This boneless pork ribs recipe is easy, juicy, and full of flavor—no grill or smoker needed. Sear on the stove, finish in the oven, and dinner’s ready in about 30 minutes. A healthy meal that’s great for beginners or busy nights.
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Featured Comment by Beth:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"Delicious, MOIST, and fast !!!! thank you for sharing your recipe and technique, and what a clever way to cook ribs!!"
🧡 Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Indoor-friendly: No grill needed—everything cooks right on the stove and in the oven.
- Beginner-friendly: No tricky steps or special tools.
- Quick and flavorful: The sear and bake method locks in juices and builds great flavor—in about 30 minutes.
- Healthier than traditional ribs: A leaner cut, like pork chops, that fits a low-fat diet.
- Flexible seasoning: Keep it simple with salt, pepper, and garlic—or go BBQ-style with your favorite rub or sauce.
🛒 Ingredients
- Boneless country-style pork ribs — 1½ to 2 pounds.
✅Pro Tip: These are the loin-cut version—they are lean, boneless, and sold as a slab that’s been scored into strips. Don’t confuse them with the shoulder version, which is usually bone-in, irregular, and better for slow cooking.
- Seasoning: Salt, black pepper, and garlic powder (optional). A simple combo of salt and pepper works well, or use your favorite pork dry rub.
- Barbecue sauce (optional) — Brush on after searing, if you want a BBQ-style finish. Use my Memphis BBQ sauce or your favorite.
👨🍳Quick Overview: Sear and Bake Boneless Pork Ribs
1. Prepare the ribs
Trim off most of the fat pad. Deepen the scoring to about 75% of the thickness. Pat dry, then season all sides and the cuts with salt, pepper, garlic powder, or your favorite rub.
2. Sear the ribs
Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large oven-safe skillet (cast iron preferred). When hot, add the ribs and sear for 2–3 minutes per side, until nicely browned.
✅Pro Tip: A quick sear not only adds flavor—it also reduces oven time and helps the ribs stay juicy.
3. Bake the ribs
If using BBQ sauce, brush it on top and into the cuts. Transfer the skillet to a preheated 350°F (convection) or 375°F (conventional) oven. Bake for 15–20 minutes to an internal temperature of 145°F–150°F.
✅Pro Tip: Don’t rely on time alone. Use a meat thermometer and aim for 145° to 150°F for juicy, safe results.
4. Rest and serve
Remove from the oven and let the ribs rest for 5 minutes before serving. This helps keep the meat juicy and tender.
For complete step-by-step instructions, scroll down to the printable recipe card or keep reading for tips, flavor options, and serving ideas.
⏲️ How Long to Cook Boneless Country-Style Pork Ribs
The total cooking time is about 20 minutes at 350° convection or 375° conventional—this includes both searing and baking. After a 4–6 minute sear, you'll need about 15 minutes in the oven to reach an internal temperature of 145°F to 150°F.
✅Pro Tip: Skipping the sear? Plan for about 25 minutes in the oven alone. Always check with a meat thermometer to avoid overcooking.
🥩 Pork Temperature Guide
- Under 145°F: Not recommended for safety.
- 145°–150°F (Medium-Rare): A little pink, very juicy. 145°F is the USDA minimum safe temp.
- 150°–155°F (Medium): No pink, still moist and tender.
- 155°–160°F (Medium-Well): Slightly drier, firmer texture.
- 160°F+ (Well Done): Not recommended—too dry for this lean cut.
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📖Boneless Country Style Rib Recipes
For the crock pot, try Crock Pot Chinese Boneless Ribs. Or take them to the grill with this complete tutorial on How to Grill Boneless Country Style Pork Ribs. And don't miss one of my finest grilled meals, Grilled Memphis Boneless Country Style Pork Ribs, with a special brine and seasoning.
🍴Serving
With the BBQ flavoring, serve them like BBQ ribs with picnic-type side dishes like cole slaw, baked beans, homemade cornbread, or crispy baked French fries. If you skip BBQ, serve like pork chops with baked green beans with bacon, roasted asparagus, or Honey Wheat Dinner Rolls.
🧊 Storing and Reheating Leftovers
Store leftover ribs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheat in the oven or microwave until warmed through. You can also slice them up and serve as a flavorful topping for salads or grain bowls.
