How To Position Ribs In The Oven So You Never Have To Turn Them

Ribs are some of the messiest smokey meats Americans indulge in over the year. Ribs are most commonly consumed during the late spring, summer, and early fall because that's when most people break out of the grill from winter storage. But, honestly, we could chow down on ribs any time of the year for any special occasion or holiday, so why don't we? Well, most people are hesitant to cook ribs in anything other than a grill or smoker. We get it ... It's the most surefire way to get a flavorful and tender meal. But luckily for those of us who crave ribs year-round, there are other ways to create some satisfying ribs.

There are a handful of ways to make ribs indoors. Some people pull out the pressure cooker while others have a nifty air fryer readily available, while some prefer to sous vide their ribs, but for those of us who don't have any heavy utility tools other than the oven, we're in luck. Delish states that oven-baked ribs are relatively simple to accomplish and just as delicious as grilled ribs, and there is even a way to put them in the oven in such a way that you don't have to flip them continuously.

According to The Manual, one of the downsides to cooking ribs in the oven is that every time you open the oven to check on the meat or to flip it, the temperature inside will dip and mess up the cooking process. So it's best to stick them inside and leave them be up till it's time to take them out. The site suggests that the best ways to cook the ribs are to set the oven at 250 degrees F for four hours, 300 degrees F for three hours, or 350 degrees F for two hours.

But if you need to flip your ribs every 30 minutes or so after the first hour, like Morsel suggests, how do you keep the oven temperature even? The answer is wonderfully simple: A rack! Cooking your ribs elevated on a rack or if you have a classic rib rack to hold them upright will save you the worry of constantly flipping and messing with the oven's temperature. The Kitchn explains that by lifting the ribs (over a baking sheet so that the glaze and juices don't drip to the floor of the oven), the heat from the oven will be able to reach all sides of the meat evenly, thus eliminating the need for turning and creating the most tender rib-experience you've ever had.