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
This is how I always make my Beef Finger Ribs. They turn out great every time. Sometimes I get lazy and use a generic marinade in a bag (with an extra shot of bourbon). However, still the same procedure, marinade, grill over direct heat, indirect heat, finish wrapped in foil. Perfect every time. 5 Stars
This was my first attempt at making beef ribs on a grill, it turned out great! I followed the cooking instructions to a tee and it was perfect. I added mustard powder and garlic powder to the marinade and let it sit over night.
This sounds great!! However, we are suppose to get bad storms this week. Was wondering if I did this in the crockpot would I keep the recipe the same??
It should work, but you’ll probably need to strain the grease off the top.
Hi! I just read your reply😄
I came back to this recipe because even though they were bone in they turned out great.
I’m making them again… This time I used balsamic mixed with regular vinegar and added a large garlic clove to the marinade. I also am skipping the foil and transferring to my cast iron pan with a lid. The foil is a PITA, IMO.
Once in the foil, do u place them back on the indirect side?
Yes
Hello ! I am going to try your recipe however my ribs are bone in any tips or changes you’d recommend?
It depends on if you’re cooking back ribs or short ribs. Here’s a recipe for bone-in short ribs https://girlscangrill.com/recipe/smoked-beef-short-ribs/
Im a guy but new at grilling anything but burgers and hotdogs lol. Marinated 6 beef boneless ribs over night with a dry rub, got grill hot 600° and cleaned and oiled grating. Cooked each side of ribs for about 2.5 min over high with lid open to get marks, moved over to indirect heat and put some bbq on top and closed lid and set to 275°, i rotated every 5 min and added bbq till all sides were covered, after 30 min i wraped up and grilled for 2 hours with my grill temp saying about 300° but a probe laying on foil saying about 275°. I think they were the best ribs i ever had. Thanks
I have a grill that is round with one circular burner. How do I get an indirect heat from this type of grill?
When you say circular burner, does it actually have a burner or a circular grate with coals underneath?
Well Ms. Christie, I am attempting this (your recipe) for the first time.. I’m at the hot grill stage now.. about to foil.. so I’ll repost after end result .. smelling great … I can’t wait 😋
I hope it turned out great.
Hi, I use an old parks department open grill, what would change not having it covered with a lid?
Yes. For this recipe, you really need to be able to cover it to lock in the heat and create an oven-type environment.
I made these last night and they were fantastic! I started them on the grill and then finished them in the oven for the last 2 hours. My family loved them as well. This recipe is definitely a keeper!
What temp did you put your oven on?
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.
We have made these about 5 times now! Each time we followed the recipe exactly as written. They have an amazing taste & very, very tender!!! The key is to follow the directions & you will have a great outcome each time!!! This, as leftovers, is really good!!!
Yes!! The leftovers are even as amazing as fresh off the grill!! My husband and i try to beat each other to the leftovers the next day :-)
i made these tonight and holy wow! i am officially a girl that can GRILL! I used a small charcoal weber grill on my stoop and played around with the vents so it wouldn’t overheat. They came out so juicy and just fell apart with the fork!
in the marinade i also added a tad of brown sugar and garlic powder. Thank you for giving me my first grilling recipe behind my usual hot dogs and burgers. My husband was blown away at what i grilled all by myself and I’m so proud tonight!This recipe is a must try. Yes, girls can grill! :)
Way to go, Melissa! Sounds like you rocked it.
Thank you Christie!! I actually have them marinading in my fridge now AGAIN! These have become our weekly summer grilling staple :-) The natural juices that it creates is amazing. Im looking forward to torturing the neighborhood again later when I put these on the stoop grill!!! Also for anyone interested, Aldi sells country style beef ribs that rock and they are only about $8/pound.
Is there anything else I could use if I don’t have red wine vinegar?
You could use apple cider vinegar.
Prefect, just perfect! Was a bit worrying as I used Russian style mangal so controlling exact internal temperature was a challenge, however all went just fine.
Can any herbs or spices be added to the marinade?
Absolutely.
We have used this recipe several times & it turns out great each time!!! You just can’t get in a hurry!
Is it possible to use the oven for the 2 hour step? I’d hate to run out of gas in the middle of cooking them.
Yes. You could absolutely do that.