My fiancé and I sampled the most amazing ribs when we went skiing in Austria 2 years ago. We could smell the caraway and the smoker from up the mountain and followed our noses to an amazing chalet serving up the best ribs we’ve ever eaten. That’s where I got the inspiration for these Baby Back Pork Ribs with Sugar-Free Caraway Paprika Dry Rub. They’re baked in the oven and if you like, you can throw them on the grill at the end for even more smoky flavor.
Back to our ski trip in Bad Hofgastein, Austria… we went into this amazing chalet where the fireplaces were crackling and the beer was flowing (in Austria light beer is marketed as a sports drink! Gotta love it).
We sat down and tried to order some ribs and were quickly told we’d have to order them 48 hours in advance. Say what?? Yep, that’s how long they put those bad boys in the smoker for. Luckily we were staying for another couple of days of skiing, so we put our order in and tried not to salivate on our way past the smoker.
When we did get served our ribs at lunch 2 days later, we received 2 full racks of baby back pork ribs that were so fragrant with caraway and paprika dry rub we couldn’t wait to tear into them. And underneath? About 4 potatoes, 2 red peppers and half a cabbage diced up to absorb all of the tantalizing juices.
We laughed about how hard it was going to be to ski down the mountain with overly full bellies and promised each other we’d only eat “a bit”. I made my fiancé agree to carry the very heavy doggie bag up the chairlift and to somehow look graceful skiing down the mountain with a fully loaded container and plastic bag. It never did come to that.
Yes, we couldn’t help but keep eating and got through so much of the food that there wasn’t enough to warrant taking leftovers. We vowed to try to make our own version at home, despite not having access to a smoker. Using smoked salt in the dry rub gives that smoky flavor without any need for special equipment.
The result? These super yummy oven-baked ribs with sugar-free caraway paprika dry rub that will transport you to the warm coziness of a chalet in the Alps. They’ll make you want to yodel your heart out!
Unlike most ribs (thanks to sugary dry rub and/or barbecue sauce) these ribs don’t have any sugar! They’re paleo-friendly, keto, low carb and gluten-free.
Baby Back Pork Ribs with Sugar-Free Caraway Paprika Spice Rub – Baked in the Oven to Perfection!
What’s your favorite way to make ribs? Share in the comments below!

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This recipe has been added to your Meal Plan
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Servings | Prep Time |
6 | 5 minutes |
Cook Time | Passive Time |
3 hours | 3 hours |
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- 3 tbsp caraway seeds
- tbsp Hungarian paprika
- 1 tbsp smoked salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 3 racks pork baby back ribs
- Preheat your oven to 250 degrees F. Line a large baking tray with aluminum foil.
- Put the caraway seeds in a small skillet over medium heat and toast them for about a minute. Make sure to stir often to avoid burning.
- Grind up the toasted caraway seeds in a spice mill or using a mortar and pestle. Mix with the paprika, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Your spice rub is ready to use!
- Remove the membrane from the back of your ribs. Rub the dry rub all over both sides and wrap them in aluminum foil. Place them on the lined baking sheet. Bake for 2 1/2 hours and then remove the foil layer.
- At this point you can either put them on the grill for about 8 minutes per side or continue baking them in the oven. If you're continuing in the oven, turn the temperature up to 350 degrees and if you haven't already, carefully open the aluminum foil the ribs are wrapped in using tongs. Put them back on the lined baking sheet and bake for another 30 minutes.
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