✅Reheating Tip: Reheat in a covered dish with a splash of broth or water to keep them from drying out.
❓FAQs
I like a cast-iron skillet for this—it sears beautifully and goes straight into the oven. But any oven-safe pan will work.
If you don’t have one, here’s a workaround: Preheat a baking dish in the oven while you sear in a stovetop pan, then transfer the ribs to the hot dish to finish baking.
These lean ribs can dry out if overcooked or previously frozen. If cooked properly, they stay moist like a good pork chop.
Brining isn’t necessary, but it can help add moisture and flavor. It will, however, add extra time, so it’s not great for quick weeknight meals.
Simple brine (for 1–4 hours):
2 tablespoons table salt
1 tablespoon sugar or brown sugar
2 cups water
Options: add spices like garlic, pepper, or allspice for extra flavor.
Start by trimming the fat cap—it’s usually on the back and gets in the way of searing and seasoning. You won’t be eating it, so trim off most of it. Don’t worry about being perfect.
Next, deepen the scoring between the ribs. Often, the cuts are shallow, less than 25% deep. I like to score them about 50%–75% through. This helps them cook evenly and lets the seasoning penetrate the meat.
They come from the tail end of the pork loin, cut in half, and scored to mimic rib portions. Think of them as lean pork chops in disguise. Like pork chops, they should be cooked quickly, not low and slow.
Unfortunately, there are also "bone-in country-style pork ribs." They are NOT the same. Or even close to the same thing. Bone-in is like a slice of pork butt and should be cooked low and slow. Neither is related to real ribs.
⚠️ Warning: Not all “country-style ribs” are the same.
Boneless: Loin cut — lean and quick cooking
Bone-in: Shoulder/butt cut — fatty and needs slow cooking
Other Confusing Ribs:
Boneless spare ribs — Shoulder area (also slow-cooked)
Spare ribs — Bone-in pork ribs (St. Louis style)
Short ribs — Totally different — those are beef
📖The Recipe Card with Step-by-Step Instructions
Easy Boneless Pork Ribs – Sear and Bake in 30 Minutes
Video Slideshow
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pound Country-style boneless pork ribs - one slab
- Salt and pepper to taste - or seasoning of choice
- 1-2 teaspoon Oil
- 1 tablespoon BBQ sauce
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Trim and season the boneless pork ribs
- Preheat the oven to 350°F convection or 375°F conventional. Trim most of the fat cap and silverskin from a 1½ pound slab of country-style boneless ribs.
- Deepen the scoring to about ¾ of the thickness, keeping the slab intact. Brining is optional.
- Pat dry with paper towels. Season all sides and into the cuts with salt, pepper, or your favorite seasoning blend (I like my all-purpose mix: salt, pepper, and garlic powder).
2. Searing the pork ribs
- Heat a cast-iron skillet or another oven-safe pan over medium-high heat with 1 to 2 teaspoons of oil. Add the ribs and sear for 2–3 minutes per side, until browned. Get close to the final color you want before baking.
3. Optional: Brush with BBQ sauce
- Remove from heat and brush the top (not the bottom) generously with BBQ sauce. Be sure to get it into the cuts.
4. Oven-bake the ribs
- Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the internal temperature reaches 145°F to 150°F, about 15 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes
💡Pro Tips
- Boneless country-style pork ribs are not the same as bone-in versions and require different cooking.
- Trim the fat pad reasonably—no need to be perfect.
- See the post for seasoning ideas and optional brining instructions.
- Always dry the ribs well before seasoning and searing.
- Preheat the skillet and oil before adding the ribs.
- Let the ribs rest 5 minutes after baking to keep them juicy. The temperature may rise a few degrees during this time.
- Skipping the sear? Add about 10 minutes to the oven time.
Your Own Private Notes
To adjust the recipe size:
You can adjust the number of servings above; however, only the amount in the ingredient list is adjusted, not the instructions.
Nutrition Estimate (may vary)
Originally published March 31, 2012. Update with expanded explanation and discussion. Photos are refreshed. A few images are from different photo shoots and may not match.
