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Wondering how to cook St Louis ribs in oven? Get the best St Louis ribs oven recipe here! These St Louis style ribs have the best dry rub and are slathered with delicious BBQ sauce. Making oven baked St Louis ribs saves time compared to traditional smoked ribs, but the results are just as tasty. Learn what temp to cook St Louis ribs in oven, how long to cook St Louis ribs in oven, and more!
🐖 St Louis Ribs vs Baby Back
St. Louis ribs and baby back ribs are two different cuts of pork ribs. St. Louis ribs come from the lower part of the ribcage, are larger and more meaty, have a more rectangular shape, and offer a higher meat-to-bone ratio.
Baby back ribs are cut from the upper part of the ribcage, are smaller, curved, and have a lower meat-to-bone ratio. They are prized for their tenderness and slightly sweeter taste. The choice between the two often depends on personal preference and cooking methods.
➕ How to Cook St Louis Ribs in Oven
Here are the ingredients you for cooking St Louis ribs in oven:
- 1 rack St Louis pork spare ribs (not baby back ribs) 2¼-4¼ lbs (1-1.9 kg)
- 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- BBQ dry rub for ribs (store-bought or try my recipe)
- ½ cup barbecue sauce (use a tomato-based BBQ sauce, like Kansas City style, if you can’t find a St Louis sauce)
Homemade dry rub:
- ¼ cup light brown sugar (packed)
- 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Get a printable recipe card at the end of the post!
You’ll also need a large metal roasting pan, silicone brush, and an instant-read meat thermometer for this oven-baked ribs recipe.
🐷 How to Cook St Louis Style Ribs in Oven
Here are the step-by-step instructions for cooking St Louis ribs in the oven:
Remove the silverskin, the tough membrane covering the bone side of the ribs. I do this by getting an edge loose with a sharp knife, then firmly peeling it away with my hands. The silverskin is tough, but no worries if you forget to do this, you can always peel it away after cooking. (Some butchers will do this for you.)
Brush the mustard on all sides of the ribs. Mix the dry rub ingredients together (if making your own) and sprinkle it on all sides of the ribs. Allow the ribs to rest for 30-60 minutes at room temperature.
Preheat the oven to 335 degrees Fahrenheit (168C). Place the ribs in a metal roasting pan, meaty side up. Bake for 1 hour 50 minutes to 2 hours on a rack about 1/3 down from the top of the oven.
Ribs should reach an internal temperature of 195-200F (91-93C) to be optimally tender. Once the ribs have reached this temperature, flip them over, brush with half of the BBQ sauce, and bake for 5 minutes at 335F (168C). Then flip once more, brush with the rest of the sauce, and bake another 5 minutes at 335F (168C).
Let the ribs rest for 10 minutes before cutting between the bones and serving. Enjoy the best St Louis pork ribs oven recipe around!
🤔 At what temp are ribs most tender?
What temperature should St Louis ribs be cooked to? The minimum safe internal temperature for pork is 145F (63C), and for ground pork it is 160F (71C). However, St Louis ribs are best enjoyed after cooking to a temp of 195-200F (91-93C) if you want them to be perfectly tender.
The meat on ribs that are cooked to perfection will have pulled away from the bone a bit. Those bone “handles” make for easier eating and often mean more tender ribs. They’re not completely fall-off-the-bone at this point, but they’re getting close.
➕ St Louis Rib Recipes
I tested oven baking St Louis ribs at various temperatures, and found ribs turn out best baked at 325-350F (163-177C). (We ate SO many ribs! Haha) At 250F (121C) for instance, the ribs cooked for over 4 hours and still weren’t quite tender enough.
So, though the general rule is to cook St Louis ribs in oven low and slow, setting your oven too low isn’t ideal. It makes the baking times frustratingly long and the ribs won’t turn out as tender. You can make the best slow cooked St Louis ribs in oven in only about 2 hours at a higher temp.
Here’s a cooking chart with oven cooking times for St Louis ribs:
| Oven Temperature | St Louis Ribs Oven Time | Cover with Foil? |
|---|---|---|
| 225F (107C) | 5-6 hours | Yes, for half the cooking time |
| 250F (121C) | 4 hours | Yes, for half the cooking time |
| 275F (135C) | 3-4 hours | Yes, for half the cooking time |
| 300F (150C) | 2.5-3 hours | Yes, for half the cooking time |
| 325F* (163C) | 2 hours | No |
| 350F (177C) | 2 hours | No |
| 400F (200C) | 1.5 hours | No |
Remember that these are approximate guidelines, and the actual cooking time may vary depending on the size of the ribs, your specific cooking equipment, and other factors. The key is to monitor the ribs and look for visual cues like the meat pulling back from the bones and a nice crust forming on the surface to determine when they are done.
How long does it take to cook St Louis ribs at 250?
Cook St Louis ribs in oven at 250F for about 4 hours. Keep them wrapped in foil for about half the cooking time. Though these won’t be the most tender ribs you’ve ever had, they’re still pretty good.
