How to Cook Country Style Ribs

Country ribs are actually cut from the shoulder of the pig. Due to the marbling of fat in the ribs, you should cook them slowly using low, indirect heat, such as covered in the oven or braised. However, you can cook them fairly quickly on the grill, as long as you let them soak in a dry rub or marinade first.

Ingredients

Baked Country Style Ribs

Makes 4 to 6 servings

2 to 3 pounds (0.91 to 1.36 kg) country style ribs
Salt and pepper to taste
1 to 2 cups (240 to 470 mL) of barbecue sauce to brush on the meat

Braised Country Style Ribs

Makes 4 to 6 servings

2 to 3 pounds (0.91 to 1.36 kg) country style ribs
2 tablespoons (30 mL) vegetable oil
1 medium carrot
1 onion
1 celery stalk
4 cloves of garlic
¹⁄₄ cup (59 mL) apple cider vinegar
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons (30 mL) of tomato paste
2.5 cups (590 mL) chicken stock
1 tablespoon (9 g) cornstarch

Grilled Country Style Ribs

Makes 4 to 6 servings

3 to 3.5 pounds (1.4 to 1.6 kg) country style ribs
2 tablespoons (25 g) brown sugar
2 teaspoons (5 g) ancho chile
2 teaspoons (5 g) chipotle chile
1/2 teaspoon (1 g) ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon (1.4 g) garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon (1.4 g) onion powder
2 tablespoons (36 g) kosher salt

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Making Baked Country Style Ribs

1
Preheat the oven to 300 °F (149 °C) and prep the ribs. Let the oven heat up while you're getting the ribs ready. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment paper and lay the ribs out in a single layer. Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides.^{[1]XResearch source}
- Use 2 trays if the ribs won't fit on one in a single layer.
- You can use bone-in or boneless ribs.
2
Cover the ribs with foil and bake them for 2 hours. Use foil to make a tight lid over the ribs. Let them cook for at least 2 hours. Don't take them out of the oven during this time. You don't even really need to check on them.^{[2]XResearch source}
- Basically, you're braising the ribs in their own juice at this point, as they will render fat and liquid as they cook.
3
Take the ribs out to pour off the grease. Carefully uncover the ribs, as the steam will be hot. Remove the ribs from the pan momentarily, and drain the grease into a can to throw away later. Set the ribs back on the baking tray.^{[3]XResearch source}
- If the ribs don't seem tender when you uncover them, put them back in the oven under the cover for another 15-30 minutes. They should be starting to soften but not fully tender yet.
4
Brush the ribs with sauce. You can use any kind of sauce you want or even make your own. Place the ribs back on the pan before brushing the tops with sauce. Just use enough to coat the ribs thoroughly.^{[4]XResearch source}
- Barbecue sauce works greats for this purpose! You can also try teriyaki sauce, hoisin sauce, or really any thick sauce that has some oil in it.
Leave the ribs uncovered, and let them cook for 15-30 minutes at this temperature. This process will start caramelizing the barbecue sauce.^{[5]XResearch source}
6
Turn and baste the ribs every 15-30 minutes until they're tender. Pull the ribs out of the oven and turn them over. Brush barbecue sauce on the other side. Put them back in the oven to heat some more.^{[6]XResearch source}
- Repeat the process until the ribs are tender and falling off the bone, which should take about 90 minutes.
Once the ribs seem tender enough, add one more layer of barbecue sauce. Watch them closely while they're broiling, and take them out before they start burning.^{[7]XResearch source}
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Making Braised Country Style Ribs

1
Wash and chop the vegetables. Wash the vegetables under running water, scrubbing them lightly with a vegetable scrubber. Chop the carrot, onion, and celery stalk into small pieces. Mince the 4 garlic cloves finely.^{[8]XResearch source}
- You can peel the carrot if you'd like, but it's not necessary if you scrub it well enough.
Place the pot over medium-high heat. Let the oil heat up for a minute or two. While it's heating, take time to prep the ribs for browning.^{[9]XResearch source}
Take the ribs out of the package. Pat the ribs dry with a paper towel so they'll brown properly. Salt and pepper both sides of the ribs.^{[10]XResearch source}
4
Brown the ribs in the Dutch oven for 1-2 minutes on each side. Set them in the oil one at a time. The ribs will begin to brown on the side that's in the pan. Turn the ribs after a minute or two, so you brown all the sides of the ribs.^{[11]XResearch source}
- Don't crowd the pan with ribs, as they won't brown. If you need to, brown the ribs one or two at a time.
- Set the ribs to the side for a moment.
Turn the heat down on the pan to medium, and add the carrot, onion, and celery. Let them cook for 3-4 minutes, then scrape in the minced garlic. Let it cook for a minute or so.^{[12]XResearch source}
6
Spoon in the tomato paste, apple cider vinegar, and bay leaves. Add the tomato paste first, and let it cook for a couple of minutes. Pour in the apple cider vinegar, and use it to help scrape off what's on the bottom of the pan. Drop the bay leaves into the pan.^{[13]XResearch source}
- You can add a pinch of red pepper flakes at this point if you'd like a little heat.
7
Pour in the 2.5 cups (590 mL) of chicken stock and put the ribs back in. The chicken stock will not completely submerge the ribs. Let the stock come up to a simmer, and then cover the ribs to transfer them to the oven.^{[14]XResearch source}
- Make sure the ribs are tightly covered.
8
Cook the ribs in a 350 °F (177 °C) oven for 1 1/2 hours. The ribs will slowly braise during this time. After an hour or so, take the lid off the ribs. The heat will reduce the sauce, as well as give the ribs some color.^{[15]XResearch source}
- Serve the ribs with mashed potatoes or polenta.
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Making Grilled Country Style Ribs