Donna H says
What is the difference in country style and bone in ribs?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
They are a totally different cut of meat from a different location. Please see the discussion in the post at https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/30-minute-bbq-boneless-pork-ribs/#what-are-country-style-boneless-pork-ribs
Dan
SeriouslyJim says
Used the method more than the exact details. I used one of my favorite dry seasonings and seared the meat, then dropped it into a greased, pre-heated glass baking dish, slathered it with my fav bbq sauce, and popped it in the oven for 20 min. Total time out of package to on the table "resting" while we finished up the side dishes- 35 minutes. For a "high heat" method, this worked surprisingly well. Meat wasn't "fall off the bone" tender but was very acceptable and the flavor was top notch. You're right... an excellent "week night" recipe, quick and easy.
leslie saffel says
I found this, made this, tender ribs. Delicious. 5 stars for me!
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Leslie,
Welcome to the blog. Sorry the delayed response, life happens fast some times.
This is an easy, "after work recipe" we have used many times over the years. Cheap and delicious.
Thanks for the note and rating.
Dan
Lee says
Glad I found this recipe as these "ribs" almost met their fate in the slow cooker. End result stayed juicey and tender. Thanks for saving my dinner Dr. D
Beth says
Delicious, MOIST and fast !!!! thank you for sharing your recipe and technique and what a clever way to cook ribs !!
Brandy says
My country ribs came half with bone and half w/o. But I seared them but covered them in the oven and let them cook for almost an hour, then braised them for a few minutes. They were so juicy! The fam was impressed that I made these in the over and are requesting a repeat soon.
Linda Howell says
I prepared this boneless oven baked pork loin ribs tonight fo dinner, using the sear method, then putting them in the oven for about 15 - 20 minutes. One family member does not care for Barbe cue sauce, so for my daughter and I, we just poured some Barbeque sauce on the side. I had put some barbq dry rub on the ribs for pan searing anyway. They tasted delicious either way and were juicy and tender. Will be be be trying this again
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Linda,
Welcome to the blog and thanks for the note. I do love these boneless ribs, just the right size for the two of us. I don't always use the sauce, sometimes just seasoning salt like pork chops.
Dan
Julie says
Goodness gracious. So glad I stumbled on this recipe. Now, I took it as a guideline. Had bone-in country style ribs, but seared and baked accourding to instructions in a cast iron skillet. I will do ribs this way EVERY TIME! Thank you!
Lisa Furman says
I've made these twice. They came out perfect! I needed to cook them a little longer because the were big but they were perfectly cooked and delicious!
Britt says
Dan,
Prepared these tonight. They were GREAT!! A++!!
Thanks,
Britt
Perry Arseneault says
I cut it into large finger sized pieces then I used the seasonings that I like most and I did let it marinade as suggested. I used my countertop air fryer toaster oven at the temperature and time suggested. I also used the BBQ sauce that I enjoy most so in the end this was an absolutely perfect recipe that did great justice to a wonderful cut of pork. Thanks for this easy peasy recipe! PS, I did not trim the fat before roasting which I believe made it better.
Perry Kissam says
Can I add cream of mushroom soup to the pan once it goes into the oven? Should I also add a bit of broth? I already have the ribs seasoned and in shrink wrap.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Perry,
Welcome to the blog.
Sorry but I have no good answer for you. I have never added fluid to make a sauce to this recipe. Your plan does sound reasonable though.
If you do this, please come back and describe the results for others.
Dan
Lisa Furman says
Yes you can add the cream of mushroom soup when you are putting it in the oven. It's delicious. I did add a little broth.
Mattie says
My husband loved this. Used pork loin precut ribs. This was so tender and juicy. He cleaned his plate which this picky eater rarely does. Thanks Dr. Dan for saving dinner.
Christine says
These were very good and super easy and fast . Great recipe.
Gail Tinsley says
Very good & tender! Mine were cut into "Ribs" already. Didn't use oil, just cooked in frying pan coated in garlic salt. Salt & peppered both sides, and added some Memphis BBQ season. Fried about 3 minutes on each side and just a minute or so on the edges. Moved to a glass 9x13 baking pan sprayed with cooking spray. poured a little BBQ sauce over the ribs. Baked at 375 for about 12 minutes. They were wonderful! Easy too!