Country Style Ribs

These country-style ribs are meaty and tender. The fat melts into them as they cook, then beautifully crisps up under the broiler.

The other day I was looking for pork belly at Costco, but alas, they were out. So I looked around the pork refrigerator, and settled on “boneless pork shoulder country style ribs.”

They looked like gorgeous slabs of meat, with beautiful fat marbling throughout.

At home, I did some research. As it turns out, these ribs are cut from the blade end of the loin, close to the pork shoulder. They are meatier than other rib cuts, and they contain no rib bones.

So I researched how to cook them. I came up with the following method, a combination of several of the recipes that I found. We really enjoyed them, and I have made this recipe several times since.

The ingredients you’ll need

You’ll only need five simple ingredients to make this tasty recipe. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here’s an overview of what you’ll need:

1. Boneless pork shoulder ribs
2. Smoked salt (available on Amazon – see link below in the recipe card)
3. Black pepper
4. Smoked paprika
5. Dried thyme
6. Cayenne pepper

How to cook country-style pork ribs in the oven

It’s so easy! Scroll down to the recipe card for the detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:

1. Cut the ribs in half and arrange them in a rimmed baking dish.
2. Mix the remaining ingredients and sprinkle them on top.
3. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 2 hours at 325°F.
4. Transfer the ribs to a broiler-safe pan and broil them briefly to crisp up the fat.

With all this fat, how can they possibly be healthy?

As you can see in the nutrition info below, these country-style pork ribs contain 15 g of saturated fat, but also 18 g of monounsaturated fat.

Unless you have a specific issue that requires you to minimize your consumption of saturated fat, current research tells us that it’s not necessarily harmful.

Though Harvard experts still maintain that while it’s not “bad,” it’s an “in-between” fat and monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are a much better choice.

If you prefer a leaner cut, I suggest you try this roasted pork tenderloin. And these baked pork chops are also very good.

How to serve country-style ribs?

Since this is such a fatty cut of meat, a little goes a long way. Six ounces of cooked ribs per person is plenty.

As for sides, I simply serve these ribs with a tossed salad or some plain steamed veggies (steamed cabbage is really good).

They are so rich and fatty and satisfying, there’s really no need for anything else.

What about leftovers?

You can keep leftovers of these country-style ribs in the fridge, in a sealed container, for 3-4 days. Reheat them very gently, covered, in the microwave on 50% power.

Other pork recipes that you might enjoy

As mentioned above, pork belly slices from Costco are amazing. and I think you will also like these oven baked spare ribs. They are wonderful!

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4.98 from 144 votes

Country Style Ribs

These country style ribs are meaty and tender. The fat melts into them as they cook, then beautifully crisps up under the broiler.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time2 hrs 5 mins

Resting time5 mins

Total Time2 hrs 20 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: pork, ribs

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 557kcal

Author: Vered DeLeeuw

INGREDIENTS

• 3 lb. boneless pork shoulder ribs

Dry rub:

• 2 teaspoons smoked salt (available on Amazon)
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• Cut the ribs in half crosswise, and arrange them in a single layer in an ungreased 9 X 13-inch baking dish.
• Mix together the dry rub ingredients, and sprinkle the rub on top of the ribs.
• Cover tightly with heavy duty foil (or a double layer of regular foil), and bake until very tender, about 2 hours.
• With a slotted spatula, remove the cooked ribs to a broiler-safe pan. Switch the oven to broil.
• You can throw out the cooking liquids, but I like to strain them into a glass jar and refrigerate until the fat separates. I then remove the layer of fat, and I have a rich, tasty, mineral-rich broth that I can either warm up and drink, or use as a basis for sauces and gravies.
• Broil the ribs in the middle of the oven until the fat is browned and crisp, about 5 minutes. Allow to rest 5 minutes before serving.

NUTRITION INFO Nutrition info is approximate. It is calculated using the SparkPeople.com recipe calculator, and the carb count excludes sugar alcohols. Please read the disclaimers in our Terms of Use carefully before using any of our recipes. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Please verify they are before using.

Nutrition Facts

Country Style Ribs

Amount Per Serving (6 oz)

Calories 557 Calories from Fat 387

% Daily Value*

Fat 43g66%

Saturated Fat 15g94%

Monounsaturated Fat 18g

Sodium 784mg34%

Protein 39g78%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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