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This country style beef ribs recipe is an easy way to make sure this economical cut of meat is fall-apart tender and flavorful every single time. With just 10 minutes of hands-on prep time, let the Instant Pot do the work!
If you’ve never had (or heard of!) country-style ribs, you’re in for a treat today. This cut has rich beefy flavor, and when cooked right, it’s melt-in-your-mouth-tender and caramelized outside.
Country style beef ribs are the best of both worlds: delicious flavor and texture, but with the price tag of a more affordable cut of beef!
What Are Country Style Beef Ribs?
Country-style ribs are boneless rib-like strips of meat, but they aren’t actually ribs at all! This cut of meat comes from the shoulder (or butt) area of pigs, or the shoulder (or chuck) area of cows.
Boneless country style ribs typically have rich, meaty flavor but are on the tougher side, so they benefits from a longer cooking time.
Best Country Style Beef Ribs Recipe
Ingredients in BBQ Country Style Beef Ribs
In this section I explain the ingredients and give substitution ideas. For the full recipe (including ingredient amounts), see the recipe card below.
- Country style beef ribs – this cut of meat is also known as boneless chuck roast; if you can’t find it at the meat counter, you can ask the butcher to make it by cutting a chuck eye steak in half length-wise
- BBQ seasoning – I like making homemade BBQ seasoning because it keeps well in the pantry for about 6 months and I use it on a ton of different things; you can also use a store-bought BBQ spice mix or dry rub if you prefer
- Olive oil – to sear the ribs
- Beef stock – this is the braising liquid for cooking the ribs in the Instant Pot; you can use water instead
- BBQ sauce – use whatever your favorite barbecue sauce is; I’m partial to Sweet Baby Ray’s
- Fresh parsley – minced, for garnish (optional)
How to Make Country Style Beef Ribs
This cut of meat starts out tough, but becomes fall-apart tender when you braise it.
There are a few different braising methods you can use. The general steps are the same for all of them:
- Sear the meat.
- Simmer the meat with liquid (i.e., braise it).
- Broil or grill the meat to caramelize the outside.
Electric Pressure Cooker Method (Instant Pot)
Step 1: Cook in the Instant Pot Until Tender
- Season both sides of the ribs with BBQ seasoning.
- Press the “Sauté” function on the Instant Pot and wait for it to heat up. Add the oil; once hot, add the boneless ribs (you may need to do this in 2 batches depending on the size of your Instant Pot). Sear on both sides, about 2 to 3 minutes per side.
- Add the beef stock and BBQ sauce. Press “Cancel” to stop the “Sauté” function.
- Cover the Instant Pot, making sure the lid is set to “Sealing”, and cook on “Manual, High Pressure” for 45 minutes. Once it’s done cooking, let it do a natural pressure release for 15 minutes. After that, carefully release the pressure and then open the pot.
Step 2: Broil to Caramelize the Outside
- Use tongs to transfer the ribs to a baking tray lined with foil.
- Broil for a couple minutes until browned on both sides. (Stay with it, this can happen fast.) Or if you prefer, grill a few minutes to brown instead of broiling.
Slow Cooker Method
To make country style ribs in a Crockpot:
- Season the meat.
- Optional Sear: Heat oil in a large heavy-bottomed skillet over high heat. Add the meat and sear on both sides (about 2 to 3 minutes per side).
- Add the meat and liquid to a slow cooker and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours or on HIGH for 4 to 6 hours.
- Optional Caramelization: Transfer the ribs to a foil-lined baking tray and broil a couple minutes to caramelize the outside.
Oven Method
To make country style ribs in the oven:
- Season the meat. Preheat the oven to 300F.
- Heat oil in a Dutch oven over high heat. Add the meat and sear on both sides (about 2 to 3 minutes per side).
- Add the liquid to the Dutch oven. Cover the Dutch oven and cook at 300F until the ribs are tender, about 3 hours.
- Optional Caramelization: Transfer the ribs to a foil-lined baking tray and broil a couple minutes to caramelize the outside.
Storage and Reheating
Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 4 days.
It’s best to reheat country style ribs similarly to how you’d reheat other types of ribs. I like to reheat them with wet heat so they stay tender and moist.
Avoid the microwave, which will make your ribs rubbery and tough!
To reheat ribs on the stovetop:
- Put the ribs into a heavy-bottomed skillet (such as cast-iron) along with a splash of water. I add enough water to just barely cover the bottom of the skillet.
- Cover the skillet and cook the ribs over medium-low heat until they’re warm on both sides and the water is evaporated, about 10 minutes. (You can uncover the skillet during the last couple minutes if the ribs are warm and the water hasn’t evaporated yet.)
For the oven method of reheating ribs:
- Put the ribs in an oven-safe dish, add a splash of water (we do not need enough water to cover the bottom with this method).
- Cover the dish with foil, and put the dish into a preheated 300F oven until warm throughout, about 20 to 30 minutes.
- If you want to caramelize the outside once they’re reheated, you can briefly broil or grill the ribs.
Variations
If you’re wondering how to make boneless country style ribs without barbecue sauce (or BBQ dry rub), you have a few options! All of these variations are delicious; make whichever suits your personal preference.
- Italian – Omit the BBQ seasoning and add 1/2 tablespoon dried Italian herb seasoning and 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt. Omit the BBQ sauce and add 1/2 cup marinara sauce. Garnish with fresh basil.
