I’m sharing my ridiculously easy Chinese Boneless Spare Ribs you can make three ways in the oven, air fryer or crock pot, and one tiny tweak in the glaze sets them apart.

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I always chase that sweet sticky thing you get at restaurants, and these Chinese Boneless Spare Ribs deliver, except easier and messier in a good way. I’ve messed around from Chinese Boneless Spare Ribs to Boneless Pork Ribs and this version really nails the sweet savory balance with hoisin sauce and a bright punch of garlic cloves.

It’s not fussy, but it has personality, and honestly it’ll make people stop talking and reach for chopsticks. You’ll wonder what the trick is, and yeah I’ll say it’s totally worth the tiny bit of patience.

Ingredients

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Pork spare ribs: Rich in protein and fat, gives meaty texture and keeps the dish hearty.
Soy sauce: Deep umami, adds salty savory notes; contains some sodium, little protein.
Hoisin sauce: Sweet, tangy and sticky, boosts complexity; contains sugar and soy flavor.
Honey: I love how it caramelizes, adds simple sugars and delicate floral notes.
Shaoxing wine: Adds depth and mild acidity, helps round flavors; not very sweet.
Ginger: Bright peppery zing, aids digestion, gives freshness and subtle heat.
Garlic: Pungent savory backbone, browns to sweet nutty notes when cooked.
Chinese five-spice: Warm mix of sweet bitter aromatic spices, adds complexity and aroma.
Cornstarch: Thickening power for glossy sauce, no flavor, just body and sheen.

Ingredient Quantities

2 to 2.5 lb boneless pork spare ribs (about 900 g to 1.1 kg)

1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce

1/4 cup hoisin sauce

1/4 cup honey

2 tbsp light brown sugar, packed

2 tbsp Shaoxing wine or dry sherry

1 tbsp rice vinegar

2 tbsp ketchup (optional)

1 tbsp toasted sesame oil

1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated or minced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 tbsp cornstarch

2 tbsp cold water (for slurry)

1/4 cup water or low sodium chicken broth (optional, for crock pot)

2 scallions, thinly sliced (optional garnish)

1 tsp toasted sesame seeds (optional garnish)

How to Make this

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1. Whisk together the marinade: 1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce, 1/4 cup hoisin, 1/4 cup honey, 2 tbsp packed light brown sugar, 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine or dry sherry, 1 tbsp rice vinegar, 2 tbsp ketchup if using, 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil, 1 tbsp grated ginger, 3 minced garlic cloves, 1 tsp Chinese five-spice and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Taste and adjust sweet or salty if needed.

2. Trim any big bits of fat from 2 to
2.5 lb boneless pork spare ribs, pat dry, then put the ribs and most of the marinade in a zipper bag or bowl to coat. Reserve about 1/4 cup of the marinade before adding the meat and set that aside for glazing or boiling later. Marinate at least 30 minutes, preferably overnight in the fridge.

3. If you want to finish with a glossy sticky sauce, pour the reserved 1/4 cup marinade into a small saucepan and bring to a boil to kill bacteria, then turn down and simmer while you cook the ribs. Make a slurry by mixing 1 tbsp cornstarch with 2 tbsp cold water and whisk into the simmering reserved sauce until thick and glossy, then set aside.

4. Oven method: preheat oven to 375 F. Put ribs on a foil lined baking sheet or on a rack over the sheet, brush lightly with some of the cooked glaze and cover loosely with foil. Bake 25 to 30 minutes until cooked through and edges start to brown, remove foil, brush with more glaze and broil 2 to 4 minutes until caramelized. Watch closely so it doesn’t burn.

5. Air fryer method: preheat air fryer to 375 F. Arrange ribs in a single layer (you may need two batches), cook 12 to 16 minutes flipping halfway. Brush with the thickened glaze, then cook 2 to 4 more minutes until sticky and browned. Don’t crowd the basket or they won’t crisp.

6. Crock pot method: put marinated ribs and the remaining marinade into the slow cooker with 1/4 cup water or low sodium chicken broth. Cook on low 4 to 5 hours or high 2 to 3 hours until tender. Remove ribs, skim fat from the sauce, then thicken the sauce by stirring in the cornstarch slurry and simmering or pouring into a hot pan until glossy. Toss ribs in the glaze and for best texture finish under a broiler for 2 to 3 minutes or in the air fryer for 3 to 5 minutes.

7. Check doneness: ribs should be tender and reach about 145 F internal temp for pork, but spare ribs often benefit from longer cooking until tender. If they seem underdone just cook a little longer, they should be easy to pull apart when done.

