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Dry Rub Pork Spare Ribs

February 14, 2012 · Kelly Bejelly · 48 Comments

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pork spare ribs on a plate with text overlay on top

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Last Updated on December 16, 2020

Whip up these delicious oven baked pork spare ribs for fall off the bone BBQ that everyone will say is the best ribs recipe ever. This great recipe is one of my all-time favorite comfort food recipes for any time of the year.

plate of oven baked pork spare ribs on a plate

We don’t have a grill. No joke, seriously, every grill we have ever owned has turned into a rust pit after winter so when it comes to whipping up pork spare ribs, I have to turn to the oven.

I have two dietary issues to deal with also. Mr. Bejelly does not do well with cooked tomato products, and he will have a bought of heartburn if he eats them. 

We also are really trying to phase out all sugar in our diet as this helps reduce and often eliminate any bouts of heartburn. 

I have yet to find a barbecue sauce that is tomato free and sugar-free, so I invented a spice rub for ribs.

How to prepare Pork Spare Ribs

First gather all your ingredients and tools:

  • pork ribs or pork spareribs
  • baking sheet/roasting pan
  • aluminum foil
  • spice rub/dry rub
  • paper towels
  • bbq sauce (see my peach bbq sauce recipe here)

How to remove the membrane from ribs:

To find the membrane, find the meaty side and then flip them over. You will see a thin, somewhat translucent layer of white tissue which you want to remove on the bottom.

The first step is to pull up a corner of the membrane at one edge of the slab of ribs. You can slide the point of a blunt knife underneath to get it started, but often you can just pull it up using your fingers. The membrane is the only part of the ribs you should be able to easily separate from the ribs.

Once you have it detached from one end, simply get a good grip and peel it away from the baby back ribs or pork spare ribs. You can use a paper towel to help get a hold of the membrane since it can be slippery. Continue to pull away from where you started, and it should come off the ribs in one whole piece.

More Ideas on ways to prepare your Pork Spare Ribs:

Marinate:

  • You can marinate your pork spare ribs prior to baking. Marinating can be as simple as using broth or creating a simple marinate. One of the most popular marinated is a combination of coca cola and brown sugar.

Precook in your Instant Pot

I recently started precooking my pork spare ribs in my Instant Pot to cut down on the oven cook time and make them fall of the bone deliciousness.

  1. Place your ribs in an Instant Pot with 1 cup (0.24 l) of broth.
  2. Close the lid and press the Manual button and set to 45 minutes.
  3. Let the ribs natural release and then coat with the spice rub.
  4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and place the ribs on a sheet pan and bake for 30 minutes.
  5. When the ribs are done, slather in BBQ sauce and devour.
Photo of spices on a plate to create a dry rub for ribs.

I did swab it down in my Peach BBQ Sauce  so be sure to check it out.

What you’ll need for this Recipe:

  • Cacao
  • coriander
  • cumin
  • cinnamon
  • chili powder
  • black pepper
  • sea salt
  • 2 racks ribs

How to Make This Oven Baked Pork Spare Ribs Recipe:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Throw all the ingredients into a bowl and mix with a spoon until well blended.

Lightly apply this rub to both sides of your rack until it is well coated. There will be some rub left over which I typically don’t apply to the ribs. You can if you would like but it is a strong flavor.

Next take two sheets of aluminum foil and cover the ribs in a sealed packet. Place the ribs in your oven to bake for 3 – 3.25 hours.

The side of the ribs should be falling off the bone by the time they are done. 

If you like this Dry Rub For Ribs recipe, you’ll love:

Cowboy Burgers

Copycat Hormel Chili

Hamburger Steak with Brown Gravy

Did you make and love this recipe?  Give your review below.

Continue to Content
Pork Spare Ribs
Yield: 4

Pork Spare Ribs

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours 45 minutes

The best dry rub for your pork spare ribs that is sugar-free and can be made in your oven.

