Southern-Style Slow-Cooked Beef Ribs with Sweet Mop Sauce

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-15 · Updated 2026-06-15

Tender beef ribs slow-cooked with a sweet, smoky mop sauce — a Southern barbecue technique built on layered glazes brushed on through the cook for a luscious, lacquered finish. This American-inspired barbecue recipe, ready in about 345 minutes, pairs beef ribs, kosher salt, black pepper for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 600 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 beef ribs
• 1 tbsp kosher salt
• 1 tbsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 cup apple juice
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp yellow mustard
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp liquid smoke
• 1 cup water

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Mix 1 tbsp kosher salt, 1 tbsp black pepper, 1 tbsp paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, and 1 tsp onion powder in a small bowl. Rub this spice mix all over 3 lbs beef ribs, covering thoroughly. Let ribs rest uncovered for 1 hour at room temperature.
2. Step 2: Preheat oven to 275°F. Place ribs on a wire rack over a foil-lined baking sheet. Cover ribs loosely with foil and bake for 3 hours until tender but not falling apart.
3. Step 3: Meanwhile, combine 1 cup apple juice, 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar, 1/2 cup ketchup, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 2 tbsp honey, 2 tbsp yellow mustard, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp liquid smoke, and 1 cup water in a saucepan. Simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it reduces slightly to a mop sauce consistency.
4. Step 4: After 3 hours, remove ribs from oven and baste generously with the mop sauce. Increase oven temperature to 350°F and bake uncovered for an additional 30 minutes, basting every 10 minutes, until ribs are sticky and caramelized.
5. Step 5: Let ribs rest for 10 minutes before slicing between bones and serving with remaining mop sauce.