When you’ve been making a recipe the exact same way for over a decade, you know it has to be good. And when everyone you serve it to asks you for the recipe, you know it has to be really, really good. So I can confidently say that these are some of the best keto ribs you will ever make.
Now, if you prefer your ribs more saucy, you’re more than welcome to brush them with some sugar-free BBQ sauce. But no matter what, you must try this method of slow-braising the meat until it’s fall-off-the-bone tender. Then a quick grilling or broiling to brown them up and finish them off.
Once you try this recipe, you’ll never cook ribs any other way again. Pair them with some cauliflower potato salad or keto coleslaw for the perfect summer meal.
One reader says
“I followed the recipe exactly (I don’t believe in changing a recipe, then posting a comment. Not fair.) I have to say, they’re the absolute best, ever. I will be making ribs more frequently due to this excellent recipe. Thank you. 😊” — Maureen P.
Why we adore this recipe
- Easy method: The active prep time for these ribs is only 10 minutes. Just rub on the spice blend and get cooking!
- Incredibly tender: The meat falls off the bone easily. In fact, I have to be careful not to overdo it or they become hard to eat.
- No sugary sauces: You can leave the ribs as is or use some of my keto bbq sauce. Whatever floats your boat!
- Balanced spices: The bold spice blend delivers flavor in every bite. And you can adjust the heat level to your liking.
- Versatile cooking: After braising, you can toss them on the grill or broil them in the oven.
- Keto and sugar-free: Too many dry rub recipes add unnecessary carbs and sugar. But these ribs have only 1.3 grams of carbs per serving.
Ingredient Notes
- Seasonings: Kosher salt, chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, black pepper and cayenne pepper.
- Pork spare ribs: Choose the meatier St. Louis style spare ribs instead of baby back ribs.
- Sugar free bbq sauce: If you feel you need it!
Overview: How to Make This Recipe
- Make the rub: Combine the spices in a small bowl or shaker jar.
- Coat the ribs: Rub the spice mix over both sides of the ribs and place on a large roasting pan.
- Bake: Add the water and cover tightly with foil. Bake until the meat is tender, checking occasionally that the water has not evaporated.
- Grill: Grill or broil the ribs until browned. Brush with keto BBQ sauce, if using.
Expert Tips
The secret to these amazing keto ribs is actually three secrets. All three factors come into play to make the most tender and delicious ribs you will ever eat.
- The cut of ribs
- The dry rub
- The cooking method
For the ribs, I recommend spare ribs over puny baby back ribs. Spare ribs have more meat and more fat, so they come out more tender and juicy. They tend to be a lot less expensive as well.
The cooking method utilizes slow braising in the oven, which loosens all the tough, fibrous membranes and makes the meat unbelievably tender. But unlike most braised recipe, the cooking temperature is quite high. You need to trust the process. This recipe wouldn’t be such a popular one if it didn’t work!
You then only grill or broil the ribs for a total of about 8 minutes, to crisp up the outside. Sometimes the ribs are so tender, I can hardly transfer them to a platter without things falling apart. My husband and I developed this recipe over several years. But it was the now-defunct Gourmet Magazine that introduced me to the high-temp braising method.
The dry rub is adapted from a recipe by Steve Raichlan. His recipe takes sugar, of course, and mine does not. And somewhere along the way, I started adding chili powder, and we found we liked it so much, it became our standard recipe.
It’s really insanely easy to make. I like to make big batches of it so I can have it any time I want. I add all the spices to a shaker jar so I can sprinkle it all over the ribs more evenly.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can prep the dry rub ribs up to 24 hours in advance by adding the spice blend to both sides. Store in the refrigerator if you plan to do this. You can also cook the ribs immediately after rubbing with the spice blend.
Absolutely! You can braise the ribs earlier in the day and then finish on the grill just before serving. We’ve even stuck them in the fridge overnight before and then let them come to room temp before grilling them at serving time.
This keto dry rub rib recipe has 1.3g of carbs and 0.5g of fiber per serving.
Keto Dry Rub Ribs Recipe
Ingredients
Dry Rub:
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp chipotle or cayenne powder
Ribs:
- 1 (1,300 g) rack pork spare ribs
- 1 cup water
- 1 recipe Easy Sugar-Free BBQ Sauce, (if desired)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425ºF.
- For the dry rub, mix all of the ingredients together in a small bowl or shaker jar. Rub all over both sides of the ribs.
