A near-perfect Boneless Pork Rib recipe with moist and tender results in only 30 minutes. Country-style boneless pork ribs cook fast in the oven after a brief searing and some seasoning—a great quick and easy dinner recipe with great taste.
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Introduction
Another simple weeknight recipe with one of my favorite "Cooking For Two" types of meat, country-style boneless pork ribs, which will be 2-4 servings depending on the size of your appetite.
Unlike other pork ribs, country-style boneless ribs are like a pork chop. Both are from the pork loin. These ribs are lean, so they should be cooked quicker than low-and-slow.
They are not the same as boneless or bone-in spare ribs or bone-in country-style pork ribs. Please see the discussion and diagram below if you are confused between bone-in and boneless country-style ribs being different.
👨🍳How to Bake Boneless Pork Ribs
- Preheat oven to 350° convection or 375° conventional oven.
- Trim one slab (about 1 ½ lb) of country-style boneless ribs of fat cap and silverskin. Deepen the cuts to a little over half the thickness of the slab.
- Heat a cast-iron skillet or another oven-safe pan with oil over medium-high heat.
- Place the ribs in the pan and sear for 2-3 minutes per side. Get near the final color you want when done.
- Remove from heat and brush the top (not the bottom) generously with the BBQ sauce of your choice. Be sure to get into the slices.
- Place in the preheated oven and bake until internal temp of about 145°-150°—about 15 minutes, but time will vary. Let rest for 5 minutes before cutting.
⏰How long to cook
The suggested searing will take 5-6 minutes, then about 15 minutes in the oven for a total cooking time of about 20 minutes. If you skip the searing, the oven time will be about 25 minutes. Time will vary by the size and thickness of your ribs, the sear, and your desired final internal temperature.
Use an oven temperature of 350° convection or 375° conventional oven. You can vary that a bit, and the time will change. But remember, you are cooking to a final internal temperature.
Searing the boneless ribs will create a Maillard reaction that will give you some great flavors.
🌡️Final internal temperature
The final internal temperature for these ribs should be about where you like your pork chops. So 140° is the low end. 145° is the most common. We prefer 150° with almost no pink. Over 155° will start to dry and toughen your meat which is not recommended.
Your time can vary by the thickness of your ribs, the pan, the oven temperature, and how long you seared. So cook to the final internal temperature you want.
Allow to rest for about 5 minutes before cutting and serving. The temperature may rise a few degrees, so account for that.
🐖Ingredients
Country-Style Boneless Pork Ribs
The boneless pork ribs are the tail end of a whole pork loin cut in half and scored to make "ribs." So, think of these ribs as lean pork chops in a funny shape. They should be cooked rapidly, like pork chops.
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.
If you haven't figured it out, neither is related to real ribs. However, a pork loin is right next to baby-back ribs.
There is also some confusion with spare ribs. Boneless spare ribs are from the pork butt and shoulder area. Bone-in spare ribs are St. Louis ribs with the sternum, cartilage, and rib tips remaining. Spare ribs are pork ribs, but short ribs are beef ribs.
BBQ Sauce
You don't have to use BBQ sauce, and it can be seasoned like pork chops.
If you use BBQ sauce, a light sprinkle of kosher salt and black pepper before searing, then a coat of your favorite barbecue sauce after searing before going in the oven.
Use your favorite BBQ sauce. I love Gates BBQ of KC sauce but have used Bulls Eye Original, which Cooks Illustrated likes. My Memphis BBQ Sauce would also be great.
🧂Seasoning
If not using BBQ sauce, season as you would pork chops. For me, that is a seasoning salt like Lowery's and some pepper. Or, just some salt and pepper will be acceptable.
✔️Tips
The first step is trimming the fat cap, which is frequently attached to the backside of these ribs. It interferes with browning, seasoning, and cooking the meat. You will not be eating it, so cut most of it off. You don't need to be a perfectionist, but get most of it gone.
The second step is to deepen the "rib cuts." Many times they will be less than 25% of the thickness. I like to get it to 50% or even a little more. It evens out the cooking and adds more seasoning area.
