Baked BBQ Beef Short Ribs

With just 5 ingredients, these baked BBQ short ribs are easy to make, tender, and flavorful. You'll want to make these finger-licking ribs every day of the week!

Using beef short ribs in this recipe guarantees a delicious meaty flavor to pair well with the BBQ sauce of your choice. Nice and tender with a great smokey, sweet flavor, what else could you need in your BBQ?

These ribs are paired with any BBQ sauce of your choosing, so you can control the flavor profile. Go with a sweet and spicy, maybe a savory and smokey, the choice is yours.

❤️ Why I Love This Recipe

• Crowd-Pleasing Dish. Everyone enjoys these ribs for their excellent flavor and succulent texture, you cannot go wrong.
• Simple to Make. Just season these babies, top with sauce and optional liquid smoke and brown sugar, then throw them in the oven.
• Only 5 Ingredients. With just 5 ingredients you get perfectly cooked short ribs that will make you wish you had this recipe sooner.

🥘 Ingredients

Season with salt and pepper and that optional brown sugar and you'll be in heaven. Try different BBQ sauces to switch it up from time to time.

• 4 pounds Beef Short Ribs - When trying to find great beef short ribs, you want to look for ones that have great marbling. Marbling is the mixture of fat, which provides moisture and flavor, and meat, which provides texture.
• ⅔ cup BBQ Sauce - Use any kind you like! Sweet and savory, maybe a more vinegar-based sauce, if you're into the Carolina style. You could even make your own if you'd like. We have a delicious Hawaiian BBQ sauce or honey BBQ sauce you can try.
• ¼ teaspoon each Salt and Pepper - Season, season, season! Always important, no matter what dish you are making. I always use kosher salt and fresh ground pepper.
• 1 teaspoon Liquid Smoke (optional) - As the name suggests, it gives your ribs a delightful smokey element.
• 1 tablespoon Brown Sugar (optional) - Honestly, I definitely advise you use this because it helps caramelize the ribs beautifully.

🔪 How To Bake BBQ Beef Short Ribs

With these 3 simple steps, you can have tender, juicy and delicious ribs. The only pieces of equipment you need are tongs, basting brush, foil and a baking dish.

1. Season. Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C), trust me, you want to bake low and slow for the ribs to come out super tender. Season short ribs in a baking dish with salt and pepper. If you are using the liquid smoke, mix it with the BBQ sauce in a medium bowl.
2. Sauce. Using a basting brush, brush the BBQ sauce onto the seasoned short ribs. Make sure to coat all surfaces of the ribs. If using the brown sugar, simply sprinkle it all over the ribs.
3. Bake. Cover the ribs with aluminum foil. Bake for 3 hours on the middle rack of the oven. Remove aluminum foil and brown for 30 minutes. Ribs can be removed from the oven and served immediately, or broiled for 3-4 minutes on high for extra caramelization before serving.

💭 Tips & Notes

• Pop them under the broiler. If you want to achieve a crisp, but sticky, sweet texture, broil your ribs on high until caramelized, about 3-5 minutes.
• Use BBQ rub for extra flavor. If you want to amp up the flavor a bit more, use your favorite rub in place of the salt and pepper. My favorite rubs for short ribs are my Prime rib rub, or beef brisket rub.
• When carving the ribs, place them upside down to where you can see the bones. Carefully slice in between each bone with a sharp cleaver or large chef's knife.

🥡 Storing & Reheating

When storing the leftover ribs, place in an air-tight container, they will last in the fridge for 5-7 days.

Store leftovers in the same airtight container or freezer bag for up to 6 months. That in the fridge overnight before reheating.

To reheat the ribs, preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C), place the ribs on a foil-lined baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 8 minutes, until bubbling and sizzling.

🍖 Great BBQ Side Dishes

• Southern Coleslaw
• Smoked Baked Potato
• Milk Butter Boiled Corn on the Cob
• Baked Sweet Potatoes
• Southern Fried Corn

📖 Recipe Card