- Arrange the ribs in a large roasting pan (cut in half if you need to, to make them fit). Add the water and cover the whole pan tightly in foil.
- Bake one and a half hours, until meat is very tender. Check occasionally that the water has not evaporated away, as this can burn your ribs. If you are doing more than one rack in the same pan, you need to increase the cook time to 1 hour and 45 minutes.
- Preheat the grill or broiler. Grill or broil 4 minutes per side, watching carefully so that they don't burn. You can brush some of the BBQ sauce on before grilling or after if you wish.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.
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Never made ribs before….OMG! Yum!! the meat fell off the bone and it was so tender!! Served it with cauli colcannon and asparagus! Delicious!!
Even my VERY fussy niece tried it (cos’ it smells so good) and she liked it as well!!
Do you adjust the temp or time for two tracks of ribs, one each in two pans? We all love these so much one track doesn’t cut it any longer!
It’s pretty much the same for two racks. I’ve done them all in one big pan and the timing still works.
Can u braise the day before and bar bq the next day? Do you think this will take away from the flavour
You totally can! I’ve done it several times. Great flavor is still there.
Will this recipe work in a smoker?
You bet! I’ve smoked them many times, using the 3:2:1 method.
Excellent short rib recipe. I made keto BBQ sauce and keep it on hand for ketchup.
Thanks!
Ok, this is my first time here, and really excited about making this recipe because of the amazing reviews! I do have a question, if you put the dry rub on both sides of the ribs and put them in water, doesn’t it just wash off, OR do you use a rack between the ribs and water? I’m totally excited to make these, being a southern girl, ribs are a big thing when the weather gets warm. Ok, another question if you don’t care, what about liquid smoke in the water to give the illusion of grilled all the way? Thanks
Much of it still sticks and gives flavour. A cup of water in a big baking pan only goes up about 1/4 to 1/2 inch!
Looking forward to trying this recipe, sounds amazing! Can I cook the ribs in a smoker? If so what temperature, for how long and what is the best way to precook (if necessary)?
YES! I have done this and although I don’t remember the specifics, I followed some great instructions from Hey Grill Hey. She’s got the best recipes and a couple of ways of doing ribs. I think I did the 3:2:1 method (it goes something like 3 hours uncovered, 2 hours covered with a little liquid, 1 more uncovered… or something like that). https://heygrillhey.com
I accidentally forgot to cover with foil, so I added more water to the pain a few times, but I think it helped give the ribs this amazing authentic crust. These ribs were outstanding! The best I’ve had in a very very long time! ❤
Good to know.. maybe I need to try that!
hello Carolyn.
i am looking for a Keto recipe to serve ribs as an appetizer for an Senior appetizer group. I purchased spare ribs before I happened on your recipe. I do believe the spare rib is a better size for appetizers. I am inquiring if you would alter the cooking time or temp with the leaner rib? I prefer dry ribs as well and being gluten free, I think less is sometimes better. I do not want to dry the ribs so look forward to your answer.
Spare ribs are actually the larger, fattier type of rib, and they are what I use in this recipe. Are you maybe referring to the leaner, smaller baby back ribs?
hi Carolyn. Yes, I am referring to the leaner ribs. Thank you for answering back
I forgot to add the recipe rating in my last comment. The ribs are great.
The peeps that I cooked it for were impressed. Used 2 tablespoons of swerve instead of 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper because they dislike spicy foods.
I have a question regarding serving sizes, the recipe says it serves 6, calls for 1 rack of ribs and serving size is 2 ribs. I’m not really sure if I understand 2 little pieces of meat are 455 calories. Could you please clarify for me, because they are so delicious and want to make them again, I just want to make sure I can calculate my macros properly.
Thank you so much
You’re confusing baby back ribs with spare ribs. Spare ribs are much larger with a ton of fat and meat left on that’s usually trimmed off of baby back.
I’m sure I’m in the minority, but if I bite the rib and the bone is all I’m left holding, and the meat falls back onto the plate, it’s a big-time fail. Overcooked. I want the rib to just have a tiny bit of tug to it. Looking forward to trying the rub!
Where have I been all these years…grilling my ribs to death☺️ I now make these nearly every week..truly delicious and so easy to put together! Last night I made your cucumber dill salad to go along with the ribs.
Thank you!
Glad you changed your ways! 😉
What a great recipe for summer! Looking forward to devouring these all season long!
I loved these ribs! Its so hard to find really good keto recipes but this might be one of my new favorites!