Emeril Lagasse's Pro Tip For Adding Bonus Flavor To Oven-Baked Ribs

Just the mere mention of Barbecue ribs can send many a salivary gland into overdrive with anticipation. But how about when they're baked in the oven instead of grilled or smoked? A little less exciting, right? Luckily, Emeril Lagasse has a simple pro tip for oven-baked ribs that will "kick it up a notch," in the flavor department — add the barbecue sauce during the final stage of cooking for near grill-like perfection.

This bit of advice comes from a video on Lagasse's YouTube channel demonstrating how to make "EJ's Simple Oven-BBQ Ribs," a recipe he developed with his son, EJ (a favorite of his). The "Bam!" chef uses two sets of pork baby back ribs laid atop a foil covered sheet pan. After sprinkling both sides with a dry rub, he folds the foil over the ribs to form a sealed packet. This functions to lock in the heat, resulting in moist, tender meat. The pan is put in the oven set to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.

After about three hours of cooking, Chef Lagasse opens the foil pouch to apply barbecue sauce with a basting brush, then returns the ribs to the oven — foil left open this time — for an additional 10 to 20 minutes. "Now, it's good to raise the heat of the oven to 400 degrees, so that we can get a little caramel action," he explains. A glaze so good, it'll give any of these 29 rib recipes that'll be the highlight of dinner a run for their money.

Though perhaps not as enthralling as what the backyard grill yields, mastering your oven-baked rib game is a winning move, for convenience alone. It's way less hassle when you're not feeling like setting up and monitoring the smoker or grill and the perfect solution for cold seasons and rainy days when outdoor activities are a no-go.

Also, it's a kid-friendly way to make ribs (much less chance of accidents or burns). Emeril and his son can attest to that — EJ was about five or six-years-old when the two worked out their recipe, which appears in 2009's, "Emeril at the Grill: A Cookbook for All Seasons". These days, EJ is a man with his own culinary career and as Emeril says, "Now, he cooks [the ribs] for me." The pair can be seen together, back in the day, making the recipe alongside Martha Stewart on her show "Martha."

There's plenty of time to let the anticipation build for these meaty morsels, as slow and low is the name of the game when it comes to ribs (which are not included on this list of 12 of Emeril Lagasse's favorite foods). A lackluster result, after all that waiting, would be a huge letdown. So if you're someone who usually puts the barbecue sauce on after the ribs have cooked, try Lagasse's method and sidestep disappointment. Spare ribs? You won't have any. Check out these other best cooking tips for home chefs by Emeril Lagasse.