Country Style Ribs
Deliciously seasoned pork chops, simmered low and slow in a flavorful sauce until they fall off the bone, turn into country-style ribs. That mouthwatering combination of spices, acidity from Dijon mustard, and natural sweetness from the onion delivers an economical comfort food dinner.
This is a big revelation, but I am more on team beef because I love steaks and stir-fry! But when pork is done right, it almost sways me to the other team.
I still remember the first time we had country-style ribs in a Southern comfort food restaurant. Juicy, fork-tender pork chops with plenty of slow-cooked flavors are definitely my jam. By the way, bone-in and boneless are both worth making.
What Makes Country-Style Ribs
It may come as a surprise, but these guys aren’t ribs at all. They’re pork chops from the shoulder end of the loin, and you use the same cut when making carnitas or pulled pork. That’s even more reason to love this recipe: they’re more economical and far meatier than true pork ribs. They also have that beautiful marbling of fat that keeps them moist during slow cooking, rendering them fall-apart tender and juicy!
How to Make Country-Style Ribs
- Season the pork with salt, pepper, Creole seasoning, minced garlic, and half of the rosemary and thyme. Layer the onions with the other half of the rosemary and thyme in a baking pan, add the pork, cover, and bake.
- Remove the cover and cook until the pork browns and the liquid reduces. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips and Twists
- For BBQ country-style ribs, pour homemade BBQ sauce over them for the last 30 minutes after removing the foil. You can also use store-bought barbecue sauce.
- Add a teaspoon or two of apple cider vinegar for extra flavor and tenderness.
- This recipe also works great for chicken if you don’t eat pork.
Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions
Season and layer the ingredients in the baking dish, cover with plastic wrap, and keep it in the fridge for later. You can do it in the morning or the night before for stress-free meal prep.
Leftover pork stores well in the fridge for 3-4 days or the freezer for 3-4 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, cover, and bake for about 20 minutes in a preheated 250℉ (120℃) oven. Baste the ribs with barbecue sauce to prevent drying out.
What Pairs With Oven-Braised Country-Style Ribs
Southern comfort food main dishes go tastefully well with mashed potatoes, potato salad, or white rice. To lighten things up, coleslaw, green beans, and shaved Brussels sprouts work well. Mac and cheese and cornbread turn it into soul food.
More Drool-Worthy Pork Recipes to Try
- Pulled Pork Sandwich
- Air-Fryer Pork Chops
- Smoked Pulled Pork
- Easy Smothered Pork Chops
- Smoked Sausage
Watch How to Make It
[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”IPTpZbXQ” upload-date=”2019-04-01T03:51:13.000Z” name=”Country Style Ribs” description=”Country Style Ribs – fall-apart tender country style ribs slowly cooked in the oven oozing with flavors and aroma using only 6 simple ingredients. Rich, tender, economical and so easy to make!”]
This blog post was originally published in November 2018 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video.
Country Style Pork Ribs
Ingredients
- 3 pounds (1.5kg) boneless country-style ribs (pork shoulder or loin)
- salt and pepper to taste (¾-1 teaspoon each per pound of pork is average)
- 1 tablespoon (15g) Creole seasoning
- 2 teaspoons (8g) minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon (15g) Dijon mustard
- 3 tablespoons or more (8g) minced thyme (divided)
- 2 tablespoons or more (6g) minced rosemary (divided)
- 1 large onion, sliced
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350℉ (180℃).
- Season the pork with the salt, pepper, Creole seasoning, minced garlic, and Dijon mustard, half of the thyme and rosemary, and rub well until thoroughly coated.
- Layer the sliced onions in a shallow baking pan or roaster and sprinkle the other half of the thyme and rosemary over them.
- Arrange the pork in a single layer on top of the onions, add more seasonings if desired, cover the pan with foil, and bake for about an hour.
- After an hour, uncover the pan and continue cooking for about 30 minutes until the liquid reduces and the pork browns nicely.
- Serve your country-style ribs with mashed potatoes and pan drippings.
Tips & Notes:
- When looking for packaged country-style ribs, go for the ones with similar sizes for even cooking.
- You don’t need to grease the roasting pan because the pork will release enough fat as it cooks.
- For easy clean-up, use a disposable foil pan.
- Letting your meat rest for 10 minutes after taking it off the heat allows the juices to reabsorb for juicier meat.
- Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
I’ve saved & cooked quite a few country style rib recipes, but yours is the one I always fall back on & for good reason! I’ve been cooking for decades & some recipes are just classics – this one is forgiving & adaptable, always turns out well, & the flavor is great. And it works just as well with chicken following your suggestion in the Variations. This is like a favorite comfort food for our family. Thanks so much for sharing!
Awesome!!! Thank you, you just made my day.
can I cook this in crockpot? Time?
Yes, Chris. It should take 4-6 hours on high or 8-10 hours on low. Please let me know how it goes if you decide to make it in a slow cooker.
Made this last night and it was amazing! I used my Dutch oven and added sliced potato’s under the onions for a one pot meal. It was perfection!
Amazing! That sounds absolutely delicious! Thanks for stopping by, Stacey!
Just made this dish for my wife, it was a hit. I take pictures of each of my accomplishments, wish I could share.
Your wife is one lucky lady :)! I would love to see your pictures. Please feel free to tag me on your pictures on any social media platform.
Oh that’s a winner right here!!! I need to check out some more of your recipes!!
Hi Shawn,
I’m thrilled to hear that the Country Style Ribs were a hit! There’s nothing like nailing a recipe and having it turn out to be a winner.
Thank you for the compliment, and I’m excited for you to explore more recipes. Whether you’re in the mood for more comfort food, something exotic, or a sweet treat, there’s plenty to choose from.
Your enthusiasm is what makes sharing recipes so rewarding. Keep cooking and keep enjoying! ️✨
This is a great recipe! Can you freeze after cooking?
Yes, you can. Thanks for trying the recipe.:heart_eyes:
The recipe is a liar in regards to cook time. The card says 30 minutes for cook but the instructions state to cover for and cook for 60 minutes and then uncover and cook for an additional 30 minutes. 90 minutes is more then 30 minutes.
Thank you for catching that. I love cooking, but math not so much.
Agree!
Imma this sounds delicious! I have been making something similar but definitely going to try your recipe.
I am also interested in trying it with chicken, what cut would you recommend?
thanks so much for your recipes, I lived for 18 yrs in Jamaica where my love of cooking really flavorful recipes developed, so am just loving your blog
sue
That sounds awesome. ❤️ Chicken thighs would be my preferred cut for this recipe. Let me know how it goes.