You are missing out if you cook your ribs the same way every time! Although you might be accustomed to using a certain approach, there are plenty of ways to make them. For instance, you can use a different cooking method, spice rub, or change the sauce or glaze. Make them sweet, spicy, or even tangy!
Also, you have the ability to cook them on the grill, in a smoker, slow cooker, oven, or even the air fryer. Each approach produces a unique, mouthwatering result. Below are some recipes that showcase the best ways to do so. With these recipes, you’ll make the best ribs of your life!
Break out your favorite appliance and get ready to make something extraordinary. Whichever recipe you choose, you’ll discover how versatile and adaptable ribs can be.
1. Traeger 2 – 2 – 1 Ribs: A Twist On The Classic Recipe
Use the 2-2-1 method with this recipe featuring baby back ribs, Smoked Q Rocks summer BBQ rub, Smoked Q Rocks honey Chipotle spice blend, and brown sugar. You’ll also need a small amount of honey, butter, and BBQ sauce! We suggest Smoked Q Rocks Irish whiskey BBQ sauce, but you are welcome to use any sauce that you prefer.
2. Crock Pot Hawaiian Ribs
You can make delicious Hawaiian ribs in the crockpot with Spicy Southern Kitchen’s recipe! This recipe cooks the meat on low for 7 to 8 hours, resulting in perfectly tender meat. Some of the ingredients you need include ancho chili pepper, teriyaki-style BBQ sauce, apple cider vinegar, ginger, garlic, and pineapple preserves. This recipe yields two small racks of baby back ribs!
3. Honey Garlic Smoked Ribs
Use the 3-2-1 method for Traeger ribs when you follow this recipe by Gimme Some Grilling. To try this approach, you will need two racks of ribs, honey, apple juice, homemade spice rub, and a honey garlic sauce. In our opinion, the honey garlic sauce is what tops it off! It combines minced garlic, brown sugar, soy sauce, and honey for a sweet and savory flavor.
4. Smoked Ribs On A Pit Boss Smoker
Do you have a Pit Boss Smoker? You can use it to make this incredible smoked ribs recipe. For this dish, you can make your own unique spice rub with brown sugar, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic, and onion. Make one rack of pork spareribs for just six Weight Watchers points! There is also an additional finish that you can include for extra points: a nice sweet and smoky BBQ glaze, which gives the ribs an enticing appearance.
5. Sweet and Sour Spare Ribs
If you’re not into BBQ ribs, you can always make sweet and sour ribs instead! This recipe shows you how to make the ribs in the oven. It only takes two hours total to cook them. The delicious sauce contains white vinegar, ketchup, cornstarch, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. The tanginess of the vinegar offsets the sugar perfectly! Brush the ribs with the remaining sauce just before serving.
6. Pineapple Habanero Ribs
These ribs are baked, but they have their own unique twist. They have flavors of pineapple and habaneros! This recipe has the ultimate symphony of sweet yet spicy flavors. Some ingredients you’ll need include garlic, pepper, BBQ sauce, pineapple juice, and habanero hot sauce. Make 3 lbs of loin back ribs with this recipe, yielding four servings! In total, this recipe takes two and a half hours to make.
7. Grilled Foil-Wrapped Ribs
Cook ribs with foil on the grill for a mess-free experience. This recipe makes the meat so tender that it falls off the bone. To make it, you’ll need olive oil, baby back ribs, assorted seasonings, and your favorite sauce. Some of the suggested seasonings for the rub include smoked paprika, onion, garlic, and ground mustard. Make foil packets for the individual ribs to cook inside!
8. Ninja Foodi Baby Back Ribs
Use the pressure cooker and air crisper functions in your Ninja Foodi to make succulent ribs! This recipe only requires a few ingredients, and you can make it in just over an hour. These ribs are amazing and perfect for utilizing your Ninja Foodi appliance. Serve them with mashed potatoes, corn, or coleslaw to make a complete and comforting meal.
9. Instant Pot Bone-In Beef Ribs
Did you realize you can make ribs in your Instant Pot? This is an incredibly convenient way to make them since it only takes 45 minutes in total! This recipe works so well because you can use the sauté function on the appliance to give the ribs a nice sear. Then, cook the ribs on high pressure until they’re perfectly tender and ready to eat.
10. Air Fryer Ribs
Get creative by making ribs in your air fryer! Of course, air fryers aren’t the biggest appliances, so this recipe yields two servings. Nevertheless, the ribs come out extremely juicy and flavorful. This recipe requires baby back ribs, BBQ seasoning, and BBQ sauce. In total, you only need about 40 minutes to make these ribs! Serve them with your favorite sides.
11. Oven Roasted Low and Slow BBQ Ribs
With this recipe, you end up with perfectly tender ribs by cooking low and slow in a 250° oven. This dish combines one rack of side pork ribs, BBQ sauce, and a homemade seasoning blend. The seasonings include garlic, onion, thyme, mustard powder, and smoked paprika. A small amount of brown sugar creates a nice balance and complements the BBQ sauce.
12. Thai Coconut Ribs
One of the best ways to make ribs is to make them Thai-style. This recipe by Midnight Baker shows you how to do so! You can use two racks of pork baby back ribs. The primary components in the recipe include coconut milk, soy sauce, ginger, lime juice, cilantro, and lemongrass. The recipe shows you how to make the recipe on the grill or in the oven.