1
Mix the dry rub together. Place the 2 tablespoons (25 g) of brown sugar, 2 teaspoons (5 g) of ancho chile, 2 teaspoons (5 g) of chipotle chile, 1/2 teaspoon (1 g) of ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon (1.4 g) of garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon (1.4 g) of onion powder, and 2 tablespoons (36 g) of kosher salt in a small bowl. Stir the spices to combine.^{[16]XResearch source}
- You can also use a marinade instead.
Use your hands to massage the dry rub into the ribs, making sure to get it all over the meat. If you want, you can use latex gloves for this process so you're not coating your hands with seasonings and meat juice.^{[17]XResearch source}
3
Leave the ribs overnight in the fridge. Place the ribs in a zip-top bag, and put them in the refrigerator for 8 hours. If you're in a hurry, you can cook them after 4 hours instead of 8. ^{[18]XResearch source}
- Pull the ribs out of the fridge an hour before you want to cook them so they can come to room temperature.^{[19]XResearch source}
Aim for 350 to 450 °F (177 to 232 °C) with your gas or charcoal grill. Let the grill heat up all the way before you cook the ribs.^{[20]XResearch source}
Start by placing the largest side face down. They should be crusty on that side before you turn them over. Let the other side cook about 6 minutes, too.^{[21]XResearch source}
6
Grill the thin sides of the ribs. Turn the ribs up on one side, and cook them for another 5 minutes or so. Once that side is crusty, turn them over to the other thin side, and cook that side for 5 minutes.^{[22]XResearch source}
- You may need to lean the ribs against each other to grill the thin sides.
Remove the ribs from the grill and cover them with a tent of foil. Letting them rest 5 minutes will help keep the juice in the meat when you cut into it.^{[23]XResearch source}
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Expert Q&A

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Question
What advice would you have for a beginner who's looking to season their ribs?
Mark Nichols
Classically Trained Chef & BBQ Expert
Mark Nichols is a Classically Trained Chef & BBQ Expert and the Owner of Arizona BBQ Company in Gilbert, Arizona. Mark has over 30 years in the hospitality and culinary industry. Mark and his wife, Colette, opened their first business, JC’s Catering in 2011, catering many private and corporate events. In September 2017, Mark and Colette opened their second business, Arizona BBQ Company, to share comfort food while infusing the flavors of the Southwest with their community. They are known for their high-quality smoked brisket, pulled pork, smoked chicken, St. Louis Ribs, smoked wings, Green Chile & Bacon Mac n’ Cheese, and signature Arizona BBQ sauces. Arizona BBQ Company has been featured on local news outlets including Fox 10 News, The New Times, East Valley Tribune, and Gilbert Sun Times. Additionally, Arizona BBQ Company had the pleasure of being featured on PBS’s "Check Please” hosted by Chef Mark Tarbell. Mark is a graduate of Scottsdale Culinary Institute, Le Cordon Bleu.
Mark Nichols
Classically Trained Chef & BBQ Expert
Expert Answer
The best advice I can give to a beginner is just to have fun with it—there are no rules for cooking. Be willing to know that you're going to make mistakes but learn from those mistakes. It's okay if you make something and it doesn't turn out exactly the way you want. Just be prepared for trial and error, and don't put too much pressure on yourself to make the perfect rib or whatever the first time. If you're making ribs for the first time, I would say don't over-season and don't overcook them.
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Question
Can I cook the marinated ribs at 325 degrees for an hour?
GrowingNana
Community Answer
You probably could, but it can lead to tough meat. If you don't want to grill them, you can put them in a slow cooker on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours. Be sure to add onions and other vegetables in the bottom along with about two inches of water; the vegetables will keep the meat from sitting in the water, and the water will keep all of the components moist while they cook.
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Question
How do I reheat them?
GrowingNana
Community Answer
The best way to reheat them is to cover them in tinfoil and reheat them in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Underneath the ribs, put a cake pan half-full of hot water, this will prevent drying out of the meat.
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