Country-style Pork Ribs ribs are a great rich and fall-apart tender alternative to traditional ribs. Cheap, easy to make, and SO good, this might just be your new favorite way to eat pork.
One of the first really popular recipes on this site was my No-Fuss Easy Oven-Baked Ribs. The recipe’s designed to use beef back ribs, but since the post went live people have been asking about using it to make country-style pork ribs.
And asking.
And asking.
And asking.
And every single time, I would have to admit that I had no idea because I’d never eaten, let alone cooked, country-style ribs.
Whelp, I finally got sick of saying “I don’t know,” and feeling like I was missing out on something (because clearly, people love these things), so I tried them for myself, and now I am so angry.
Guys, I am so angry I haven’t been making these for years because country-style ribs ARE AMAZING. And this is coming from someone who is usually firmly Team Beef Ribs over pork.
These ribs are so tender and rich and easy to make. Two ingredients, ten minutes of hands-on prep time, and you end up with these absolutely beautiful ribs with meat you can shred with a fork.
And if you’re sitting there going sure, that sounds great, but WTF are country-style pork ribs? Read on, friend.
What Are Country-style Pork Ribs?
Country-style pork ribs aren’t ribs at all. They’re cuts of pork shoulder, which is the same meat you use to make pulled pork and carnitas. If you get bone-in “ribs,” you’ll recognize the distinctive y-shaped bone you get when you buy a bone-in pork shoulder roast.
This means that one, just like pork shoulder roasts, country-style ribs are super cheap, usually about $2/pound.
Two, they’re way meatier than regular pork or beef ribs (and don’t have all that gross cartilage), so you’re getting more meat for your buck.
And three, they have that wonderful marbling of fat which helps keep them moist during the long, slow cooking process on the way to tender, fall-apart ribs.
And speaking of long, slow cooking…
How to Cook Country Style Pork Ribs in the Oven
For fall-apart meat, country-style ribs really need to cook long and slow. Otherwise you’re going to get chewy pork.
The good news is that the cooking time is almost entirely hands-off. After a minimal amount of prep to get the ribs ready to cook, your oven’s doing most of the work here.
You start by salting and peppering your ribs and placing in a single layer in a roasting pan or baking dish. If you use a baking tray, make sure it has a fairly high rim, as the meat will release a lot of liquid as it cooks.
Cover with foil and bake at 300°F for 2 hours. Go read a book and sip some lemonade in front of a fan.
When your timer goes off, carefully uncover the meat–the steam will be hot–and drain the liquid from the tray. The meat looks super gross and sad at this point, but don’t worry. The next time it comes out of the oven, it will be beautiful.
Brush a generous coat of your favorite BBQ sauce over the meat.
Lower the temperature to 275°F and then bake uncovered for another hour. Your ribs are done when the meat has a beautifully baked-on coat of BBQ sauce and when you can pull it apart with a fork.
Brush with a little more sauce, give the ribs a couple minutes to rest, and then serve with some mashed potatoes or macaroni salad, and a simple veggie side like Garlic and Butter Green Beans or Oven-roasted Broccoli, and enjoy!
Country-Style Ribs Recipe Notes
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- If making for guests, I recommend making two ribs per person. That’s going to be a really generous serving, but you won’t have to worry about anyone going hungry. If making a lot of ribs, you can make two trays at a time. Just add 15 minutes to the initial cooking time and swap them halfway through both cooking periods so that they cook evenly.
- You can use bone-in or boneless country-style ribs for this recipe. Since they are covered for most of the cooking time, both come out equally moist and tender. My local stores sell them in mixed packs, so I usually cook with both at the same time.
- Be very careful removing the ribs from the oven the first time. Hot liquid can slosh out of the pan, and the steam will be very hot when you remove the foil.
- For brushing on BBQ sauce, I love these silicone basting brushes that can go through the dishwasher.
- Looking for more simple meaty mains? Try my Tri-tip in the Oven, Broiled Steak with Mustard Sauce, Carne Asada, and Quick Rosemary Pork Chops.
Easy Country-Style Pork Ribs in the Oven
Ingredients
Special Equipment
- Foil
- Roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet
- Silicone basting brush optional
Country-style Ribs
- Country-style pork ribs*
- Salt and pepper
- Your favorite BBQ sauce
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 300°F. Salt and pepper both sides of your ribs and place in a single layer in your pan, fattier side up.
- Cover the pan tightly with foil and bake for 2 hours. Carefully (steam and liquid in the tray will be hot!) remove ribs from the oven and check the meat. They should be starting to become tender. If they still feel tough, re-cover them and place them back in the oven for 15 to 30 minutes.
- Transfer ribs to a plate and drain liquid from the pan. Return ribs to tray and brush with a generous coating of BBQ sauce.
- Turn oven down to 275°F and bake ribs, uncovered, for 1 hour more, or until you can pull the meat apart with a fork (if your ribs were small and already pretty tender when you put them back in the oven, start checking after 20 minutes). Brush with another coat of BBQ sauce, rest for 5 minutes, serve and enjoy!
Julie says
Ooh-la-la! Have made these at least four times so far this summer. So wonderful, with consistent results.
