These oven baked 5-ingredient Amish-style sticky pork ribs are the kind of hearty, no-fuss supper that keeps a family gathered around the table. Out here in the rural Midwest, ribs like these often showed up on Sundays, when a good cut of pork, a bottle of barbecue sauce from the pantry, and just a few simple staples were all you needed. You slather bottled barbecue sauce and three trusty ingredients right over raw pork ribs in a roasting pan, slide it into the oven, and let the slow heat work its magic. The result is tender, sticky, sweet-savory ribs that taste like they’ve been babied all day, even though you barely fussed with them at all.
Serve these sticky ribs with classic farmhouse sides: a big bowl of buttery mashed potatoes or baked potatoes, a simple cabbage coleslaw, and maybe some green beans or corn from the freezer or jar. A pan of warm dinner rolls or cornbread is perfect for swiping through the extra sauce in the roasting pan. For a lighter touch, pair the ribs with a crisp green salad and sliced tomatoes when they’re in season. Sweet tea or cold apple cider fits right in with this kind of old-fashioned, rib-sticking supper.
Oven-Baked 5-Ingredient Amish Sticky Pork RibsServings: 4
Ingredients
3 to 4 pounds pork ribs (country-style or spare ribs), raw
2 cups bottled barbecue sauce (your favorite store-bought brand)
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Directions
Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C). Set out a large roasting pan or a 9x13-inch baking dish with high sides so it can catch all the juices and sauce.
Pat the raw pork ribs dry with paper towels and lay them in a single layer in the roasting pan, meaty side up. If using a rack of ribs, you can cut it into 2–3 sections so it fits more easily.
In a medium bowl, stir together the bottled barbecue sauce, brown sugar, yellow mustard, and Worcestershire sauce until the sugar is mostly dissolved and the sauce looks smooth and glossy.
Pour the sauce mixture over the raw ribs, then use your hands or the back of a spoon to slather and spread it generously over every surface. Turn the ribs once or twice so they are well coated on all sides, letting the extra sauce pool in the bottom of the roasting pan.
Cover the roasting pan tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil, crimping the edges so the steam stays inside. This helps the ribs turn tender while they bake.
Bake the covered ribs at 325°F (165°C) for about 2 to 2 1/2 hours, or until the meat is very tender and pulls away from the bone easily. Thicker, meatier ribs may lean closer to the longer time.
Carefully remove the foil (watch out for the hot steam), and spoon some of the sauce from the bottom of the pan back over the tops of the ribs to refresh the glaze.
Increase the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C). Return the uncovered ribs to the oven and bake for another 20–30 minutes, basting once more if you like, until the sauce is thickened, sticky, and lightly caramelized around the edges.
Let the ribs rest in the pan for about 10 minutes before serving so the juices settle and the sauce clings nicely. Spoon extra sauce from the pan over each serving.
Variations & Tips
For a little heat, stir 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes or a dash of hot sauce into the barbecue mixture before slathering it on the ribs. If you like a smokier flavor, choose a smoky bottled barbecue sauce and add 1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika. Country-style ribs work beautifully for a meatier, fork-tender result, while baby back ribs will be a bit leaner and may cook slightly faster; start checking them around the 1 3/4-hour mark. To make cleanup easier, line the roasting pan with heavy-duty foil before adding the ribs and sauce. If you prefer a deeper caramelized finish, run the ribs under the broiler for 2–4 minutes at the very end, watching closely so the sugars don’t burn. Leftover ribs reheat well, tightly covered, in a low oven with a splash of water or extra barbecue sauce to keep them moist, and the meat can be pulled from the bones for sandwiches the next day.