- Chinese – Omit the BBQ seasoning and add 1/2 tablespoon Chinese five spice powder and 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt. Omit the BBQ sauce and add 1/2 cup hoisin sauce. Garnish with sliced scallion.
- French – Omit the BBQ seasoning and add 1/2 tablespoon Herbs de Provence and 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt. Omit the BBQ sauce and add 1/3 cup red wine and 2 tablespoons tomato paste. Garnish with fresh thyme.
- Middle Eastern – Omit the BBQ seasoning and add 1/2 tablespoon Middle Eastern 7 spice mix. If your mix doesn’t have salt, add 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt. Omit the BBQ sauce and add 1/4 cup pomegranate molasses. Increase the water to 1 cup.
Country Ribs FAQs
What Kind of Meat is Country Style Ribs?
Country style ribs are frequently pork, but you can also find country style beef ribs.
What Cut of Meat is Country Style Ribs?
Country style pork ribs come from the butt area of a pig where the loin meets the shoulder.
And country style beef ribs are from the chuck area of a cow where the shoulder blade meets the loin.
This cut is known for having a good mixture of lean loin meat and rich shoulder meat.
How Do You Make Tender Country Style Ribs?
This is typically a tougher cut of meat, so it does well with braising.
Braising is a cooking method that uses a combination of dry and wet heat. First, the meat is quickly seared at a high temperature. After that, the meat is simmered with liquid in a covered pot for a longer period.
With country style ribs, you can take it one step further. Once the ribs are tender, you can briefly broil or grill them to get a little char or caramelization on the outside.
Are Country Style Ribs Cheap?
Country style ribs are typically a budget-friendly cut of meat. They are a lot more affordable than regular ribs! And when you cook them properly, they’re every bit as delicious and tender as more expensive cuts.
More Beef Dinners to Make
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Instant Pot Country Style Beef Ribs Recipe
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 pounds country style beef ribs it doesn’t have to be exactly 1 3/4 pounds; up to 2 pounds is fine
- 1 1/2 tablespoons BBQ seasoning
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3/4 cup beef stock or water
- 1/2 cup BBQ sauce
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh parsley for garnish (optional)
Optional Serving Suggestions:
- Mashed potatoes
- Green vegetable such as broccoli or green beans
Instructions
- Season both sides of the ribs with BBQ seasoning.
- Press the “Sauté” function on the Instant Pot and wait for it to heat up. Add the oil; once hot, add the boneless ribs (you may need to do this in 2 batches depending on the size of your Instant Pot). Sear on both sides, about 2 to 3 minutes per side.
- Add the beef stock and BBQ sauce. Press “Cancel” to stop the “Sauté” function.
- Cover the Instant Pot, making sure the lid is set to “Sealing”, and cook on “Manual, High Pressure” for 45 minutes.
- Once it’s done cooking, let it do a natural pressure release for 15 minutes. After that, carefully release the pressure and then open the pot.
- Use tongs to transfer the boneless ribs to a baking tray lined with foil. Broil for a couple minutes until browned on both sides. (Stay with it, this can happen fast.) Or if you prefer, grill a few minutes to brown instead of broiling.
- Serve the ribs along with the cooking liquid for drizzling on top.
Notes
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Nutritional Information: The nutrition information for this recipe was calculated without the optional serving suggestions.
- Low Carb/Keto Version: When you make the BBQ seasoning, omit the brown sugar and use an allulose/monkfruit blend. Instead of regular BBQ sauce, use keto-friendly no-sugar-added BBQ sauce.
- Season the meat.
- Optional Sear: Heat oil in a large heavy-bottomed skillet over high heat. Add the meat and sear on both sides (about 2 to 3 minutes per side).
- Add the meat and liquid to a slow cooker and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours or on HIGH for 4 to 6 hours.
- Optional Caramelization: Transfer the ribs to a foil-lined baking tray and broil a couple minutes to caramelize the outside.
- Season the meat. Preheat the oven to 300F.
- Heat oil in a Dutch oven over high heat. Add the meat and sear on both sides (about 2 to 3 minutes per side).
- Add the liquid to the Dutch oven. Cover the Dutch oven and cook at 300F until the ribs are tender, about 3 hours.
- Optional Caramelization: Transfer the ribs to a foil-lined baking tray and broil a couple minutes to caramelize the outside.
- Put the ribs into a heavy-bottomed skillet (such as cast-iron) along with a splash of water. I add enough water to just barely cover the bottom of the skillet.
- Cover the skillet and cook the ribs over medium-low heat until they’re warm on both sides and the water is evaporated, about 10 minutes. (You can uncover the skillet during the last couple minutes if the ribs are warm and the water hasn’t evaporated yet.)
- Put the ribs in an oven-safe dish, add a splash of water (we do not need enough water to cover the bottom with this method).
- Cover the dish with foil, and put the dish into a preheated 300F oven until warm throughout, about 20 to 30 minutes.
- If you want to caramelize the outside once they’re reheated, you can briefly broil or grill the ribs.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximate.
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I’m the writer, recipe developer, photographer, and food stylist behind this blog. I love finding the human connection through something we all do every day: eat! Food is a common ground that we can all relate to, and our tables tell a story. It’s my goal to inspire you to get in the kitchen, try something new, and find a favorite you didn’t know you had.
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