How to Cook Store-Bought Ribs (11 Steps)

Store-bought ribs give you slow-cooked flavor without all the hassle. Whip up a few simple sides like baked potatoes, corn on the cob or pasta salad, and you've got a meal in minutes that tastes like it took hours to prepare. Precooked ribs can be heated up in the oven, the microwave or on the grill. If the ribs are frozen, be sure to thaw them completely before cooking.

Oven Method

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

  2. Remove the ribs from their packaging and place them in a baking dish.

  3. Cook the ribs until they are warmed through, about 20 minutes for a 16-ounce rack of ribs. Brush the ribs with additional barbecue sauce occasionally, if desired.

Barbecue Method

  1. Prepare your grill for medium heat. For charcoal grills, light the coals until they are gray with ash. For gas grills, simply set all burners to medium.

  2. Clean the grill grates and brush lightly with oil to prevent the ribs from sticking.

  3. Remove the ribs from their packaging and place them on the grill directly over the heat source.

  4. Brush the ribs with a thin layer of barbecue sauce every few minutes. Applying thin coats allows the sauce to caramelize on the ribs and become slightly sticky instead of soupy.

  5. Cook the ribs, flipping occasionally, until they are heated through, about 10 minutes for a 16-ounce rack.

Microwave Method

  1. Remove the ribs from their package and place in a microwave-safe dish large enough to hold the ribs comfortably. If the ribs are too large, cut them into smaller portions to fit into the dish. Cover the dish with a paper towel to prevent sauce from splattering in the microwave.

  2. Microwave the ribs on high for 5 minutes.

  3. Check the temperature of the ribs. If they aren't heated through, continue microwaving them in 2-minute intervals until they are sufficiently warmed.