Smoked country style pork ribs turn one of the most affordable cuts at the meat counter into a fork-tender, saucy dinner using a two-phase method: smoke them low and slow until they build a bark, then braise them in a foil pan with onion and barbecue sauce until they fall apart.
No dried out, chewy country style ribs here. This method keeps every bite tender, whether you’re working a pellet grill, a smoker, charcoal or gas.
I’ve cooked more racks of ribs than I can count as a champion pitmaster, and this is the recipe I actually make at home on weeknights. Country style ribs are one of the most forgiving cuts you can put on a smoker.
When I was a little girl, barbecue at my house meant country style pork ribs cooked in barbecue sauce in a slow cooker. It wasn’t exactly barbecue, because it wasn’t smoked, but it was still a family favorite.
Now that I’m the girl who loves to grill, it’s time to give mom’s country ribs recipe a makeover so it earns its proper barbecue name.
For mom’s recipe, she browns the pork ribs on all sides, then puts them in a slow cooker with one sliced yellow onion, a bottle of barbecue sauce and some parsley. After several hours the meat is perfectly fork tender.
This recipe follows the same concept. Instead of browning the ribs, I smoke them for a few hours, then braise them for the same tender, juicy results.
GCG PRO TIP: This same smoke-then-braise method works on a lot of tougher cuts. If you like these, try my smoked pulled pork shoulder or my boneless beef ribs next.
At a Glance
- Method: Pellet grill, smoker, charcoal grill or gas grill
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: About 5 hours total (smoke, then braise)
- Internal Temp: 195F-200F degrees for a chewier pull, 205F-210F degrees for fall-apart tender
- Serving Size: About 2 ribs per person
Note: Cook times will vary based on the size of your ribs and how consistent your smoker or grill runs.
What are country style pork ribs?
There are three basic cuts of ribs on a pig: baby back, spare and country style. Spare ribs are trimmed down further to create St. Louis style ribs, the ribs you see most often in barbecue competitions. Country style ribs are a different cut entirely, and this recipe isn’t a fit for baby back or St. Louis style, since those cook faster and don’t need the braise.
Country style pork ribs are cut from near the shoulder (AKA pork butt) near the rib end of the pork loin. This cut has a lot of natural marbling, which makes the meat fall apart when cooked properly.
Butchers usually trim country style pork ribs into 1-2 inch thick pieces. Look at the marbling before you buy. Ribs with more visible fat and marbling get more tender at the higher end of the doneness range, while leaner, boneless ribs can dry out if you push them too far. For even cooking, try to find a package with similarly sized ribs.
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Heat Grill: Heat the smoker to 250F degrees with an indirect heat zone and hickory wood chunks or pellets.
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Season: Season all sides or the pork ribs with rub. Let rest for 15 minutes.
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Smoke: Place the seasoned ribs on the smoker, and cook for 3 hours to an internal temperature of 170F degrees.
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Braise: Layer the sliced onion onto the bottom of an aluminum half pan. Add the smoked ribs. Cover with barbecue sauce. Cover the pan with foil and return to the smoker. Cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until the ribs reach an internal temperature of 205-210F degrees.
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Serve: Serve the ribs alongside the onions covered with the sauce.
Calories: 385kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 29gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 109mgSodium: 675mgPotassium: 627mgFiber: 1gSugar: 19gVitamin A: 165IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 64mgIron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Ingredients
- Country Style Ribs: You can find these in the pork section of the meat department. They come in bone-in and boneless varieties, sometimes labeled boneless pork ribs.
- BBQ Rub: Any BBQ rub will work, but I usually use my Girls Can Grill Pork Rub. You could also use a blend of kosher salt, black pepper and garlic powder with a little brown sugar.
- Yellow Onion: Look for a sweet yellow onion, like a Vidalia.
- BBQ Sauce: You can use your favorite BBQ sauce. Any flavor works with this recipe. Classic sweet and smokey ones taste great, but you could also use a Carolina mustard sauce.
How to smoke country style ribs on a pellet grill or smoker
While mom cooked these in a slow cooker, I prepare country style ribs on a pellet grill. It’s essentially a slow cooker with wood. You just set the temp and forget it.