I like to use a cast-iron skillet for this, but any pan that can go from the stovetop to the oven will do.
If you don't have that, add an oven-safe pan to the oven while preheating. Sear with a stovetop pan, then transfer the ribs to the preheated pan to finish in the oven.
Leftovers can be reheated in the oven or microwave but are also great to top a salad.
Store in an airtight container for four days in the refrigerator or three months in the freezer.
Absolutely. If you have a dry pork rub, use it to replace the seasonings and BBQ sauce. Then serve with a side of your favorite BBQ sauce.
Like any BBQ ribs, picnic-type side dishes like cole slaw, baked beans, cornbread, or French fries.
📖Boneless Rib Recipes
How to Grill Boneless Country Style Pork Ribs
Grilled Memphis Boneless Country Style Pork Ribs
Crock Pot Chinese Boneless Ribs
This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.
Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
Preheat oven to 350° convection or 375° conventional oven. Trim one slab (about 1 ½ lb) of country-style boneless ribs of fat cap and any silverskin.
Deepen the cuts to a little over half the thickness of the slab.
Before seasoning, dry well with a paper towel. Give the ribs a sprinkle of salt and pepper or 7:2:2 seasoning.
Heat a cast-iron skillet or another oven-safe pan with a teaspoon or two of oil over medium-high heat. Place in the pan and sear for 2-3 minutes per side. Get near the final color you want when done.
Remove from heat and brush the top (not the bottom) generously with the BBQ sauce of your choice. Be sure to get the slices.
Place in the oven and bake until internal temp of about 145°-150°. About 15 minutes, but the time will vary some. Let rest for 5 minutes before cutting.
📖 Recipe
30 Minute Boneless Pork Ribs
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pound country style boneless pork ribs - one slab
- salt and pepper to taste - or 7:2:2 seasoning
- 1-2 teaspoon oil
- 1 tablespoon BBQ sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° convection or 375° conventional oven. Trim one slab (about 1 ½ lb) country-style boneless ribs of fat cap and any silverskin.
- Deepen the cuts to a little over half the thickness of the slab. Give them a light sprinkle of salt and pepper.
- Heat a cast-iron skillet or another oven-safe pan with a teaspoon or two of oil over medium-high heat. Place in the pan and sear for 2-3 minutes per side. Get near the final color you want when done.
- Remove from heat and brush the top (not the bottom) generously with BBQ sauce of your choice. Be sure to get the slices.
- Place in the oven and bake until internal temp of about 145°-150°. About 15 minutes, but time will vary some. Let rest for 5 minutes before cutting.
Your Own Private Notes
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips
- Country-style boneless pork ribs are NOT the same as bone-in country-style ribs and they are not cooked the same.
- Reasonably trim the fat pad. You do not need to be perfect.
- Be sure to dry the ribs will before seasoning and adding to the skillet.
- Get the skillet and oil hot on the stovetop before adding the ribs.
- If you don’t have a pan that can go from the stovetop to the oven. Place an oven-safe pan in the oven during preheating. After searing in a different pan on the stovetop, transfer the ribs to the oven pan, brush with BBQ sauce and proceed.
- Cook to the final internal temperature you want. Usually 145°-150°.
- Be sure to rest for 5 minutes before cutting. It might raise a few degrees so account for that.
- If you skip the searing, oven time will increase by about 10 minutes. If you are using sauce, add it after about 10 minutes in the oven.
- ONE LAST TIME: Boneless country-style ribs are not the same as bone-in country-style ribs and they are not cooked the same. Do not do this recipe with bone-in.
To adjust the recipe size:
You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.
Nutrition Estimate
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Originally published March 31, 2012. Update with expanded explanation and discussion. Photos are refreshed. A few photos are from different photoshoots and have various color cutting boards.
Lee
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
Delicious, MOIST and fast !!!! thank you for sharing your recipe and technique and what a clever way to cook ribs !!
Brandy
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
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
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