Boneless beef ribs are one of the most underrated cuts on the grill. They’re budget-friendly, seriously meaty, and turn fall-apart tender with a low and slow cook. This is one of the first rib recipes I ever created, long before I considered myself a pitmaster, and it’s still one I come back to when I want big beefy flavor without buying a whole brisket.
Boneless beef ribs are not the same as short ribs, even though the names get mixed up constantly online. If you’re after a rack of bone-in short ribs, you’re in the wrong place. But if you want a meaty, marinated cut that won’t break the bank, keep reading.
As a competition pitmaster, I’ve tested this marinade and cook method across gas grills, charcoal kettles, pellet grills and even the oven, so you can make it no matter what’s in your backyard.
GCG Pro Tip: Came here looking for a full rack of bone-in short ribs? Try my smoked beef short ribs or grilled kalbi instead. Want the giant dino bones? Go for my beef plate short ribs.
At a Glance
- Cut: Boneless beef ribs, also called country style beef ribs or beef shoulder ribs
- Marinade time: At least 4 hours, up to overnight
- Total cook time: About 2.5 hours
- Doneness: 200F degrees to 205F degrees internal
Note: These are not short ribs. Grocery stores label this cut a few different ways, so check the shopping section below before you buy.
Table of Contents
What Are Boneless Beef Ribs?
Before you fire up the grill, it helps to know there are several different cuts that get called beef ribs. There are beef back ribs, which come on a full rack and are pretty flat with less meat. Then there are the dino bones, or beef plate short ribs, which are massive and usually come 3-4 bones to a rack.
You’ll also find short ribs that are English cut or flanken cut, the kind commonly used for Korean kalbi. So many options, I know. Read my tutorial on beef ribs to understand the varieties.
This recipe is for boneless beef ribs, sometimes labeled country style beef ribs or beef shoulder ribs at the grocery store. They aren’t cut from the rib primal at all. Instead, these rib-shaped strips come from the chuck, or shoulder, of the cow, which is why you’ll often see them sold as country style ribs.
If a recipe calls for boneless short ribs, that’s a different cut, typically the boneless version of English cut short ribs. This recipe uses chuck-cut country style ribs, not short ribs. If you’re after a short rib recipe, head to my smoked beef short ribs instead.
I grew up eating boneless beef ribs. They’re a great alternative to the other cuts I mentioned above, since they tend to cost less but are still just as meaty and flavorful.
My mom prepared beef ribs in a slow cooker. They always turned out tender and juicy, but they lacked the smokey flavor you get from grilling. This recipe makes up for that.
Grilled Tender Juicy Boneless Beef Ribs
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup beef broth
- 2 tbsp Tabasco sauce
- 3 tbsp honey
- 3 lbs boneless beef ribs
Instructions
- Marinate: In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, vinegar, broth, Tabasco sauce and honey. Place the ribs in a zip-top bag. Pour the marinade inside and rub to coat. Seal the bag and let marinate at least 4 hours.
- Sear: Heat the grill to high. Place the ribs on direct heat and sear on each side for five minutes. Discard the extra marinade.
- Cook over indirect heat: Move the ribs to indirect heat (For a gas grill, turn the heat off on one side and move the ribs to that side. For a charcoal grill, push the coals to one side and move the ribs to the side with no coals.). Close the lid and grill for 30 minutes.
- Braise: Wrap the ribs in foil and continue grilling for 2 hours. The internal temperature of the grill should be kept at 275 degrees.
- Serve: Open the foil pouch and place the ribs on a platter. Pour the broth from the foil pouch over the ribs and serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What You’ll Need
- Boneless Beef Ribs: Look for these labeled boneless beef ribs, country style beef ribs or beef shoulder ribs at the butcher counter.
- Soy Sauce: Adds umami and beefiness rather than an Asian flavor profile.
- Red Wine Vinegar: Helps tenderize the meat as it marinates.
- Beef Broth or Beef Stock: Rounds out the marinade with extra beefy depth.
- Hot Sauce: I use Tabasco. Adjust the amount up or down based on your heat preference.
- Honey: Balances the salty, tangy marinade and helps the ribs caramelize on the grill.
Substitutions: No red wine vinegar? Apple cider vinegar works too. Out of beef broth, low-sodium chicken broth is a fine swap in a pinch.
