How to Cook Pork Shoulder Western Ribs in the Oven

Oven cooking results in a juicy, tender and delicious main course.

Western-style pork ribs are not ribs at all. They are pork shoulder sliced to resemble boneless pork ribs. But they are scrumptious when prepared correctly. You can prepare them outdoors on the grill as you would other rib varieties, but cooking the ribs in the oven is a preferable method. Oven cooking results in a juicy, tender and delicious main course.

Things You'll Need

• 2 lbs. pork shoulder Western ribs
• 5 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tbsp. paprika
• 3 tbsp. cider vinegar
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 3/4 cup tomato paste
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• Juice of one lemon
• Glass casserole dish or similar
• Wooden spoon or spatula
• Plastic wrap
• Nonstick spray
• Roasting pan
• Roasting rack

Instructions

1. Combine the garlic, paprika, vinegar, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, chili powder and lemon juice in casserole dish. Mix all the ingredients well with a wooden spoon or a spatula. Reserve 1/4 to 1/2 cup of this mixture.

2. Place the ribs in the dish with the marinade mixture. Use the spoon or spatula to mix the ribs in with the marinade, covering all of the meat with the mixture.

3. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least two hours; overnight is preferable.

4. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

5. Place the roasting rack into the roasting pan and spray well with nonstick cooking spray.

6. Remove the ribs from the refrigerator and stir to make sure they are coated with the marinade.

7. Place the ribs on the rack in the pan. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes, turning them over after the first 15 minutes.

8. Pour the reserved marinade into a small saucepan, and heat until just boiling. Serve the ribs topped with the heated sauce.

Tips & Warnings

• Discard the sauce used to marinate the ribs to avoid any food-borne illness.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• The Other White Meat: Pork Basics