Country-style pork ribs, despite their name, are actually cut from the pork shoulder, making them a meaty and flavorful option for a variety of cooking methods. This article explores how to create tender, delicious keto-friendly country-style pork ribs using a slow cooker, Instant Pot, or even a traditional oven or grill.
Why Country Style Ribs?
Boneless country style ribs are well-marbled, consisting of a combination of lean meat and fat. This makes them flavorful and juicy when cooked using low and slow methods. They are a popular choice for grilling, baking, slow-cooking, or barbecuing.
Slow Cooker Keto Country Style Ribs
The slow cooker is an excellent tool for achieving fall-off-the-bone tenderness with minimal effort.
Ingredients:
- Boneless Country Style Pork Ribs
- Seasoning Salt Blend (Kinder’s The Blend or Buttery Steakhouse Rub recommended, ensure it's gluten-free)
- Vegetable or Chicken Broth
- Optional: Vegetables like baby yellow potatoes, carrots, and onion (adds flavor and texture)
Instructions:
- Season the ribs on all sides with the seasoning salt blend. You can sear the ribs for 2-3 minutes per side in a tablespoon of oil in a large skillet on high heat for added flavor.
- To an 8-quart Crockpot, add half of the broth and then the ribs.
- Add potatoes, carrots, and onion on top.
- Pour on the remaining broth and season the vegetables with the seasoning salt blend.
- Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours. Cooking on low is recommended for ultimate tenderness, but if you need to shorten the cooking time, high works as well. For high heat, cook boneless ribs for approximately 3-4 hours and bone-in ribs for approximately 4-5 hours.
- The ribs are ready once they reach an internal temperature of 190-200°F. At this point, the connective tissue has broken down, and they’ll be super tender.
Optional Gravy:
- Transfer the meat and vegetables to a serving bowl and cover with aluminum foil.
- Skim the crockpot juices of any solids or excess fat.
- Carefully transfer the juices to a small saucepan.
- In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons each of water and cornstarch. Add the mixture into the saucepan.
- Whisking continuously, bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat to simmer for 2-3 minutes.
Instant Pot Keto Country Style Ribs
For a faster cooking time, the Instant Pot is a great option.
Ingredients:
- Country Style Pork Ribs, boneless
- Beef Broth
- Keto Rib Rub (see recipe below)
- Keto BBQ Sauce (see recipe below)
Instructions:
- Add beef broth to the inner pot of the Instant Pot and place the steamer rack (trivet) into the pot.
- In a small bowl, combine the dry rub spices (see recipe below). Stir to blend.
- Place the ribs in a large bowl. Add dry rub and toss to coat ribs in the spice mixture.
- Stack the ribs on top of the steamer rack in the pot.
- Pour half of the barbecue sauce over the ribs and save the remaining half of the sauce for brushing on the ribs after cooking.
- Close & lock the Instant Pot lid and flip the steam release handle to the Sealing position. Select Pressure Cook (Manual) on High Pressure and set the cooking time for 30 to 35 minutes.
- Once cook time is complete, let the pressure release Naturally (press cancel and leave the pot alone for about 20 minutes or until the pin on the lid drops).
- Open the lid and carefully lift out the trivet & ribs.
Keto Rib Rub Recipe:
- Sea Salt
- Black Pepper
- Smoked Paprika
- Onion Powder
- Garlic Powder
- Cumin
- Cayenne Pepper (optional)
Keto BBQ Sauce Recipe:
- Butter
- Tomato Sauce
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Liquid Smoke
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Molasses (use sparingly for flavor, or omit for stricter keto)
- Erythritol Sweetener (or other keto-friendly sweetener)
- Garlic Powder
- Sea Salt
- Onion Powder
In a small saucepan over medium heat add butter and melt. Add tomato sauce, apple cider vinegar, liquid smoke, Worcestershire sauce, molasses, erythritol sweetener, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon sea salt, and ½ teaspoon onion powder. Stir until blended. Remove from heat and set the barbecue sauce aside.
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Oven or Grill Keto Country Style Ribs
Country style ribs are also delicious prepared in the oven or on the grill.
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (160 degrees C).
- Place ribs in a very large pot. Cover ribs with water and stir in the garlic powder, black pepper, and salt.
- Bring ribs to a gentle simmer. Then, cook for 45 minutes to an hour, or until tender, uncovered.
- Melt together ¼ Cup of butter, non-dairy butter, or ghee and 1 Cup of BBQ Sauce.
- Ensure all the ribs are well coated with the BBQ mixture and cook at 325 degrees covered for 30 minutes.
Tips for Success:
- Membrane Removal: Remove the thin membrane (if it's there) from the back of the rib racks. This can improve the texture of the ribs.
- Searing: Browning the ribs before slow cooking enhances their color, texture, and flavor.
- Internal Temperature: Use a meat thermometer to ensure the ribs are cooked to a safe internal temperature of 145°F (63°C). For fall-off-the-bone tenderness, aim for 190-200°F (88-90°C).
- Sugar-Free BBQ Sauce: Use a sugar-free BBQ sauce to keep the recipe keto-friendly.
- Trimming Fat: If you want to cut back on the fat content, you can trim away some of the fat before cooking.
- Marinating: Allow the ribs to marinate with the dry rub for at least 4 hours (ideally, overnight) for enhanced flavor.
Serving Suggestions
These keto BBQ ribs work well with any of these keto side dishes for BBQ:
- Coleslaw (made with keto-friendly sweetener)
- Collard Greens
- Pickles
Storage
Store leftover ribs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. They can also be frozen for longer storage.
Common Questions
- Does cooking ribs longer make them more tender? Yes, country style ribs benefit from low and slow cooking methods like braising, slow-cooking, or smoking. These methods break down the collagen in the meat, making it tender.
- Can you cook ribs too long in the crockpot? Yes, you can overcook ribs in a crockpot, just as you can with any other cooking method. Slow-cooking ribs for too long can result in meat that’s overly tender, falling apart, or even mushy.
- Should ribs be completely covered in the slow cooker? Country style ribs do not necessarily need to be completely submerged in liquid in the slow cooker. While some liquid is necessary to provide moisture and prevent the ribs from drying out, it’s not essential for the ribs to be fully covered.
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