Ingredients

  • 2 Tablespoons Cacao
  • 1 Tablespoon coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 - 1 Tablespoon sea salt
  • 2 racks ribs

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Throw all the ingredients into a bowl and mix with a spoon until well blended.
  3. Lightly apply this rub to both sides of your rack until it is well coated. There will be some rub left over which I typically don't apply to the ribs. You can if you would like but it is a strong flavor.
  4. Next take two sheets of aluminum foil and sandwich the ribs Place them in your oven to bake for 3 – 3.25 hours.
  5. The meat should be falling off the bone by the time they are done. 

Notes

Precook in your Instant Pot

I recently started precooking my pork spare ribs in my Instant Pot to cut down on the oven cook time and make them fall of the bone deliciousness.

  1. Place your ribs in an Instant Pot with 1 cup (0.24 l) of broth.
  2. Close the lid and press the Manual button and set to 45 minutes.
  3. Let the ribs natural release and then coat with the spice rub.
  4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and place the ribs on a sheet pan and bake for 30 minutes.
  5. When the ribs are done, slather in BBQ sauce and devour.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 42Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 9mgSodium: 806mgCarbohydrates: 2gFiber: 1gSugar: 0gProtein: 2g

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

© Kelly Bejelly
Cuisine: American / Category: Main Course
Whip up these delicious oven baked pork spare ribs for fall off the bone BBQ that everyone will say is the best ribs recipe ever. This great recipe is one of my all-time favorite comfort food recipes for any time of the year.

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Paleo Chicken Nuggets (Keto, Whole30)
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Keto, Main Course

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About Kelly Bejelly

Kelly Bejelly is a Bestselling Cookbook Author who loves recreating recipes and making them Gluten-free!

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Comments

  1. Liz @ A Nut in a Nutshell says

    June 11, 2012 at 11:20 am

    That sounds really flavorful, and I love that you have cayenne in there.

    Reply
  2. Donna says

    June 11, 2012 at 12:18 pm

    Okay, I have to try this! I actually love to slow roast ribs in the oven. Yummy!

    Reply
  3. Tricia Nightowlmama says

    June 13, 2012 at 8:00 pm

    oh now this is one I’d certainly have to try

    Reply
  4. Stefani says

    June 17, 2012 at 8:51 pm

    I LOVE ribs, but I have mastered home to cook them yet.

    Reply
  5. Marcie W. says

    June 22, 2012 at 1:56 pm

    These sound amazing and like something I can manage as well. I love the use of cacao!

    Reply
  6. Virginia from That Bald Chick says

    June 26, 2012 at 5:59 pm

    Oh my yum! I have to try these!

    Reply
  7. Jesica @ Pencil Kitchen says

    June 28, 2012 at 5:51 am

    Homemade ribs rub! I always imagine how amazing homemade ribs are…

    Reply
  8. Don in Arkansas says

    June 28, 2012 at 8:50 am

    Looks great but I wouldn’t mess it up at the end by putting sauce on it. I’m more of a meat, dry rub, heat/smoke, done kind of rib guy. I usually sear mine on the grill & then smoke for an hour or so and then finish in the oven for a couple of more hours but when its as hot as it is here right now (100+) I probably won’t use the oven at all. The cocoa sounds like a nice touch. A couple of tbs of instant coffee works too.

    Reply
    • Bejelly says

      June 28, 2012 at 9:26 am

      I wish we had a smoker because it would get used daily in our household 🙂 Thanks for the tip about the coffee!

      Reply
  9. Riley says

    June 28, 2012 at 9:40 am

    This looks like a really unique rub! Yum!

    Reply
  10. Ty @ Mama of 3 Munchkins says

    June 29, 2012 at 7:40 am

    Looks great!

    Reply
  11. Wenchypoo says

    June 29, 2012 at 1:54 pm

    Here I come to save your day…sort of: NoMato products http://www.nomato.com/

    They have a ketchup, a “tomato” sauce, and a BBQ sauce with no tomato in them. I too am allergic to tomatoes, and this is what I use myself.

    Reply
    • Bejelly says

      June 29, 2012 at 2:57 pm

      Interesting. I’m going to have to check this out 🙂

      Reply
  12. Jenn @therebelchick says

    June 29, 2012 at 3:05 pm

    These look so yummy!

