Marinade for pork ribs in oven

Marinating pork ribs before cooking infuses them with flavor and makes them incredibly tender and juicy. But how long should you marinate ribs to get the best results? While recommended marinating times vary, the ideal duration is 8-24 hours.

Marinating longer than that can make the ribs too soft and mushy.

Overview of Marinating Pork Ribs

Marinating ribs has several benefits

• Tenderizes the meat by breaking down connective tissue
• Allows seasonings and flavors to penetrate deep into the meat
• Keeps ribs juicy and moist during cooking
• Provides flavor if you don’t have time for a long smoke

Pork ribs have quite a bit of connective tissue so marinating makes them tender.

The acidic ingredients in the marinade (vinegar wine yogurt, etc.) help break down tough collagen fibers.

Marinades also allow seasonings to permeate deep into the meat, well below the surface. Dry rubs only flavor the outer surface.

When smoking ribs low and slow, marinating helps them stay moist if you don’t have time for an all-day smoke.

How Long Should You Marinate Ribs?

For best results