The Ideal Oven Temperature To Cook Fall-Off-The-Bone Riblets

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There's nothing like a great rack of ribs, whether they're grilled, smoked, or cooked in the oven. But sometimes you just want a bite-sized barbecue treat. Enter riblets, an appetizer-sized rib from a rack that has been sliced in half length-wise. Barbecue chef Jess Pryles, founder of Hardcore Carnivore, judge on the new Food Network series "Pitmasters," and author of the upcoming cookbook "Prime Cuts," shared her tips on how to get these mini morsels just right.

Just like full-sized ribs, riblets require specific technique to get them fall-off-the-bone tender. "I'd cook riblets at 300 degrees Fahrenheit and cook them for a while, maybe two to three hours," Pryles says. "They need time for them to soften and become tender, and the lower temperature allows that to happen without the edges drying out or burning." 

The low-and-slow method is great for riblets — and ribs in general — because there is so much collagen and connective tissue that needs time to break down. If you've ever had chewy and tough ribs, there's a chance they were cooked too hot or too fast. Instead, be patient and resist the temptation to raise the temperature. If you notice your riblets drying out, wrap them in foil to keep the moisture in the meat.

Of course, cooking temperature isn't the only thing that makes riblets delicious. You'll want to consider seasoning, glazes, and barbecue sauce to really enhance the flavor of the meat. 

"Season them generously," Pryles suggests, "then cook them covered with foil so they stay moist while they tenderize." Her Hardcore Carnivore seasoning line includes a Sweet BBQ blend combining brown sugar, paprika, garlic, and other spices, or you can keep it simple with salt and pepper and use your barbecue sauce to add additional flavor later. 

Be sure to give the riblets time to cook before getting out your sauce: "Add barbecue sauce and uncover towards the end so they can caramelize, but the sauce won't get too reduced." But how do you know when your ribs are ready to sauce? Two to three hours of low-and-slow cooking is a pretty big window, and the internal temperature will only tell you if the meat is cooked through, not if the ribs are actually done. "They're ready when the meat has pulled back from the bones," Pryles notes. "You can also insert a skewer to check for tenderness." 

When the ribs are close to your desired texture, it's time for sauce. Adding sauce later in the cooking process is more about the sauce than it is the ribs. According to Reddit pitmasters, applying the barbecue sauce too soon opens up the possibility of over-caramelized (read: burnt) sauce instead of a sweet and tacky glaze, so wait until the final 20 to 30 minutes of cooking. Properly timing when you add the barbecue sauce will also prevent a mess, making clean-up a breeze.