Boneless Spare Ribs Chinese Recipe: Crispy Yet Tender
Craving something heavy with the perfect combination of crispiness and tenderness? Look no further because I have the boneless spare ribs Chinese recipe for you today. It can be the center of attention in your parties with its rich flavor. Even though these are called spare ribs, they don’t actually have bones.
These spare ribs are made by marinating thick cuts of pork butt with a variety of spices and then baking them in the oven. I will show you the whole process in simple steps and share my secret tips to make the recipe even better. Let’s get going.
Table of Contents
Recipe Overview
Worrying about how long will it take to make the spare ribs? Check the following overview chart to get a clear idea.
| Course: Main | Cuisine: Chinese | Difficulty: Medium | ||
| Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes | ||||
| Serving | Preparation Time | Cooking Time | Calories | |
| 4 persons | 2 hours 10 minutes | 1 hour | 219 kcal | |
Ingredients Needed for the Recipe
Here is the list of ingredients you will need to make these delicious spare ribs.
- Pork: 3 lbs of boneless pork butt
- Oyster Sauce: 1 tbsp
- Soy Sauce: ⅓ cup
- Hoisin Sauce: 1 tbsp
- Roast Red Pork Seasoning: 1 pouch
- Olive Oil: 2 tbsp
- Black Pepper: ½ tsp
- Ah-So Sauce: 1 jar
- Garlic: 2 cloves
- Ginger: 1 tbsp
- Shallots: 2 small pcs
- Green Onion: 2 stalks
- Brown Sugar: ⅓ cup
For the roast red pork seasoning and ah-so sauce, you can choose whatever brand you like.
Boneless Spare Ribs Chinese Recipe: Step-By-Step Instructions
The marination can greatly impact the flavor of the boneless ribs. Read the detailed steps below to get the job done correctly.
Step 1: Cut and Wash the Pork Butt
Cut the boneless pork butt into thick strips. Each piece should be at least ½ an inch thick. Wash the meat thoroughly and pat them dry with paper towels.
Step 2: Prepare the Marinade
Put all the ingredients except for the meat into a blender. Blend them for a few minutes to make a smooth paste.
Step 3: Marinate the Spare Ribs
Take the meat in a bowl and pour the sauce over the meat. Rub the marinade onto the meat so that the pieces are fully covered in the sauce. Marinate the spare ribs for about 2 hours. If you have time, you can marinate the meat for overnight.
You Can Also Try Chinese Ham Recipe
Step 4: Bake the Spare Ribs
Pre-heat the oven to 350℉. Cover the baking tray with a baking sheet. Then, place a rack on the sheet. Add about two cups of water to the tray. Then, line up the spare ribs on the rack. Start baking the meat for 45 minutes.
Step 5: Flip Them and Bake Again
After 45 minutes, pull the tray out and flip the pieces over. Set the oven to 400℉ and bake the meat again for about 8-12 minutes. When the spare ribs have crispy edges, they are ready to enjoy.
You Can Also Try Chicken on a Stick Chinese Recipe
Nutrition Fact of Boneless Spare Ribs Chinese Recipe
Boneless spare ribs have 219 calories in every 100g portion. Below are the nutritional values of the recipe.
- Total Carbohydrates: 0g
- Protein: 29g
- Total Fat: 11g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.5g
- Monounsaturated Fat: 5g
- Total Dietary Fiber: 0g
- Total Sugar: 0g
- Cholesterol: 99mg
- Sodium: 72mg
- Potassium: 490mg
- Calcium: 10mg
- Iron: 1mg
- Phosphorus: 290mg
- Magnesium: 25mg
- Zinc: 2.7mg
- Selenium: 49mcg
- Vitamin D: 0.8mcg
- Vitamin E: 0.3mg
Do’s and Don’ts of the Recipe
These tips can help you make the dish better. Check them out.
Do’s
- Use some flour to wash the spare ribs. It will make the meat cleaner.
- Dry the meat properly so that the marinade sticks to the meat better.
Don’ts
- Don’t put any extra salt in the marinade. The sauces and seasonings already contain enough salt. Otherwise, the spare ribs will be too salty.
- Don’t brush any oil on the spare ribs when you flip them. The oil added during the marination is enough for this recipe.

Boneless Spare Ribs Chinese Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Cut the boneless pork butt into thick strips. Each piece should be at least ½ an inch thick. Wash the meat thoroughly and pat them dry with paper towels.
- Put all the ingredients except for the meat into a blender. Blend them for a few minutes to make a smooth paste.
- Take the meat in a bowl and pour the sauce over the meat. Rub the marinade onto the meat so that the pieces are fully covered in the sauce. Marinate the spare ribs for about 2 hours. If you have time, you can marinate the meat for overnight.
- Pre-heat the oven to 350℉. Cover the baking tray with a baking sheet. Then, place a rack on the sheet. Add about two cups of water to the tray. Then, line up the spare ribs on the rack. Start baking the meat for 45 minutes.
- After 45 minutes, pull the tray out and flip the pieces over. Set the oven to 400℉ and bake the meat again for about 8-12 minutes. When the spare ribs have crispy edges, they are ready to enjoy.
FAQs
You might have some more questions about the recipe. Here are the answers to the most frequent questions.
Why are Chinese boneless spare ribs red?
Chinese boneless spare ribs turn out red because of the roast red pork seasoning. Also, the caramelization caused by the brown sugar adds some color to the spare ribs.
What’s the ideal marinade time for this Chinese recipe?
The ideal time for marinating the spare ribs is 12 hours. The longer you marinate the spare ribs, the more delicious and tender they become.
Are there any specific cuts of pork that work best for this recipe?
Yes. Boneless pork butts are the best for this recipe. Even though it’s called pork butt, the cut is actually from behind the pork shoulder.
What sides can I serve with this recipe?
Roasted vegetables are excellent for serving with boneless spare ribs. You can make roasted potato or mixed vegetables to serve with this dish.
Conclusion
The marination time can frustrate some of you, especially if you are in a hurry. But if you have the time, I can promise this dish will go beyond your expectations. The baked spare ribs are extremely flavorful with the perfect crunch outside.
Be it a family gathering or a festive season, you can never go wrong with this boneless spare ribs Chinese recipe. Give this a try and enjoy the lusty flavor of boneless spare ribs.