Mix up a flavorful rib marinade—perfect for pork ribs, beef ribs, spare ribs, and more—that will produce rich, flavor-packed ribs. Read on for an easy pork rib marinade that will result in moist, tender meat and make waves at your next cookout. 

Rib Marinade Recipe: How to Make a Pork Rib Marinade

A marinade is an emulsion of oil, acids (like citrus juice or vinegar), and assorted spices and seasonings used to both tenderize and flavor meat. When home cooks steep ribs in a marinade for hours, it yields flavorful, tender meat. 
Here is a step-by-step overview of how to use a rib marinade: 

1. __Make the marinade__. Mix up a rib marinade with a balance of fats (like oil), acids (like vinegar), and seasonings (such as spices, herbs, and condiments like ketchup or barbecue sauce).
2. __Prepare the ribs__. Pat the ribs down with a paper towel to remove excess moisture. Place the ribs in a shallow baking dish. 
3. __Marinate the ribs__. Pour the marinade over the ribs in the shallow baking dish. Cover the baking dish, and transfer it to the refrigerator. Marinate the ribs for a few hours (or ideally overnight) before cooking with the method of your choice. 
Bone-tender, succulent, eat-with-your-hands marinated ribs are a highlight of any well-rounded barbecue tray. You can use [pork ribs](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/pork-rib-guide) for grilling and smoking, but you can also braise them or make them in a slower cooker. Popular methods for cooking marinated baby back–style ribs include: 

1. __Air-frying__: Air-fry your pork ribs for crispy, caramelized ribs that don’t require a grill or oven. Allow the marinade to drip off the ribs slightly, then cook them over high heat in an air fryer basket. 
2. __Baking__: Home cooks can use their ovens to make marinated ribs over high, dry heat, making this a convenient option that doesn’t involve an outdoor cooking setup. Reserve marinade for basting your ribs as they cook, which will infuse them with more flavor. 
3. __Braising__: Braising your pork ribs low and slow in liquid results in succulent, fall-off-the-bone meat. First, brown them in a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot on the stovetop, then cook them slowly on low heat in liquid, such as beef broth, vegetable stock, red wine, or barbecue sauce. 
4. __Grilling__: This common method for preparing ribs involves cooking the meat on a high-heat grill until the surface is lightly charred and caramelized. 
5. __Slow-cooking__: Slow-cooking pork ribs is a convenient, low-effort method to achieve tender meat. Simply place the ribs in the slow cooker with a marinade or BBQ sauce and cook over an extended period. 
6. __Smoking__: This cooking method involves heating the pork ribs under low and slow indirect heat from wood smoke. Smoking ribs produces exceptionally juicy, tender meat infused with a smoky flavor. 
Mix up a flavorful rib marinade—perfect for pork ribs, beef ribs, spare ribs, and more—that will produce rich, flavor-packed ribs. Read on for an easy pork rib marinade that will result in moist, tender meat and make waves at your next cookout. 

A marinade is an emulsion of oil, acids (like citrus juice or vinegar), and assorted spices and seasonings used to both tenderize and flavor meat. When home cooks steep ribs in a marinade for hours, it yields flavorful, tender meat.

What Is a Marinade?

Here is a step-by-step overview of how to use a rib marinade: <ol class="mc-m-4"><li class="mc-my-4"> 1. Make the marinade. Mix up a rib marinade with a balance of fats (like oil), acids (like vinegar), and seasonings (such as spices, herbs, and condiments like ketchup or barbecue sauce). </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 2. Prepare the ribs. Pat the ribs down with a paper towel to remove excess moisture. Place the ribs in a shallow baking dish. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 3. Marinate the ribs. Pour the marinade over the ribs in the shallow baking dish. Cover the baking dish, and transfer it to the refrigerator. Marinate the ribs for a few hours (or ideally overnight) before cooking with the method of your choice. </li></ol>

How to Use a Rib Marinade

Bone-tender, succulent, eat-with-your-hands marinated ribs are a highlight of any well-rounded barbecue tray. You can use <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/pork-rib-guide' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/pork-rib-guide","linkCopy":"pork ribs","category":null}'>pork ribs</a> for grilling and smoking, but you can also braise them or make them in a slower cooker. Popular methods for cooking marinated baby back–style ribs include: <ol class="mc-m-4"><li class="mc-my-4"> 1. Air-frying: Air-fry your pork ribs for crispy, caramelized ribs that don’t require a grill or oven. Allow the marinade to drip off the ribs slightly, then cook them over high heat in an air fryer basket. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 2. Baking: Home cooks can use their ovens to make marinated ribs over high, dry heat, making this a convenient option that doesn’t involve an outdoor cooking setup. Reserve marinade for basting your ribs as they cook, which will infuse them with more flavor. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 3. Braising: Braising your pork ribs low and slow in liquid results in succulent, fall-off-the-bone meat. First, brown them in a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot on the stovetop, then cook them slowly on low heat in liquid, such as beef broth, vegetable stock, red wine, or barbecue sauce. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 4. Grilling: This common method for preparing ribs involves cooking the meat on a high-heat grill until the surface is lightly charred and caramelized. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 5. Slow-cooking: Slow-cooking pork ribs is a convenient, low-effort method to achieve tender meat. Simply place the ribs in the slow cooker with a marinade or BBQ sauce and cook over an extended period. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 6. Smoking: This cooking method involves heating the pork ribs under low and slow indirect heat from wood smoke. Smoking ribs produces exceptionally juicy, tender meat infused with a smoky flavor. </li></ol>

6 Ways to Cook Marinated Ribs

Easy Recipe for Rib Marinade 

Mix up a flavorful rib marinade—perfect for pork ribs, beef ribs, spare ribs, and more—that will produce rich, flavor-packed ribs. Read on for an easy pork rib marinade that will result in moist, tender meat and make waves at your next cookout.

Mix up a flavorful rib marinade—perfect for pork ribs, beef ribs, spare ribs, and more—that will produce rich, flavor-packed ribs. Read on for an easy pork rib marinade that will result in moist, tender meat and make waves at your next cookout. 
