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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Do I put the ribs meat side down in the water or bone side? How long should the rub be put on before I put in oven?
Rib side down… and you don’t need to wait at all.
For anyone wondering how this recipe translates for country style/boneless ribs – I wholeheartedly do NOT recommend it. Carolyn’s recipes are always bar none, when followed as written and I’m sure this one is no exception. But I attempted this one tonight with boneless (it’s what I had), and even though I shortened cook time, they were quite dry and not as tender as they would have been, had I stuck to “low and slow”. With that said, the rub is very tasty, though I would cut down the cayenne a bit next time- just personal preference.
Yes, sadly boneless “ribs” are hard to work with. Might be better in a crockpot with slow cooking?
the best,
I’ve eaten a lot of ribs in the last 74 years thank you
Thanks!
These ribs are to die for. I almost followed the entire rub recipe, I did however leave out the cayenne pepper. I actually did two racks of extra meaty back ribs. I cook them in the oven for approximately 2.5 hours. When I pulled them putt he meat was pulling away from the bone so I knew they were done. Temp check was approximately 195. I immediately put them in a hot grill. Three minutes on each side. Done to perfection. The taste is amazing. Thanks again for posting the recipe along with the cooking instructions. I have always been a straight onto the grill, cooking ribs with the indirect method. This recipe has changed my mind. Two thumbs up
Tonight was my third time making these. They get better every time. I made your keto bbq sauce this time too. My boyfriend said “omg, wow” with every single bite ????
I will never make ribs another way….. You can’t mess with perfection.
Looking forward to trying your other recipes!
I’ve been making Ribs using this recipe for a few years now. I’m making ribs tonight and thought I’d check out recipes again. Yours is still the best. Sorry I waited so long to leave a review. This recipe is loved by my daughter and myself for it’s low carb qualities and my grandchildren for the excellent flavor and juicy ribs. Thank you for posting such good recipes.
Are the ribs put in the water, or on a rack above the water? Thanks
Right into the bottom of the pan. Trust me, I would specify a rack if one was required!
Hi! I bought baby back ribs by accident. Following your recipe, how long would you bake them for? Inquiring minds want to know. I should have asked earlier–my ribs are in the oven as a I type.
They don’t have as much meat, nor as much connective tissue. I’d probably cook them 15 minutes less at least.
Is the oven temperature correct on this recipe? It seems 425 for an hour and a half would be too hot for too long. I want to try this recipe but wanted to double check the time and temp.
Thank you
It is ABSOLUTELY correct and they are the best ribs you will ever make. Just make sure all the water doesn’t evaporate.
Well those were fantastic. My hubby had do work so I made them for my Mother’s Day dinner. We both loved them. Thank you for all of the great recipes. Coconut cream pie now for dessert.
Glad you liked them!
Have ever made these ribs in an instant pot?
I tried that once. I am NOT a fan of ribs in an instant pot…
I’ve started Keto Diet/Intermittent Fasting and had a slab of ribs in the freezer I wanted to cook. However, sugar is a no, no when eating. I did a search and this site popped up. I decided to give the recipe a shot, and after cooking the ribs, the taste was fabulous! No sauce. I believe when it doesn’t need sauce that truly brings out the flavor of the meat.
I recommend this recipe even if you’re not doing Keto.
Really enjoyed dinner. Definitely willl use it again.
So glad you like them!
Today will be the third time we’re making these ribs and both my boyfriend and I are SO ELATED with not only the rub recipe (flavor and taste) but the instructions on cooking!!! Talk about fall off the bone tender and juicy! We’re so happy I found this recipe! Thank you!! I will never make ribs any other way. Can’t wait for dinner tonight & leftovers tomorrow! Side note: we even did the same method with spare ribs and pork ribs. All excellent and perfect!! So happy!
Glad you like them!
DELICIOUS!!! Thank you! Came out perfectly in a fraction of time ????????
Could I use a rack in a baking tray with the water in the tray? We don’t have a roasting pan and I hate the idea of the ribs sitting in water.
They need to sit in the water to braise properly. Try the recipe as is… you won’t regret it.
Can I use this recipe for boneless ribs?
Sure, but you won’t need to cook them quite as long, as they are already off the bone.