Honey Mustard Dry Rub Ribs start by slathering baby back ribs with honey and mustard and then a dry rub of seasoning. They are baked in a Dutch oven until tender and then grilled with bbq sauce for the perfect sweet and tangy, fall-off-the-bone, finger-licking summer favorite!
- Baked then Grilled! - These Honey Mustard Dry Rub Ribs are an absolute summer favorite! They bake low and slow, first in a Dutch oven, in the oven. Then they are brushed with bbq sauce and grilled to tender saucy perfection!
- Skip the tinfoil, and no need for a smoker, these ribs are simple and easy! A bed of onions and a bit of water keeps them from sticking while they stay moist and delicious as they slow cook in the Dutch oven. They take just 15 minutes to prep!
- Perfect for Summer Holidays and Grill Outs! - Serve these Dutch oven mustard rub ribs with Charred Corn on the Cob, Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad, Honey Skillet Cornbread, or Kale Apple Slaw!
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Ingredients & Substitutions
The honey mustard and the dry rub are enough for 1 rack of baby back ribs, so just double the recipe if you are doing 2.
- Ribs - I used 1 rack of pork baby back ribs which weighed about 2.75 pounds. This fed 2 adults and 2 kids. You can easily adjust this recipe if serving more people.
- Honey Mustard - The ribs are first coated with a mixture of honey and mustard. I used country dijon mustard, but any mustard, including yellow mustard is fine. This gives the ribs a sweet tangy base flavor and the acidity helps tenderize the meat.
- Seasonings - The most important seasonings here are the salt, brown sugar, chili powder and garlic powder. Brown sugar, along with the honey, gives the ribs that signature sweet flavor to balance the spices. If you are a little low or out of paprika or onion powder, your dry rub will still be just fine. The amounts don't need to be exact.
- Onion - Slice the onion into rings to form a bed in the bottom of the Dutch oven, along with some water, for the ribs to sit on. This keeps them from sticking or burning to the bottom and adds flavor. Red, white or yellow onion are fine. The cooked onion can be eaten or discarded.
- Barbecue Sauce - I used Famous Dave's Texas Pit BBQ sauce, but use your favorite. You'll want to generously brush both sides of the ribs are you grill them. This allows the barbecue sauce to slightly caramelize onto the ribs, super delicious!
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Step 1 - Prep your ingredients. Slice the onion into rings, mix up the honey mustard, and mix together the dry rub.
Step 2 - Pat the ribs dry with paper towel. Remove the membrane on the back of the ribs. You can slide a butterknife or your fingers under it to separate, and then just pull off to remove it.
Step 3 - Spread the honey mustard evenly over both sides of the ribs with a spoon.
Step 4 - Sprinkle the dry rub over all parts of the ribs. Press it with your hands to help it adhere.
Step 5 - Line the bottom of a Dutch oven with the onions and a cup of water. Slice the ribs, about 2 to 3 ribs per piece. You can kind of rub the seasoning onto the cut sides.
Step 6 - Arrange the ribs on the bed of onions in an even layer. If doing 2 racks of ribs, you can arrange them more tightly and overlapping, and will need to bake longer.
Step 7 - Cover the pot, use tin foil if your pot doesn't have a lid. Bake at 300°F for 3 hours or more. Check that the meat is tender by pulling it from the bone. Taste it!
Step 8 - Preheat an outdoor grill. Brush the tops of the ribs with bbq sauce while they are still in the pot. Then grill them sauce side down. Continue brushing generously with bbq sauce on all sides. Gently flip with tongs.
Step 9 - Serve with more barbecue sauce on the side!
Recipe Tips
- Store leftover ribs in the fridge for up to 3 days. Microwave or reheat in the oven.
- Make Ahead - You can prep your ribs in the morning by getting the Dutch oven ready with the onions and water. Then season the ribs with honey mustard and then the dry rub and put them in the Dutch oven and refrigerate. Bake them when ready. You could also bake them a day in advance, or just earlier in the day and refrigerate. Then grill them with barbecue sauce when you're ready to serve. You could leave the baked ribs in the oven a couple extra hours with the oven off before you are ready to grill.
- Pat Dry with Paper Towel - The honey mustard and dry rub won't adhere if your ribs are wet. Make sure to pat them dry with a paper towel before prepping.
- Add Water - You are adding a cup of water to the bottom of the Dutch oven along with the onions. You are baking the ribs, but essentially you are braising them, or steaming them, with that little bit of water. This helps them stay moist and tender, and makes it unnecessary to coat them in gobs of tin foil!
- Removing the Membrane - The membrane on the back of ribs is easy to pull up and remove with a butter knife or your fingers. If you can't find it, it's possible that the butcher removed it. You can also ask the butcher to remove it for you if you are hesitant about removing it yourself!
