This grilled country-style ribs recipe is great when there’s a break in the weather and the sun comes out. If it’s not quite cookout season but it’s hot enough to make you crave something fresh off the grill, these country-style ribs are the perfect hybrid recipe for this time of year. They start in the oven and finish on the grill.
The oven does most of the work, cooking the ribs until they’re tender and juicy (like in our favorite oven-roasted baby back ribs). Then, the ribs are bathed in a simple, homemade barbecue sauce and finished on the grill to infuse the meat with a signature smoky barbecue flavor. These country-style ribs on the grill are a crowd-pleaser and perfect for your next fringe-season cookout.
What are country-style pork ribs?
Country-style pork ribs aren’t actually ribs. This type of pork comes from the area where the loin and shoulder blade meet. They’re called ribs because they share a similar flavor and texture to back or spare ribs.
Country-style ribs contain more meat than spare ribs and just as much connective tissue. For this reason, country-style ribs benefit from low-and-slow cooking like all of our best barbecue ribs recipes. This makes them an ideal candidate for grilling, smoking, oven-roasting or slow cooking.
Ingredients for Grilled Country-Style Ribs
- Bone-in, country-style pork ribs: Pound-for-pound, grilled country-style ribs are the meatiest rib and often the least expensive. So, if you’re feeding a crowd, country-style ribs on the grill may be the way to go.
- Ketchup: Ketchup is the base for this homemade barbecue sauce recipe. The best ketchup brands already contain a bunch of lovely spices that will complement the other barbecue sauce ingredients.
- Brown sugar: Brown sugar sweetens the barbecue sauce and helps it caramelize on the country-style ribs once they hit the hot grill.
- Cider vinegar: Vinegar adds a little tang and acid that balances the sweetness of the brown sugar.
- Worcestershire sauce: This complex sauce offers a savory, umami flavor that brings out the rib’s robust, meaty character.
- Spices: Celery seed, chili powder, hot pepper sauce and black pepper combine to bring heat and earthiness to the barbecue sauce.
Directions
Step 1: Bake the country-style ribs
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Place the ribs in a shallow roasting pan. Bake, covered, for 1 hour and 30 minutes to 2 hours or until the meat is tender.
Editor’s Tip: If you’re using a meat thermometer, cook the country-style ribs until they reach an internal temperature of 195° to 200°.
Step 2: Make the sauce
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, stir together the water, ketchup, sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, celery seed, chili powder, hot pepper sauce and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat. Simmer, uncovered, for five minutes, stirring occasionally.
Editor’s Note: Looking for a shortcut? Use a store-bought sauce. Here are the best barbecue sauce brands according to our Test Kitchen.
Step 3: Sauce the country-style ribs
Pour 1 cup of the sauce over the ribs and turn to coat. Let them stand for 15 minutes.
Step 4: Grill the country-style ribs
Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to medium heat.
Drain and discard the sauce from the ribs. Grill the ribs, uncovered, for 10 to 12 minutes or until browned, basting with 1 cup of the sauce and turning occasionally. Serve the grilled ribs with the remaining sauce.
Editor’s Tip: For medium heat, shoot for a grill temperature of about 350°.
Recipe Variations
- Change the sauce: Feel free to experiment with the seasonings or swap in another homemade barbecue sauce recipe.
- Add a barbecue rub: For extra-flavorful country-style ribs season the ribs with a dry rub recipe before baking them in the oven.
- Cook them entirely on the grill: If you’re not in the mood to heat up the house, prepare these country-style ribs without an oven. Place the ribs in a disposable foil roasting pan. Cover it tightly, and grill at 325° over indirect heat for 1 hour and 30 minutes to 2 hours or until tender. (Here’s everything you need to know about direct vs. indirect heat grilling.)
- Skip the grill: If you don’t have access to a grill, finish the ribs underneath the broiler. Transfer the baked ribs to a broiler pan. Broil four to five inches from the heat for 10 to 12 minutes or until browned, basting the ribs as directed. To add smoky flavor, consider adding a little liquid smoke to the barbecue sauce, if desired.
How to Store Grilled Country-Style Ribs
Store leftover grilled country-style ribs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. To reheat, warm the country-style ribs in a covered roasting pan in a 250° oven.
Grilled Country-Style Ribs Tips
Do you need a dry rub for grilled country ribs?
A dry rub isn’t necessary to make great-tasting country-style ribs on the grill. However, dry rubs are a great way to add flavor to pork ribs. Before cooking them in the oven, feel free to coat the ribs liberally with herbs and spices.
Why are my grilled country-style ribs tough?
Grilled country-style ribs can be tough or chewy if undercooked or overcooked. Country-style ribs are a tough cut of meat, so they must be cooked at the right temperature for the right amount of time. For best results, invest in a meat thermometer to monitor the meat’s internal temperature.
Ribs need to be cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 195°. Otherwise, the muscle fibers won’t soften, break down and become tender. However, if you overcook the ribs (past an internal temperature of 205°), the meat will lose too much moisture, making it tough, dry, and rubbery. For more tips, here’s how to make tough meat tender.
What can you serve with grilled country-style ribs?
You can serve an array of barbecue sides with country-style ribs on the grill. Some of our favorites include cornbread, fresh garden salads, creamy baked mac and cheese or roasted corn on the cob.