8. Plate and garnish with thinly sliced scallions and 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds if using. Serve hot with rice or steamed greens and enjoy.

Equipment Needed

1. Large zip‑top bag or big mixing bowl for marinating the ribs
2. Measuring cups and measuring spoons (for soy, hoisin, honey, etc)
3. Whisk (to blend the marinade and the cornstarch slurry)
4. Small saucepan (to boil and thicken the reserved marinade into a glaze)
5. Baking sheet lined with foil (for oven method)
6. Wire rack that fits the baking sheet (helps them crisp, optional but useful)
7. Instant‑read thermometer (check pork doneness)
8. Tongs and a silicone pastry brush (for flipping and glazing)

FAQ

Q: Can I use a different cut of pork? A: Yes, you can swap in boneless country style ribs or pork shoulder, but cook times change. Shoulder takes longer to get tender so use the crock pot or low oven, country style ribs behave more like the spare ribs in the recipe.

Q: How long should I marinate the ribs? A: At least 2 hours but overnight is best for flavor. Don’t go much past 24 hours or the soy and acid can start to break down the meat too much.

Q: What are the oven, air fryer and crock pot times and temps? A: Oven: 375 F about 45 to 55 minutes depending on thickness then broil a few minutes to caramelize. Air fryer: 375 F for 12 to 18 minutes, flip halfway and brush glaze near the end. Crock pot: low 6 to 8 hours or high 3 to 4 hours with 1/4 cup water or broth, then finish under the broiler or in the air fryer to get a sticky glaze.

Q: How do I get that shiny sticky glaze without burning the sugar? A: Thicken the sauce with the 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed in 2 tbsp cold water and simmer briefly, or reduce the sauce on the stove till glossy. Brush ribs several times and only use the broiler for short bursts so the sugar caramelizes not burns.

Q: How should I store and reheat leftovers? A: Refrigerate up to 3 to 4 days, freeze up to 3 months. Reheat in a 300 to 325 F oven or in the air fryer to keep texture, 10 to 15 minutes in oven or 5 to 8 minutes in air fryer. Microwave works but makes them softer and less sticky.

Q: Any allergy friendly swaps or ingredient tweaks? A: Hoisin and soy have gluten and soy, use tamari for gluten free and check labels. Swap honey for maple or brown sugar if needed. Shaoxing wine can be replaced with dry sherry or a splash of apple juice plus a little rice vinegar. If you don’t love five spice just cut it in half or leave it out.

Chinese Boneless Spare Ribs (Oven, Air Fryer & Crock Pot) Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Low sodium soy sauce: tamari (gluten free) same amount, coconut aminos (soy free) — slightly sweeter so taste and add a pinch of salt if needed, or if you only have regular soy sauce use it but skip any extra salt later.
Hoisin sauce: plum sauce or duck sauce for similar sweetness, BBQ sauce mixed with a little soy for depth, or a quick mix of 2 tbsp soy + 1 tbsp honey + 1 tsp toasted sesame oil to mimic the glaze.
Honey: maple syrup or agave nectar 1:1 swap, or use light brown sugar (stir to dissolve) if you prefer granulated options.
Shaoxing wine: dry sherry or sake equal amounts, mirin (a bit sweeter so reduce other sugar slightly), or for no alcohol use equal parts low sodium chicken broth plus 1 tsp rice vinegar to add acidity.

Pro Tips

– Marinate longer if you can. Overnight in the fridge = way better flavor and more tender ribs. If you only have 30 minutes, at least score the meat a few times and poke it with a fork so the marinade soaks in faster.

– Always reserve some of the raw marinade and bring it to a full boil before using as a glaze. Thickening it with a cold cornstarch slurry makes a glossy finish that sticks. Don’t add the slurry to hot liquid or it’ll clump, mix it into cold water first then stir it in slowly.

– Pat the ribs dry before cooking and don’t crowd the cooking surface. A dry surface helps the glaze caramelize, and air fry or oven batches should be single layer so they brown instead of steam. For the oven, use a rack over a lined sheet pan so heat circulates and drips don’t boil the meat.

– Finish hot and fast for texture. After slow cooking or braising, hit them under the broiler or in the air fryer for a few minutes to get char and stickiness. Watch like a hawk though, sugar burns fast. Rest the ribs a few minutes before slicing and cut across the grain so they’re easier to pull apart.

– If using the crock pot, skim off excess fat from the sauce before glazing so it isn’t greasy. Add a splash of acid like rice vinegar or a little extra Shaoxing wine at the end if it tastes too sweet, that brightens everything up.