If you want ribs, but you want something quick and easy, give some thought to trying country style ribs. They are not actually ribs at all though. Instead they come from a pork shoulder or butt that has been sliced in such a way that they look like traditional ribs. I have no idea why they are called country style though. Perhaps it is because they are not all uniform, kind of trashy, and crazy cheap. All I know, is that they are delicious.
Cooking them can be a little tricky. They can have a tendency to dry out, or dry out in certain spots, but not others. Any time you cook a pork shoulder, you want a low slow process and these country style ribs are no different. There are a few simple steps to take to try to prevent the meat from drying out though:
- Brine the ribs beforehand
- Keep your temperature steady
- Use INDIRECT heat
As far as flavor and/or sauce is concerned, I have found that using a liquid sauce is perhaps the easiest way to ruin a good meal. A good brown sugar rub can carmalize and combine with the rendering fat and create a great finger licking sauce on its own.
Ingredients
- 5 lbs Country style ribs
- 1 cup (packed) Dark Brown Sugar
- 3 Tablespoon Paprika
- 2 Tablespoon Kosher Salt
- 1 Tablespoon Black Pepper
- 1 Tablespoon Galric Powder
- 1 teaspoon Dry Mustard
Directions
- Trim excess fat if there is any
- Brined the ribs for 30 minutes in a 5% solution
- Mix together the dry ingredients and create the rub
- Coat the ribs thoroughly
- Pack the ribs away in a large Ziploc bag and refrigerate overnight
- Heat grill to 300 degrees
- Push coals to one side of the grill
- Lay the ribs out on the other side of the grill
- Cook for about an hour
- Target temperature should be 165 degrees