I like hickory, pecan or apple wood pellets with pork. I find they bring out the meat’s natural sweetness, but oak and cherry work great too.
No pellet grill? You have options. On a charcoal grill, set up a two-zone fire with wood chunks on the coals for smoke. On a gas grill, use a wood chip foil pouch set directly on a burner. Either way, the key is an indirect zone holding steady at 250F degrees.
Step 1: Season the Ribs
While the grill is heating up to 250F degrees, season the pork ribs liberally on all sides. After about 15 minutes, the meat will start to glisten.
Step 2: Smoke to Build Bark
We cook country style ribs in two phases. First, smoke them until they form a beautiful bark. This takes around 3 hours, at which point the internal temperature will be about 170F degrees.
GCG PRO TIP: After 3 hours, if the internal temperature of your ribs is a little below or above 170F degrees, that's fine. You're basically just looking for color at this point. You could keep smoking them until they're tender, but I prefer to finish them like mom, in a bath of onions and barbecue sauce.
Step 3: Braise in Onions and BBQ Sauce
Place the sliced onions in an aluminum half pan, add the smoked ribs, pour on a bottle of your favorite barbecue sauce and cover with foil. It’s really that simple.
How to know when country style pork ribs are done
Technically, pork is safe to eat once it reaches an internal temperature of 145F degrees. But at that temperature, country style ribs are still tough. You need to push past safe and into tender.
If you like a little chew left in your rib, pull them at 195F-200F degrees. For the fall-apart, fork-tender texture pictured here, take them to 205F-210F degrees, where the fat fully renders.
If yours are boneless or leaner with less marbling, keep an eye on them and consider pulling at the lower end of that range so they don’t dry out.
As they braise, the onions soften and the sauce flavors the meat inside and out.
How to serve smoked country style ribs
Once your smoked country style ribs are tender, transfer them to a serving platter and smother them with that smokey sauce.
Unlike baby back or St. Louis style ribs, you’ll want a knife and fork for these. Serve them over cheesy grits or alongside cornbread to soak up the sauce. A paper towel or three nearby doesn’t hurt either.
Sides that go great with ribs
What to do with the leftovers
I usually plan on two ribs per person, about a half pound.
If you cook a few extra, the leftovers make great sandwiches. Pull the meat apart and toss it in the remaining sauce. Layer it on a bun with the barbecue onions and coleslaw, the same way you’d build a pulled pork sandwich.
Storage
Leftover smoked country style ribs keep in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
You can also store them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to six months.
GCG Pro Pitmaster Tips
- Two phases: smoke first, braise second
- Works on pellet, stick smoker, charcoal or gas
- Hold 250F degrees, indirect heat, the whole cook
- 195F-200F for chew, 205F-210F for fall-apart
- Leaner boneless ribs: pull at the lower end
Frequently Asked Questions
Country style ribs are cut from the pork shoulder. They’re available with or without bones. Boneless pork ribs could technically refer to other cuts with the bones removed, but most often the term refers to boneless country style ribs.
Each country style rib weighs about 1/4 pound, so plan on two ribs per person for a 1/2-pound serving.
Four pounds of country style ribs take about 5 hours total on a pellet grill or smoker set at 250F degrees: about 3 hours to smoke to bark, then another 1.5-2 hours braised in the pan with onion and BBQ sauce.
Both are valid. Pull them at 195F-200F degrees if you like a bit of chew, or take them to 205F-210F degrees for fully fall-apart, fork-tender ribs. The higher range works best on ribs with good marbling.
You can, though you’ll lose some of the smoke flavor. Cook them over indirect heat on a two-zone grill at 250F degrees, then finish them the same way, braised in a foil pan with onion and BBQ sauce, until they reach your target internal temperature.
One standard 18-ounce bottle of BBQ sauce is enough to coat and braise about 4 pounds of ribs with a sliced onion. You can use more if you like extra sauce for serving.
Yes, though you won’t get the smoke flavor you get from a grill. Set your oven to 250F degrees, place the ribs on a rack over a rimmed sheet pan, and brown them on all sides. Then finish them in a covered foil pan or 13×9 pan the same way as the smoked version.
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