It happened again. I went to my neighborhood grocery yesterday for milk, coffee, and anything else we might need for the next three days. (It’s Coldmageddon 2026 on the Gulf Coast as I write this.) I had to walk past the meat case on my way to the checkout. And there it was: a family pack of beautiful country-style pork ribs on big sale. If that’s not a sign from the Universe, I don’t know what is. Into the buggy they went.
I got the pork home with no plan except staying in the house until the outdoor temperature was normal again. This morning I started looking around my kitchen for inspiration. I remembered a bottle of apple cider in the pantry. This utterly delicious recipe is the result. Don’t be put off by the long ingredient list. Most of it is simply seasoning.
You should know that country-style ribs, or boneless ribs, aren’t ribs at all. They are usually cut from the pork shoulder. Cooked properly, pork shoulder is flavorful and succulent. Otherwise it will be tough and maybe even dry. Many people put pork in the slow cooker–and sometimes I do, too–but with tougher cuts of pork I sometimes find the slow cooker inadequate. A butcher told me years ago that pork with lots of connective tissue like the shoulder needed to hit 300°–and stay there for a while–to get tender. The average top temperature most slow cookers achieve is about 280°. The interior temperature of the meat can lag significantly behind that. I love the slow cooker for tenderloin and baby back ribs. For tougher pork cuts without significantly tenderizing added ingredients, your oven is a better bet. (For a very tender pork roast in the slow cooker, see Caribbean Pulled Pork.)
You’ll want to use a cooking vessel with a lid that can go from oven to stovetop if at all possible. After the pork cooks in the oven, you’ll have lots of very flavorful stuff stuck to the button of your pot. In order to capture all that deliciousness, you need to make the gravy in the same pot you cooked the pork in. I used a large enameled cast iron Dutch oven. It was ideal. If you have to use a pot or skillet with no lid, cover the pot tightly with aluminum foil. Don’t neglect to uncover the ribs for the last 30 minutes. That’s what develops the delicious bark.
No apple cider? No problem! Simply substitute with regular apple juice and add a splash of vinegar.
You’ll want mashed potatoes and something green to round it out.
Yum!
Boneless Pork Ribs with Cider and Onion Gravy
Equipment
- large Dutch oven, metal roasting pan, or large cast iron skillet
- sturdy whisk
Ingredients
- 1 large or two small onions, thinly sliced
- 4 lbs. country-style boneless pork ribs
- 3 T. Dijon mustard
- 1 T. salt
- 1 t. pepper
- 1 t. dried thyme
- 1 t. powdered ginger
- ½ t. garlic powder
- 4 T. pan drippings including onions
- 4 T. flour
- 1 ½ cups apple cider
- 1 cup chicken broth
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Separate the onion slices into rings and spread over the bottom of the Dutch oven or other oven-safe pan or large skillet. Add the ribs--fat side up--in a single layer, more or less.
- In a small bowl stir together the next six ingredients (Dijon through garlic powder). Spread the mixture evenly over the ribs. Cover. If using a roasting pan or skillet, cover tightly with foil.) Bake for 2 hours. Uncover and continue to bake for another 30 minutes. Let the ribs rest in the pot for 5 minutes or so.
- When the ribs have rested, carefully remove to a platter. Remove all but 4 T. of drippings from the pot/pan, leaving as many of the onions as possible. Over medium low heat whisk flour into the drippings. Cook, stirring constantly for a couple of minutes. Add in ⅓ of the cider. Stir constantly working to scrape up any browned bits, continue with the rest of the cider. Whisk in the chicken broth and vinegar. Bring to a boil and turn the heat to low. Continue to cook for a few minutes until the gravy is the consistency you prefer. Taste for salt and pepper, adjusting if necessary.
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