How long to cook St Louis ribs at 275?
Cook St Louis ribs in oven at 275F for 3-4 hours. Keep the ribs wrapped with foil during the first half of the cooking time.
How long does it take to cook St Louis ribs at 350?
Cook St Louis ribs in oven at 350F for about 2 hours. Do not wrap the ribs in foil while they cook.
How long to cook St Louis ribs in oven at 400?
Cook St Louis ribs in oven at 400F for about 1.5 hours. Do not cover the ribs while they bake.
🥔 Side Dishes for St Louis Ribs in Oven
The last time I made this St Louis rib oven recipe, I served it with potato salad and corn on the cob. Here are some other side dishes for ribs:
FAQs
Do you cook St Louis ribs bone side up or down?
When cooking St. Louis ribs, it’s generally recommended to cook them bone side down. When they’re almost done cooking, I flip them, brush with sauce, bake or broil briefly, then repeat to sauce the meaty side.
Do you bake ribs covered or uncovered?
When baking ribs in the oven at a lower temp, it’s common to start by cooking them covered with aluminum foil to trap moisture and heat. This helps to stop the ribs from drying out. Later in the cooking process, you can uncover them to develop a nice crust or glaze.
What are the directions for reheating St Louis ribs in oven?
To reheat St. Louis ribs in the oven, preheat to around 250F (121C), wrap the leftovers tightly in aluminum foil, and place them on a baking sheet. Reheat for approximately 20-30 minutes or until they reach your desired temperature. You can also add a bit of sauce for extra moisture and flavor before reheating.
👩🏻🍳 More Pork Recipes
Looking for more recipes for pork? Try these next:
- Dutch Oven Pork Chops
- Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin (Air Fryer)
- Pork Liver
- Air Fryer Pork Roast
- Pulled Pork Bowls
- Boston Butt Pork Roast
You may also enjoy my Beef Riblets recipe.
Watch How to Make It!
St Louis Ribs in Oven Recipe (Oven Baked St Louis Style Ribs)
Ingredients
- 1 rack St Louis pork spareribs 2¼-4¼ lbs (1-1.9 kg)
- 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- BBQ dry rub for ribs (store-bought or try my recipe)
- ½ cup barbecue sauce (use a tomato-based BBQ sauce, like Kansas City style, if you can’t find a St Louis sauce)
Homemade dry rub:
- ¼ cup light brown sugar (packed)
- 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Remove the silverskin, the tough membrane covering the bone side of the ribs. I do this by getting an edge loose with a sharp knife, then firmly peeling it away with my hands. (Some butchers will do this for you.)
- Brush the mustard on all sides of the ribs. Mix the dry rub ingredients together (if making your own) and sprinkle it on all sides of the ribs. Allow the ribs to rest for 30-60 minutes at room temperature.
- Preheat the oven to 335℉ (168℃). Place the ribs in a metal roasting pan, meaty side up. Bake for 1 hour 50 minutes to 2 hours on a rack about ⅓ down from the top of the oven.
- Ribs should reach an internal temperature of 195-200℉ (91-93℃) to be optimally tender. Once the ribs have reached this temperature, flip them over, brush with half of the BBQ sauce, and bake for 5 minutes at 335℉ (168℃). Then flip once more, brush with the rest of the sauce, and bake another 5 minutes at 335℉ (168℃).
- Let the ribs rest for 10 minutes before cutting between the bones and serving. Enjoy the best St Louis pork ribs oven recipe around!
Notes
💭 Expert Tips from Dietitian Summer Yule
This is a level 3 recipe (weight maintenance and active lifestyles). St Louis ribs are an entrée of decadent fatty meat slathered with a sweetened BBQ sauce. It’s a delight for the tastebuds, but unfortunately not so optimal if your goal is weight loss. I’ve split this recipe into 4 servings, each about a pound of ribs or 12 ounces of meat. For a lower calorie meal, I’d cut these generous servings in half and add lots of low oil non-starchy veggies on the side. That said, ribs tend to be an occasional treat we enjoy at special gatherings, and IMVHO worthy of the rare indulgence. x Nutrition information is for one serving, and can vary depending on the seasoning, sauce, and size of the rib rack you use.
nutrition info disclaimer
All recipes on this website may or may not be appropriate for you, depending on your medical needs and personal preferences. Consult with a registered dietitian or your physician if you need help determining the dietary pattern that may be best for you.
The nutrition information is an estimate provided as a courtesy. It will differ depending on the specific brands and ingredients that you use. Calorie information on food labels may be inaccurate, so please don’t sweat the numbers too much.
“To taste” means to your preferences, which may have to be visual to follow food safety rules. Please don’t eat undercooked food x
Nutrition
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Hello! I’m Summer, a registered dietitian and home chef who loves to cook, eat, and create recipes for you! Every recipe on this site has been tested by me to help ensure your success in the kitchen. All eaters are welcome here 🙂