Tender country style pork ribs are braised in a savory-sweet hoisin and ginger ale sauce. Most of the cooking time is hands-off, which makes this such a simple meal to make.
If three delectable food choices - let's say chocolate cake, a bowl of ice cream, and anything with soy or hoisin sauce - were set in front of me, I would choose the salty, savory one every day of the week and twice on Sunday.
We go through so much soy sauce in our house that Kikkoman is bound to be pounding on our door any day with a "Biggest Fan" sign and a year's worth of the salty elixir. The last time I cooked these meaty (and cheap!) boneless ribs in my Crockpot Braised Country Style Ribs with Tomato & Red Wine Sauce, I managed to resist dousing them in soy sauce. This time, I figured it was time to stop fighting the inevitable.
After searing the ribs to a caramel golden brown, I braised them in a mixture of soy sauce, chicken broth, hoisin sauce, and ginger ale. That's right - ginger ale. It's sweet, slightly spicy flavor added a real zing to the braising liquid that tempered the saltiness of the soy sauce.
As I came in from outside, the heady aroma seeped through every pore of my body and filled my senses with anticipation.
Was it worth the wait?
Was it ever! There was not a morsel of these ribs or sauce left in the pot by the time we were done with dinner. As the sauce soaked into the brown rice that we served it over, there was not a single complaint from my kids about finishing their portion of rice. Even though this dish requires two hours of cooking, it is inactive time. The preparation time is limited and the whole process could not be easier.
If you prefer, cook the ribs up to two days in advance of eating them. Simply refrigerate the cooked ribs in the sauce. When you're ready to serve, reheat the mixture on the stovetop and then reduce the sauce. Do the cooking on the weekend and have a hearty meal ready for a busy weeknight in a flash.
How to make braised country style pork ribs:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Season 2 pounds country-style, boneless pork ribs with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.
Heat 2 tablespoons canola oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Brown the pork, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove the pork to a plate and set aside.
Turn the heat to medium and remove all but 1 teaspoon of the oil.
Add 2 tablespoons minced, peeled fresh ginger and 2 minced cloves of garlic. Sauté for 30 seconds. Add 1 cup good-quality ginger ale, ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth, 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce, and 2 teaspoons soy sauce. Stir with a whisk until the hoisin sauce dissolves. Add the pork ribs to the pan and turn to coat.
Cover the pan tightly with foil and cook in the oven until the meat is very tender, turning occasionally, about 2 hours.
Lower the oven heat to 200 degrees F. Remove the ribs from the braising liquid, place in an oven-proof dish, and keep warm in the oven.
Skim fat off the surface of the liquid. Set the saucepan with the braising liquid over medium heat and boil until the sauce reduces by half. In a small bowl, stir together 1 teaspoon arrowroot or cornstarch and 2 teaspoons water. Whisk into the sacue and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
With two forks, shred the pork into bite-sized pieces and stir into the sauce. Serve over rice. Garnish with sliced green onions.
Braised Country-Style Pork Ribs in Hoisin Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 pounds country-style (boneless) pork ribs
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ teaspoon ground pepper
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil or canola oil
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 cup ginger ale preferably a good-quality one
- ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoons arrowroot powder or cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- Season pork ribs with kosher salt and black pepper. Heat canola oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Brown the pork, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove the pork to a plate and set aside.
- Turn the heat to medium and remove all but 1 teaspoon of the oil. Add chopped ginger and garlic. Sauté for 30 seconds.
- Add ginger ale, chicken broth, hoisin sauce, and soy sauce. Stir with a whisk until the hoisin sauce dissolves. Add the pork ribs to the pan and turn to coat.
- Cover the pan tightly with foil and cook in the oven until the meat is very tender, turning occasionally, about 2 hours.
- Lower the oven heat to 200 degrees F. Remove the ribs from the braising liquid, place in an oven-proof dish, and keep warm in the oven.
- Skim the fat off the surface of the liquid. Set the saucepan with the braising liquid over medium heat and boil until the sauce reduces by half.
- In a small bowl, stir together arrowroot or cornstarch and water. Whisk into the sauce and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
- With two forks, shred the pork into bite-sized pieces and stir into the sauce. Serve over rice. Garnish with sliced green onions.
Make-ahead:
- Once the ribs are cooked, remove the foil and let cool completely. Cover the saucepan and store in the fridge for up to two days.
- When ready to use, uncover and skim off the fat. Reheat the ribs over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Remove the ribs from the pan, keep warm, and follow the directions above for finishing the sauce.
Notes
Nutrition
Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Liz
Love this recipe. Thanks Dara
forepaughs
Made these last night for the first time. Truly superb recipe! Really. So good I had to come back to post a THANK YOU to our hostess. We will have this entree as a regular repeat.
Excellent with Collard Greens (w/garlic, onion, bacon, kalamata olives, S&P and smoked paprika). For the rice haters: microwave a butternut squash.
Jordan
Great recipe! I wanted to let you know I featured you here http://www.recipechatter.com/recipes-using-soda
Have a great day!
Jo Lynn
I made this dish in my crock pot and it was delicious! I started by searing bone-in ribs in the skillet, then (after removing the ribs) sauteing the garlic and ginger and mixing in the liquid ingredients. I put everything in the crock pot and cooked on low for 7 hours. The meat fell off the bone and was easy to pull apart. Both my husband and I thought this was a winner!
Chris @ TheKeenanCookbook
I made this on Monday while Rachel was at work and I was watching Baby Boy. This recipe is so simple and easy to make I was easily able to get it in the oven before Baby Boy woke from his nap.
It was delicious! Easily our new favorite. I already plan on making it again next week.
Featuring this recipe on Taste Test Thursday. Too good not to share. Great recipe Dara! 🙂
Alex
Anyone know how to change this so it works in the slow cooker?
marla {family fresh cooking}
What a creative use of ginger ale. I love boneless pork ribs....such a simple preparation & wonderful results. My kids would love that saucy rice too! xo
How To: Simplify
Wow, these look delicious! I love ribs so I'll have to make this recipe soon!
Cinda
Pork Ribs and Ginger Ale ....that's inspiring and so innovative!!
Chef E
I was going to make a pork roast today, and since hubby was not feeling good I have a ginger ale in the fridge, so I am going to make this...I may still have hoisen sauce too!
Funny how a friend and I were talking about using coke in the day to cook things, and its been years!
Girl Foodie
It's when you see/cook dishes like this that you wonder how ANYONE can claim not to like pork.
The use of ginger ale is inspired too.
We don't really have "Country Style Ribs" here in the UK, I'm thinking it would work well with shoulder (butt) though.
Yummy, thanks!
Megan
Yes please! I'll take a platter!
Jamie
Oooh you are right about the choice between sweet and salty-sweet like your ribs. I think I would choose these, too. Fabulous marinade and I'll bet it would work with so many things! Love it!
Barbara @ Modern Comfort Food
I'm a big fan of these leaner, country-style pork ribs, and this is such a deliciously innovative way to make them. A GREAT combination of flavors and ingredients you've used here that I'm looking forward to trying!
bunkycooks
What a great way to use this cut of pork! The sauce sounds delicious.
Brisbane Baker
I love hoisin! Great dish 🙂
http://www.brisbanebaker.blogspot.com