See the full recipe card above for a complete list of ingredients.
How to Cook Boneless Beef Ribs
Once the ribs have marinated, set your grill or smoker up with a direct heat zone and an indirect heat zone. Here’s how the cook breaks down.
Step 1: Marinate the Ribs
Combine the soy sauce, red wine vinegar, beef broth, hot sauce and honey in a zip-top bag. Add the ribs, seal the bag and massage the marinade into the meat. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours. You can marinate overnight for deeper flavor, but don’t go past 24 hours or the vinegar can start to break down the texture of the meat.
Step 2: Sear Over Direct Heat
Heat the direct side of your grill to 375-400F degrees. Grill the ribs over direct heat for about 5 minutes per side to build a good char. The honey in the marinade caramelizes fast, so keep an eye on them.
Step 3: Move to Indirect Heat
Move the ribs to the indirect side of the grill and cook at 275F degrees for 30 minutes.
GCG Pro Tip: Cooking on a gas grill and want a smokier flavor? Add wood pellets to a smoke box or make a wood chip foil pouch. They'll still be great without the added smoke, too.
Step 4: Wrap and Braise
Wrap the ribs tightly in foil and continue cooking over indirect heat for about 2 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 200-205F degrees. This is essentially the slow cooker stage of the cook, when the collagen breaks down and turns the meat tender and juicy. Don’t skip this step, or the ribs will come out dry. You can also finish this step in the oven, since you’re really just braising the meat at this point.
When you unwrap the foil, the boneless beef ribs will be soft, and you’ll be left with natural juices you can pour over each serving.
Cooking Boneless Beef Ribs on Different Types of Grills
Gas Grill
Turn one burner on high and keep the other burners off. Grill the ribs for 5 minutes per side over the burner that’s on. Move the meat to the side that is turned off and grill for 30 more minutes (with a smoke pouch). Wrap in foil and continue cooking for 2 hours over the indirect heat.
Kettle Grill
Add charcoal to one half of the grill. Grill the ribs for 5 minutes per side over the hot coals. Move the meat to the side without coals and grill for 30 more minutes (you can add wood chunks for added flavor). Wrap in foil and continue cooking for 2 hours over the indirect heat.
Ceramic Cooker
Add charcoal to the grill and place the diffuser plate on top. Heat the grill to 375F degrees to 400F degrees. Grill the ribs for 5 minutes per side. Adjust the vents and reduce the heat to 275F degrees. Grill for 30 more minutes. Wrap in foil and continue cooking for 2 hours.
Pellet Grill
Set the grill temp to 400F degrees. Grill the ribs for 5 minutes per side. Reduce the temperature to 275F degrees and grill for 30 more minutes. Wrap in foil and continue cooking for 2 hours.
Oven
Heat the oven to 400F degrees. Place the ribs on a foil-lined sheet pan and cook for 10 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 275F degrees. Continue cooking for 30 minutes. Wrap the ribs with foil (use a new sheet of foil if the current sheet has too much cooked-on residue). Cook for 2 more hours.
With all of the above methods, you’ll know the boneless beef ribs are done when they reach an internal temperature of 200-205F degrees.
How to Serve Boneless Beef Ribs
Slice the ribs and serve them over cheesy grits or mashed potatoes for a hearty plate, or chop them up for beef rib tacos with pickled onions. They also make a great filling for a beef rib sandwich on a toasted bun, or serve them alongside grilled corn and a simple slaw for a full backyard spread.
Storage
Store leftover boneless beef ribs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 6 months. Reheat gently in a covered pan with a splash of the reserved juices so they don’t dry out.
Chopped leftovers are great tossed into fried rice, folded into quesadillas, or piled onto a beef rib grilled cheese.
GCG Pro Pitmaster Tips
- Watch the honey, it burns fast
- Don’t skip the foil braise or they’ll dry out
- Save the foil juices for serving
Frequently Asked Questions
Marinate the ribs for at least 4 hours, sear them over direct heat for 5 minutes per side, move them to indirect heat at 275F degrees for 30 minutes, then wrap in foil and cook another 2 hours until the internal temperature reaches 200-205F degrees.