The ONLY thing I do differently is to season all sides of the ribs with very spicy rub (instead of salt and pepper) before the first bake at 300 degrees.
The technique, starting at 300 degrees, then lowering to 275 degrees, is critical. I’ve tried other recipes that have only one temp throughout, but they come out dry, with far less flavor.
Thank you so much, Tracy. This is one recipe I’ll even WRITE DOWN ON A RECIPE CARD so that I never lose it due to an apocalyptic Internet crash!!!
Tracy says
That makes me SO happy to hear, Julie!!
Tom says
I’ve made ribs several times using these directions and they have always come out great!
Tracy says
So happy to hear it, Tom!
Charles says
Made this today – my wife and I LOVED it! We made a large, single country pork rib and split it. Baked in a large cast iron skillet in the oven (wanted the high walls for the juices during cooking) with a little avocado oil on the bottom. Flipped it once at the 1 hour point. Basted twice (every 20 minutes) with bbq sauce on the final hour. Juicy throughout, perfectly cooked and absolutely delicious.
Thank you for the recipe!
Tracy says
So thrilled to hear you enjoyed them, Charles!!
Billy says
I’ve followed your recipe exactly 3 times now and they’ve came out perfect every time!!!I add honey to my sauce for a touch of sweetness.
Tracy says
I love the honey idea!! So glad to hear these have been working out for you!
Julie Gifford says
Wow. I am 63 and have avoided these all my life. I know low and slow but for some reason I was afraid of it. I made these acording to your directions and omg! They were really good good good. THANK YOU. (and cheap!)
Tracy says
Yay! So happy to hear it, Julie!
Alex says
Followed the recipe exactly (other than adding some garlic powder to my salt and pepper rub) using Boneless Country Style Pork “Ribs” and they came out super juicy and tender. 5 stars!
Tracy says
So glad to hear it, Alex!!
Jean Jacobi says
Should I out these ribs on a rack in my roasting pan? Or just directly on the bottom of the pan? Thank you!
Tracy says
Directly on the pan. Hope you enjoy them!
Rhonda Wenn-McGuire says
Hello! Tracy, I usually cook my country style ribs in crock pot all day and I usually flour then first but wanted something different and tried your recipe for in the oven and girl never again will I cook ribs in crock pot tonight my husband and I ate our ribs and really enjoyed them the flavor the tenderness of the rib we both loved this way much better then crock pot way thank you so much for sharing your recipe with us all will definitely make then in oven for now on thanks again Rhonda Webb-McGuire
Tracy says
Thank you! So glad you enjoyed them!!
Sheila says
I bought country style pork ribs because my grocery store had no other meat. I had no idea how to cook them, so I did a google search and found this recipe. We loved them so much I searched for the ribs next time I went shopping. They’ve become one of my go to meats! Thank you, Tracy!!
Tony says
Hey Tracy…..I’ve cook country style ribs before and have always enjoyed them, but I just tried your Country-Style Pork Ribs recipe…..all I can say is….will you marry me 😉 !!!
Olivia says
Made these tonight. Followed recipe exactly! They were so good!! I had never cooked Country style ribs, but I thought hey I’ll try it because they were cheap. OMGoodness!! These were so good!! Fall apart tender!! My hubby loved them also! Thank you!!
Tracy says
Thanks, Olivia!! Love to hear it!!
Lori says
I just made these following your recipe exactly. They were delicious!
Tracy says
So glad you enjoyed them, Lori!
MaryAnn says
I haven’t made this yet. I really came on to find the temperature to cook at.
All I found was people posting ingredients without any temps or anything. What happened to pinterest.
Anyway I am going by your receipe tonight. Thank you for making a real receipe post.
Tracy says
Hope you enjoy them, MaryAnn!! Also, if you’re looking for recipes on Pinterest and only finding ingredient lists, try clicking on the photo or recipe title and it will take you to the actual recipe on the recipe creator’s website. Pinterest just pulls in the ingredients and not the full recipe. Hope that helps in the future!!
Chuck says
300 is too hot. try 255 for about 2 hours; LIGHTLY sauce for additional 30-45mins. Apply a dry rub the night before.
Christine says
I made these for my 9 and 11 year old kids and they actually ate them! Make sure you have a BBQ sauce you love as that is where the flavor is coming from. The recipe couldn’t be any easier. The left over ribs make great sandwiches with sweet roles the next day. Thanks for the recipe!
Tracy says
Thanks, Christine! So glad you enjoyed them!!
Cara says
Love it, I use this recipe every time I make ribs In the oven as I am doing for dinner tonight.
Tracy says
Thanks, Cara!! This makes me so happy to hear!
Sandy says
OMG this was awesome and amazing and my husband and 18 year old son devoured everything. I followed the recipe exactly! I’ll definitely do this recipe again!! Thanks
Tracy says
That makes me so happy to hear, Sandy!!
J Beau says
I made these last week and I’m making them again, today! They are so moist and delicious! The only thing I altered, was adding a rub and olive oil, prior to the first round of cooking. I let them sit for 20 minutes and then popped them in the oven.
Thank you for sharing! Yum!!
Tracy says
Thanks, J! So glad you enjoyed them!!