- Grilling - Try not to flip the ribs more than one time. The tender meat is delicate and extra flipping can cause it to stick or break off the bone. You do want to brush with lots of barbecue sauce on both sides as you grill, letting it caramelize to the meat, and then adding another layer!
What to Serve With Ribs
- In the summer, we love serving these Mustard Rub Ribs with all the classic picnic side dishes. Baked beans, potato chips, Small Batch Refrigerator Pickles, potato salad, Tomato White Bean Salad, Kale Apple Slaw Salad, Panzanella Bread Salad, Broccoli Salad, and Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad are some favorites!
- It's summer, so Charred Corn on the Cob, slices of watermelon, Simple Green Beans and Carrots, or this Cucumber Melon Salad would be excellent too!
- Ribs are a delicious meal anytime of year, and go well with 8 Minute Mac and Cheese or Bacon Cauliflower Mac and Cheese. Mashed Sweet Potatoes or Cheesy Skillet Corn Bread are also yummy sides!
Recipe FAQs
If you don't have a Dutch oven, you can use any sturdy pot, cast iron skillet or a ceramic baking dish to bake the ribs. It's important that the ribs are covered as they bake. If your pot doesn't have a tight fitting lid, cover tightly with tin foil.
Yes, you should be able to fit 1 to 2 racks of baby back ribs, cut into sections, in a Dutch oven. Arrange them as evenly as you can. Just double the recipe for the amounts of seasonings. You may need to cook longer if doing 2 racks, just check for tenderness after 3 hours.
Mustard adds a tangy base flavor and the acidity in mustard helps tenderize the ribs. It helps the dry rub adhere, although it's ok to just add a dry rub without the mustard. You can't taste the mustard specifically in the finished ribs, although it does add flavor.
Any kind of mustard will work for ribs. Spread the ribs with dijon, country dijon, or yellow mustard. You can also mix the mustard with honey for extra flavor before adding a dry rub.
I like baby back ribs for this recipe. They cook up tender and delicious and are the least fatty. Spare ribs or St. Louis style ribs could be used, they are meatier but can also be fattier and may need to bake longer.
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Honey Mustard Dry Rub Ribs
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Print Pin RateIngredients
For the Rub
- 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 12 grinds fresh black pepper
For the Ribs
- 1 rack baby back ribs (2.5 to 3 pounds)
- 1 cup water
- 1 onion sliced in rings
- 1 Tablespoon country dijon mustard (any mustard)
- 1 Tablespoon honey
- ½ cup barbecue sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300℉.
- Mix the dry rub ingredients in a bowl. Mix the honey and mustard together in a separate bowl. This is enough for 1 rack of ribs, so double if doing 2. Slice the onion into rings.
- Pat the ribs dry with a paper towel. Remove the membrane on the back of the ribs by pulling it up with a butter knife or your fingers and pulling it off to discard.
- Slather the honey mustard all over both sides of the ribs with a spoon. Sprinkle the ribs evenly on all sides with the dry rub and then pat it in with your hands to adhere.
- Add 1 cup of water and the onions to a Dutch oven with a lid.
- Cut the ribs into sections about 2 or 3 ribs per piece and arrange them on the bed of onions. Scrape up any rub or honey mustard left on your pan or cutting board and add to the ribs.
- Cover with the heavy lid and bake at 300° for about 3 hours. Check for tenderness with a fork or give it a taste.
- Grill the ribs. Brush the top sides with barbecue sauce while they are still in the pot, then grill them sauce side down. Brush them generously with bbq sauce on all sides during grilling, allowing some to caramelize on the grill and then brush on more when you flip!
Notes
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- Removing the Membrane - The membrane on the back of ribs is easy to pull up and remove with a butter knife or your fingers. You can also ask the butcher to remove it for you if you are hesitant about removing it yourself!
- If you don't have a Dutch oven, you can use any large pot, cast iron skillet or ceramic baking dish (a lasagna pan). If it does not have a lid, cover tightly with foil.
- If your ribs are done baking earlier than you need them, you can leave them in the oven turned off for a couple hours before grilling.
- Grilling - Try not to flip the ribs more than one time. The tender meat is delicate and extra flipping can cause it to stick or break off the bone. Brush with lots of barbecue sauce on both sides as you grill, letting it caramelize to the meat, and then adding another layer!
- Double the Recipe - You should be able to fit 1 to 2 racks of baby back ribs, cut into sections, in a Dutch oven. Arrange them as evenly as you can. Just double the recipe for the amounts seasonings. You may need to cook longer if doing 2 racks, just check for tenderness with a fork.
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