No. Boneless beef ribs are cut from the chuck, or shoulder, while short ribs come from the rib or plate. If you’re looking for a short rib recipe, try my smoked beef short ribs or grilled kalbi instead.
You’ll often see this cut labeled country style beef ribs or beef shoulder ribs at the grocery store. They’re all the same cut.
Yes. Four hours is the minimum, and overnight gives you deeper flavor. Just don’t go past 24 hours, since the vinegar in the marinade can start to break down the texture of the meat.
It depends on the texture you want. Pulled around 130F degrees, they eat more like a steak, firm with a slight chew. Cooked through the foil braise to 200-205F degrees, the collagen breaks down and they turn fall-apart tender, which is how this recipe is written.
This usually happens when the foil braise step gets skipped. That covered, indirect stage is what breaks down the collagen and keeps the ribs juicy, so don’t rush past it.
Cheesy grits, mashed potatoes, grilled corn and slaw are all good pairings. You can also chop the meat for tacos or pile it onto a toasted bun for a sandwich.
More Ribs Recipes
- Smoked Beef Back Ribs
- Smoked Beef Short Ribs
- Grilled Kalbi Korean Short Ribs
- Hickory Smoked Country Style Pork Ribs
I followed this recipe exactly and the meal was absolutely delicious
wish I knew how to translate the recipe for beef ribs to use on my Ninja Woodfire Grill. I am too new to have the ability to make that possible.
Hi Judy. This method should work for the Ninja Grill.
Set the function to grill and the temp to high.
After marinating, grill the ribs for 5 minutes per side.
Remove the ribs from the grill. Change the function to smoker and the temperature to 275F.
Place the ribs in the grill unwrapped for 30 minutes.
Then, wrap them in foil and continue cooking until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 200-205F degrees.
You do not see boneless beef ribs in the store, what cut of meat do you use?
You can buy a chuck roast and cut it into strips.
Hi, I got Beef Cut Short Rib Bone, sliced. The package looks like thick bacon. Can I use the BBQ oven recipe?
Yes. But it won’t take that long to cook them. This is the recipe I use for that type of ribs: https://girlscangrill.com/recipe/grilled-kalbi-korean-short-ribs/.
Hi Christie,
I am going to cook boneless beef short ribs for the first time on the grill. I’ve seen recipe, from American Test Kitchen, that says to only grill to 130F. I guess this temperature is for like a steak like texture and your recipe calls for 205F is for more of pot roast falling off the bone texture? Other recipe says if yo go above 130F the boneless short ribs will start to become dry?
Thanks,
Thomas
It really depends on what kind of result you’re looking for. Boneless short ribs are usually cut from the chuck. The chuck can also be cut into steaks. So if you want a rib that eats more like a steak, cook it to 130F. But if you want it to eat more like a fall-off-the-bone tender rib, cook it longer, but be sure to braise it with liquid so it doesn’t dry out.
Turned out pretty dry think I would skip he 30 min on grill before the foil
Guy learning from Girls to grill! ;) Looks so yummy!! I didn’t have honey so I’m trying sweet chill sauce instead in the marinade.
Let’s see how this works out.
Sounds like a fun twist.
what sides did you go with this? I’m thinking putting it over rice?
It’s great with rice or mashed potatoes.
Do you have a recipe for boneless short ribs on the Ninja Woodfire Grill? I just bought one & need to try it on boneless ribs.
Hello Christie – I’m ashamed to admit that here at the old folks’ home, we aren’t allowed to have a grill. Just making sure I have all the steps right for oven (BOO) cooking – Marinate for max 8 hrs, sear the chuck ribs in a skillet, Oven to 400 deg, 10 min on foil lined sheet pan. Lower temp to 275 and cook 30 min more. Wrap rips in new foil and cook @275 for 2 hrs – internal temp 200-205…yes? I was disappointed when I picked my order up – thought I’d ordered short ribs, but got beef boneless chuck country style ribs *gasp*…but these sound amazing! Can’t wait to try them…thanks for a great recipe!
Yes. That method should work great in the oven. Enjoy.
Can I marinade overnight
Sure. It would be nice and tender if marinated overnight.
Can I marinate them for 24 hours would that be ok??
Technically yes, but you run the risk of over tenderizing the meat.