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 480 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
- 3 lbs pork baby back ribs
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp paprika
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 3 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp hot sauce
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Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: Preheat oven to 300°F. In a small bowl, mix 1 tbsp kosher salt, 1 tbsp black pepper, 2 tbsp paprika, 2 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp garlic powder, and 1 tsp onion powder to create a dry rub.
- Step 2: Remove the thin membrane from the back of 3 lbs pork baby back ribs and pat dry. Rub the dry spice mixture evenly over both sides of the ribs.
- Step 3: Wrap the ribs tightly in aluminum foil and place on a baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 2.5 to 3 hours until tender.
- Step 4: While ribs cook, whisk together 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar, 1 cup ketchup, 1/4 cup molasses, 2 tbsp Dijon mustard, 3 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, and 1 tsp hot sauce in a saucepan. Simmer over medium heat for 15 minutes until thickened and glossy.
- Step 5: Remove ribs from oven, discard foil, and brush ribs generously with half the sauce. Broil on high for 5 minutes until sauce caramelizes and becomes sticky. Brush again with remaining sauce before serving.









