25 Best Recipes for Baby Back Ribs

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Webster dictionary defines baby back ribs as the meaty pork ribs cut from the lower back rib section. Be sure to browse this collection of the 25 Best Recipes for Baby Back Ribs to find your new favorite way to make ribs!

September 3rd is National Baby Back Ribs Day! Celebrate by browsing the 25 Best Recipes for Baby Back Ribs and finding something new to make for dinner. Or go to your favorite BBQ establishment and order a rack of ribs to enjoy. Share your ribs on social media today by using the hashtag #NationalBabyBackRibsDay, #BabyBackRibsDay and #RecipesForHolidays.

“When the going gets tough, the tough eat ribs.”

-Nora Roberts

The History of Ribs:

In 2009, researchers found mammoth ribs in a cooking pit from around 29,000 BC. So obviously, humans have enjoyed eating ribs for a very long time!

We knownjoyment of eating ribs began in the Caribbean. Ribs traveled to America with Spanish explorers.

Prior to the civil war, masters of the house got the good cuts of meat and the slaves got the tougher cuts (which usually meant ribs).

Ribs began appearing in cookbooks by the end of the 19th century.

Barbecue pits were an early 20th century innovation. BBQ stands and restaurants began selling BBQ ribs at this time.

Ribs emerged in the 1920’s as a late-night staple for nightclubs. Owners set up small BBQ pits behind their establishments and grilled ribs to sell to customers.

After WWII, ribs began making their way onto higher end restaurant menus.

By the 1950’s, backyard barbecuing became a popular pastime and ribs were often on the menu! Ribs are now considered part of the current day barbecue repertoire and are on restaurant menus as well as a favorite of barbecuers everywhere.

Slow Cooker Baby Back Ribs by How to Feed a Loon. Don’t have a smoker to cook your ribs? Here’s the next best thing. So easy, and so fall-off-bone delicious!

Ultimate Fall-off-the-Bone BBQ Baby Back Ribs by Grandbaby Cakes. Spiced with a smoky-sweet homemade dry rub and finished with your favorite BBQ sauce, these ribs are the best!

Traeger Baby Back Ribs by Just One Cookbook. These ribs are rubbed with a simple dry mix and smoked until fall-apart tender then basted with a homemade BBQ sauce.

Thai- Style Baby Back Ribs by Whats Gaby Cooking. These ribs are truly a game changer! You might never make ribs any other way ever again.

Texas- Style Baby Back Ribs by The Online Grill. These ribs have a fantastic BBQ rub and are slow grilled. Top with your favorite BBQ sauce.

Sticky Instant Pot Asian Ribs by Drive Me Hungry. Fall off the bone baby back ribs covered in a sweet and tangy Asian soy glaze! The best pressure cooker Asian ribs you’ll ever taste! 

How to Cook the Best Ribs in the Oven by Recipe Girl. This is a super easy method (learned from a caterer) for making the best ribs ever!

Instant Pot Thai Red Curry Baby Back Ribs by Karen’s Kitchen Stories. Easy and delicious fall-off-the-bone ribs! Prep the ribs in the morning and pop them in the Instant Pot when you get home.

Keto Baby Back Ribs by Cassidy’s Craveable Creations. These ribs fall off the bone without being overcooked and falling apart, have a nice crust and are loaded with flavor!

Korean BBQ Baby Back Ribs by Steamy Kitchen. These are thinly sliced bone-in beef short ribs slathered in a delicious honey and soy sauce. Easy to make and so good!

Maple Peach Bourbon Baby Back Ribs by My Sweet Mess. These ooey gooey, sweet and sticky pork ribs are AMAZING and won’t disappoint!

Peach BBQ Ribs by Out Grilling. These ribs are sweet and smoky, tender and juicy, and they are super simple to make on the grill.

Peach Sriracha BBQ Baby Back Ribs by No Spoon Necessary. These ribs are are finger lickin’ good and crazy addictive!

Slow Roasted Baby Back Ribs by Kudos Kitchen. Cooking these ribs in the oven, or on the outdoor BBQ, you can achieve maximum flavor with minimum ingredients that will ensure great meaty flavor, and quality tenderness.

Smoky Southwest Baby Back Ribs by Chiles and Smoke. These ribs are packed with sweet, herbal flavors and a touch of heat. 

Sticky Garlic Sesame Baby Back Ribs by Swanky Recipes. Juicy melt-in-your-mouth oven-baked baby back ribs are fall off the bone delicious and simple to prepare.

Hong Kong Ribs by The Midnight Baker. Easy and succulent ribs Hong Kong Style.

The Best 3-Ingredient Baby Back Ribs by Seeking Good Eats. A foolproof and simple recipe resulting in the tastiest, tender, and fall-off-the-bone ribs you’ve ever eaten! 

Fall Off The Bone Dry Rub Ribs by Girl With the Iron Cast. These ribs are seasoned with a homemade dry rub and then baked in the oven till they are tender and fall off the bone. Add BBQ sauce and finish on the grill.

Fall-off-the-Bone Ribs by Tornadough Alli. These ribs are baked low and slow in the oven creating a tender, juicy and flavorful bbq dinner.

Brown Sugar and Honey Smoked Baby Back Ribs by House of Nash Eats. These ribs don’t need any BBQ sauce at all! They are amazing just the way they are when they come off the smoker and will have everybody licking their fingers and reaching for more!

Slow Cooker Bourbon Baby Back Ribs by Dishes Delish. Throw the ribs into the cooker, whip up the sauce, pour it over the ribs, set the timer and you’ll end up with ribs that fall off the bone.

Best Damn Instant Pot Ribs by Recipe Teacher. In your Instant Pot, add a slab of baby back ribs, and just a few simple ingredients and you can make the most delicious, tender, fall-off-the-bone ribs in less than one hour!

Asian Baby Back Ribs by The Mom 100. A sticky, tender Chinese-style rib recipe that you can make on a grill or in the oven.

30 Minute Air Fryer BBQ Ribs by Izzy Cooking. Ribs are seasoned with a simple dry rub, cooked in the air fryer and finally coated with a homemade sticky barbecue sauce.

Fun Facts about Ribs:

• There are 4 different kinds of pork ribs: spare ribs, St. Louis style ribs, country style ribs and baby back ribs.
• Baby back ribs have the least amount of fat on them.
• 3 baby back ribs have 290 calories
• They’re called “baby back ribs” because they are smaller than spare ribs.
• Lyndon B. Johnson threw the 1st White House BBQ featuring Texas style ribs.
• When the Yankees beat the Cardinals in the 1928 World Series, Babe Ruth treated teammates and reporters to 50 pounds of BBQ spare ribs.
• Memphis and Kansas City both claim to be the BBQ capital of the world.
• Memphis is famous for dry rub ribs.
• Kansas City BBQ ribs will have a tomato-based barbecue sauce.