    Reply
  13. Toni @ A Daily Dose says

    June 30, 2012 at 12:21 pm

    Oh.my.goodness. Those look amazing. I love ribs so I will have to try that sometime.

    Reply
  14. debra says

    July 1, 2012 at 12:10 am

    Ribs are so good in summer!

    Reply
  15. Shary says

    July 1, 2012 at 11:02 am

    I’ve been making my own version of this recipe for years. However, I use a black enamel roasting pan (the kind that comes with most ovens). I line the pan with heavy-duty foil for easy cleanup, then flop in a rack of ribs and season as desired. You can also add onions, quartered turnips, carrots, asparagus, parsnips, etc. for a complete meal. Add about 3/4’s cup of water to the pan and cover tightly with another sheet of foil. Bake at 325 degrees for about 3-1/2 hours, or until meat is fork tender and falling off the bones. Uncover and bake at 375 degrees for another 15 minutes to brown the meat.

    We think ribs fixed this way are much better than grilled. Another advantage: If you have to be gone for a while, this dish can be prepared a few hours in advance with the oven set on Delayed Start.

    Reply
    • Bejelly says

      July 1, 2012 at 12:21 pm

      Thanks Shary! I didn’t think to throw veggies in the mix. The foil makes for the easiest cleanup too.

      Reply
  16. Cap'n Salty says

    July 1, 2012 at 11:50 pm

    I tried these for the family Sunday dinner. There were ‘yumm’ noises around the room and very little conversation during the meal. We will be making them again, thank you so much for this different-from-our-usual take on ribs. PS..I live with a bunch that would have been disappointed if I hadn’t done this, so, with all due respect to your recipe we did add an ingredient: smoked paprika, about 1 teaspoon.

    Reply
    • Bejelly says

      July 2, 2012 at 8:05 am

      I’m so glad that you enjoyed them and smoke paprika sounds like an awesome addition 🙂

      Reply
  17. George Mendez says

    July 4, 2012 at 7:30 pm

    Sorry, but this recipe has too much cacao for me and my wife; it overpowered all the other flavors. I’ll try a variation with 1 tsp. of unsweetened cocoa powder next time.

    Reply
    • Bejelly says

      July 4, 2012 at 9:06 pm

      I’m sorry it didn’t work out for you as is and I hope that by cutting the cocoa it works for you!

      Reply
  18. Marcie W. says

    July 6, 2012 at 4:48 pm

    I’ve tried grilled, smoked, and slow cooked ribs, the best, by far, have been oven baked!

    Reply
  19. Dave says

    July 7, 2012 at 2:19 pm

    If you do happen to have a grill, I would lightly rub ribs in olive oil, apply the rub liberally, and let sit over night. Add charcoal to the grill and light according to directions… while the coals are getting hot, place the grate for the grill on the rack so it is very hot. Place the ribs on the rack and let the ribs brown on both sides….. then slow coke them for 3-4 hours at 275F. This gives the ribs that charcoal smokey taste and flavor with the convenience of oven baking. 🙂 I use the mesquite coals since they will have a nice smokier scent.

    Reply
    • Bejelly says

      July 7, 2012 at 4:30 pm

      Hi Dave,

      We’re still without a grill but saving up for a Traeger. When we get it, I’ll have to try your method 🙂

      Reply
  20. Nolie says

    July 25, 2012 at 6:17 pm

    Looks like something my husband would love.

    Reply
  21. Neal says

    September 7, 2012 at 7:21 am

    This rub is amazing. I even get my non paleo/primal friends to eat it almost every week!

    Reply
    • Kelly Bejelly says

      September 7, 2012 at 8:20 am

      Thank you so much Neal! I really appreciate the feedback. You’re either eating a mess of ribs every week or have been using it on other dishes. I’d love to hear more.

      Reply
  22. Wm. Tillis says

    September 30, 2012 at 3:09 pm

    The rib recipe sounds good. I usually use country style ribs as they are meatier and cheaper. I will comment on the results.
    I have had the heartburn problem with coffee and sometimes tomatoes. I put a small amount of baking soda in the pot of coffee and that works. Since I have gone grain free and added probiotics to my diet , I no longer have the problem with tomatoes.

