17 of Summer's Best Barbeque Ribs

From your grill, oven, slow cooker, smoker, and Instant Pot - learn how to create the best barbeque ribs.

a picture of barbequed ribs on a wire rack
Photo:

 PAMELA D. aPROpos of nothing

There's something about the easy-going days of summer that makes you want to pick up your food and eat it with your hands. Case in point: barbequed ribs. Sure, you could take your knife and fork to them, but you'd miss all the pleasure of pulling the meat off the bone with your teeth and licking every last bit of sauce and spices off your fingers. Scroll through to see which of our best barbeque rib recipes will have you licking your fingers all summer long.

01 of 18

Slow-Cooker Barbecue Ribs

Slow-Cooker Barbecue Ribs
Allrecipes Magazine

No grill? No problem! These top-rated pork baby back ribs are cooked low and slow in your crockpot or slow cooker until perfectly tooth-tender. To keep them from getting greasy, you'll bake them in the oven for 30 minutes, drain off the fat, and finish in the slow cooker. Many reviewers cooked the ribs in their favorite homemade or store-bought barbeque sauce and loved the results.

02 of 18

Simple BBQ Ribs

Simple BBQ Ribs
Ashley Geist

Recipe submitter LLOYD RUSHING says, "Country-style ribs are cut from the loin, one of the leanest areas of pork. These ribs are seasoned, boiled until tender, then baked with your favorite barbeque sauce. That's it! Back to simplicity, back to the country life. Sigh."

03 of 18

Instant Pot® Baby Back Ribs

Instant Pot Baby Back Ribs on a white plate
jacquelynnmickus

"Made exactly as directed," says Deana Murray Marquis. "This was my first time using the Instant Pot and the ribs were amazing! Seasoned just right and fall off the bone. Will definitely make again!"

04 of 18

Scott Hibb's Amazing Whisky Grilled Baby Back Ribs

Scott Hibb's Amazing Whisky Grilled Baby Back Ribs
Heidi

Pork baby back ribs are seasoned with a dry rub, baked slowly in the oven, and quickly finished on the grill. While the ribs are baking, you can make the sweet, sticky, whiskey-laced barbeque sauce that helps give these ribs their solid 5-star rating. It can take a couple of hours to fully reduce the sauce, so plan your time accordingly. Reviewers agree it's well worth it.

05 of 18

Boiled & Baked Ribs

Boiled & Baked Ribs

While barbeque ribs are the perfect summer meal, these boiled and baked ribs are a great alternative. Not only are these ribs seasoned with onions, garlic, red pepper flakes, and Chinese five-spice powder- but they are coated with a sugary, spicy glaze.

06 of 18

Baked BBQ Baby Back Ribs

top-down view of pork ribs on a plate with potato salad in the background
Chef John

These baby backs are dry-rubbed, baked low and slow, then brushed with homemade barbeque sauce and finished in the oven. If you'd like to finish them on the grill, follow Baking Nana's lead: "For make-ahead, ready-to-barbeque ribs, I usually coat the ribs in the dry rub and wrap tightly and let sit in the refrigerator overnight. Bake at 250 for at least two hours — sometimes they take longer. Then I let them cool in the package — drain the juices out of the package and store in the refrigerator until we are ready to grill. Finishing them on the grill, using indirect heat is so easy and there is virtually no clean up other than to wipe your chops and toss the bones."

07 of 18

Barbecue Ribs

Barbecue Ribs
Lisa Pimentel

These baked and grilled ribs are finished with a bold rum and chile sauce that convinced many reviewers that homemade barbeque sauce is the only way to go.

08 of 18

Sweet Smoked Pork Ribs

Sweet Smoked Pork Ribs
Jandi79

Put your smoker to good use with this top-rated rib recipe. Recipe submitter dadcooksagain says, "I usually use baby back ribs but have had great success with spare ribs, as well."

09 of 18

Prize Winning Baby Back Ribs

Prize Winning Baby Back Ribs
Jessica Zhang

"This is the PERFECT spice mix, and the best way to season the meat," says CHRISNELDER. "Trimming the membrane off is crucial, and actually not that hard to do with a flat boning knife if you insert it parallel to the rib and directly over it. Once you get the first few done, you can grab the membrane and just tear it off the rest."

10 of 18

Oven-Baked BBQ Ribs

Oven-Baked BBQ Ribs

Slide those ribs into the oven, wait about 3 hours, and get ready for ribs that aren't just delicious but ones that are bursting with flavor. "Unbelievable flavor! I don't barbecue but don't need to with this recipe. I did the basting and turning because I like the idea of the sauce cooking in over and over for a deeper flavor. It worked!," said reviewer G Hofmann

11 of 18

BBQ Country Style Ribs

BBQ Country Style Ribs
KGora

Talk about easy! It takes only four ingredients to make these tender baked pork ribs."Everyone in my house loved them," says Alicia Sanderita. "I had 2 pans so I cooked them at 325 for two hours covered with aluminum foil. After two hours I drained the juice and covered the ribs with barbeque sauce. I turned the temp down to 275 and left the foil on for another 30 minutes. I then removed the foil for 20 minutes to let the sauce thicken."

12 of 18

Barbequed Ribs

A rack of ribs cut into portions on a grill
Pamela D. Apropos of nothing

This two-day process intensifies the flavor of the slow-baked ribs with an overnight dry-rub marinade followed by a quick turn on the grill with a homemade barbeque sauce. "Believe the hype," raves MANDISSAL. "These were fantastic! I don't have a grill so for the grill part, I just put them in the oven at 350 degrees, basting frequently." Reviewers also recommend you double the sauce. I'd listen to them.

13 of 18

Kalbi (Korean BBQ Short Ribs)

Kalbi (Korean BBQ Short Ribs)
Danielle Velic

Korean-style short ribs (beef chuck flanken) are marinated in a sweet soy sauce with a touch of sesame oil to give the sauce its distinctive flavor. Since it takes only a few minutes on the grill to finish the dish, this is a great make-ahead for easy summer grilling.

14 of 18

Slow Cooker Barbequed Beef Ribs

Slow Cooker Barbequed Beef Ribs
Deb C

Beef back ribs are slow cooked for hours in a simple homemade barbeque sauce. Perfect for when you're hungry for BBQ ribs but you don't want to fire up the grill or heat up your kitchen.

15 of 18

Grilled Country Style Ribs

Grilled Country Style Ribs
Julie Faulkner

"Absolutely loved these ribs! My husband is a huge rib fan, and this was my first attempt at trying to grill them." Julie Faulkner says.

16 of 18

Steve's Bodacious Barbecue Ribs

Steve's Bodacious Barbecue Ribs
KGora

"The ribs are dynamite. I've made them several times now. Everyone loves them. I use half of the cayenne now because it's a little too much for some of the guests, but if you like some kick use the full amount. Half gives it a good hint of heat but isn't outright hot." — DJ

17 of 18

Texas Pork Ribs

Texas Pork Ribs
cookin'mama

"This is a multiple prize-winning master recipe," Laura Walton says. "It has several steps that can be used on pork spareribs, country-style ribs, or pretty much any other type of pork rib; simply adjust oven time up for meatier cuts. Use some soaked wood chips on the barbecue. The smokier the grill, the better the ribs will taste!

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