Grilled Country Style Ribs

Mouthwateringly tender pork ribs slathered in your favorite BBQ sauce, you won't be able to put these grilled country style ribs down!

Country ribs are perfect when you crave a change of pace from traditional barbecue. I love this easy recipe, not only because the ribs taste phenomenal with a few simple ingredients, but, best of all, they are exceptionally inexpensive to purchase at the grocery store.

What are country style ribs?

Country Style Ribs are cut from the blade end of the loin but can also contain some pork shoulder (they are actually closer to being pork chops than regular pork ribs). These are boneless ribs in the sense that they don't contain actual rib bones, however, they can still contain a portion of the shoulder blade.

This is an incredibly meaty cut that also features a good bit of fat, making it ideal for slow smoking or grilling at a low temperature. As country ribs linger on the grill the fat and connective tissue will begin to melt and the meat will turn mouthwateringly tender.

Ingredients & Substitutions

• Country Style Pork Ribs - You can find country style ribs as both pork and beef cuts. Though this particular recipe features pork, both would taste great lacquered in BBQ! Feel free to grab boneless country style ribs as well if desired.
• Yellow Mustard - Coating the meat with mustard adds flavor and helps the seasonings stick.
• BBQ Dry Rub - Mix together my BBQ dry rub recipe in a small bowl or use your favorite spice rub. My rub is a spice mixture of brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dry mustard, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.
• BBQ Sauce - Homemade or your favorite barbecue sauce is fine, just use whatever your personal preference is. These ribs even taste great without any sauce, if you wish to let the dry rub shine.

How to make them

Before grilling your ribs, they need to be prepped by coating them with a thin layer of mustard, then dusting them with your dry rub seasoning.

The best way to grill country style ribs is over indirect heat. If using a charcoal grill, place ribs opposite as the charcoal. If using a gas grill turn on a burner away from the meat.

If you light too many charcoal briquets at once the grill will run hot. You can close the air vents to reduce oxygen which will slow the burn, however, the best way to prevent this is to only light a handful of briquets and set them on a pile of unlit briquets. This will allow the heat to slowly spread over the course of your cooking session. Remember, low and slow is your grilling mantra with these ribs!

I recommend using a chimney starter for this recipe. Not only do they work great for lighting charcoal, using 1 full chimney will ensure you are using enough charcoal.

Grill ribs in a single layer on the portion of the grate opposite your heat source. Close lid on your grill and rotate the ribs every 30 minutes. After cooking for two hours, paint them liberally with BBQ sauce, then add a second coat of sauce 30 minutes later. Finally, the ribs are done after three hours, or when tender.

Note: Cooking time can vary due to grilling temperature or the thickness of the meat. If your ribs are burning the temperature is too hot and the ribs should be backed away from the heat. If they are still tough (but not burnt) after three hours the temperature may have been too low and should be grilled longer.

What side dishes to serve with country-style ribs?

For the best cookout your neighborhood has ever seen, be sure to add equally flavorful side dishes to the menu. My homemade baked beans, homemade coleslaw, and potato salad recipes are barbeque musts! Grilled corn on the cob is a wonderful hearty side dish as well!