    Reply
    • Kelly Bejelly says

      October 1, 2012 at 12:18 pm

      Can’t wait to hear how they went

      Reply
  23. Sheri says

    January 26, 2013 at 7:37 am

    Ribs are a huge hit in my house. I’ll have to try these!

    Reply
  24. Toni says

    January 27, 2013 at 2:48 am

    Oh my these look so good!!!

    Reply
  25. Missy says

    April 27, 2014 at 6:27 pm

    Mine are in the oven now….I’ve never ever made ribs before, but was happy to see this sugar-less, grill-less recipe. I have some sugar less BBQ sauce I made, so I may use a bit of that towards the end, but I think I prefer a drier rib to a sloppy saucy one. Thanks! ~Missy

    Reply
    • Kelly Bejelly says

      April 27, 2014 at 9:05 pm

      I hope you enjoyed them Missy!

      Reply
  26. Lori says

    February 9, 2015 at 10:53 am

    Tried these Saturday on some baby-backs. Did one rack using this cacao-based recipe, and another rack with a rub based on Coconut palm sugar and chili powder. Both were dry-rubbed, sat for two hours then smoked for 4 hours. All tasters liked this one best. It has a nice, rich taste that melds with the smoked pork beautifully without being overwhelming. Did NOT slather with sauce to eat, but I’m sure it would have been tasty that way too. I think I used a half-teaspoon of cayenne- it could have used a little more. Thanks Chica! Great post.

    Reply
    • Kelly Bejelly says

      February 9, 2015 at 7:49 pm

      I’m glad you enjoyed them hun!

      Reply
  27. JS says

    November 15, 2015 at 11:35 am

    What a hit! The flavor was delicious, not overpowering… Doubled the rub recipe for 3 racks of pork back ribs, and there was a bit left over. I didn’t have cacao or much time to cook, but had unsweetened cocoa, and adjusted the cooking time and they were fall of the bone delicious! Cooked at 350 for 30 mins, then at 250 for 90 mins, opened the foil placed the ribs meat-side up and broiled on high for a short amount of time until the outer layer of meat began to crisp. Easy and delicious!! Thanks for the recipe, it’s a keeper!

    Reply
    • Kelly Bejelly says

      November 20, 2015 at 9:48 am

      Yeah! This is a favorite in our house too JS

      Reply
  28. Sylvia Stapor says

    February 25, 2019 at 11:40 am

    Making it now….hmmmmm shall see lol

    Reply
    • Kelly Bejelly says

      February 26, 2019 at 9:10 am

      This is my favorite rub for ribs, hands down!

      Reply
  29. Pammy George says

    February 21, 2020 at 6:21 am

    What does it mean to sandwich them in aluminum foil?

    Reply
    • Kelly Bejelly says

      February 22, 2020 at 1:21 pm

      Wrap them with aluminum foil and seal the edges to keep the steam inside.

      Reply
  30. Erin says

    December 22, 2020 at 9:56 am

    I just got our first grill. Why have yours always turned into a rust pit?! And oooh, ribs! I haven’t had these in years. I’ll have to see if I can find some beef ribs!

    Reply
  31. tina says

    December 24, 2020 at 6:07 pm

    This rub is so flavorful! Especially love that you included the instant pot recipe!

    Reply
  32. Stacey Crawford says

    December 26, 2020 at 10:29 am

    This is so much easier than grilling them and the rub has great flavor! My hubby gets so happy went I serve ribs! 🙂

    Reply
  33. Donny says

    December 26, 2020 at 6:45 pm

    I love ribs and this looks fantastic. Love the cacao and cinnamon in the dry rub!

    Reply
  34. Megan Stevens says

    December 27, 2020 at 6:31 am

    It’s so nice to know now how to prepare ribs in the IP; thank you!! SO easy and delicious!

    Reply
  35. jennifer says

    December 28, 2020 at 6:13 pm

    Oh hello, delicious spare ribs! I didn’t realize they would be this easy to make — I’ve bookmaked for new years day feasting!

    Reply

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