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These country style ribs cook low and slow until they’re fork tender, then get brushed with barbecue sauce and finished under the broiler for a sticky, caramelized coating.
No smoker, no grill, and no standing outside pretending the weather is fine. Just tender oven-baked country style ribs with a thick barbecue coating and very little fuss.
Bone-in or boneless both work here. The key is keeping the pan covered while the pork cooks, then waiting to add the sauce until the meat is already tender. Add it too early and it just steams into the pan.
Highlights For Oven Baked Country Style Ribs
Low-and-slow cooking does the heavy lifting. Country style ribs are cut from pork shoulder, so they need time for the connective tissue to soften. The low oven gives them that time without drying them out.
A little liquid goes a long way. The water and apple cider vinegar in the pan create steam while the ribs cook under the foil, helping keep the meat tender during the long cooking time.
The sauce goes on at the end. Adding barbecue sauce after the ribs are tender prevents the sauce from becoming thin and watery while the meat cooks.
The double coating creates better texture. The first layer of sauce sticks to the meat while the second layer caramelizes under the broiler, creating a thick, sticky finish.
Buying Country Style Ribs
Country style ribs usually come from the pork shoulder, the same cut used for pulled pork. That’s why they do so well with low-and-slow cooking.
The one thing to watch for is pork loin country style ribs. They’re much leaner and won’t become as tender with this method. Look for packages labeled pork shoulder country style ribs or pork butt country style ribs when possible.
Bone-in and boneless both work here. Boneless ribs are often easier to find and may cook a little faster, while bone-in ribs usually take a bit longer. Either way, start checking around 2½ hours and cook until the meat is fork tender before adding the sauce.
Key Ingredients
Country style pork ribs: Look for shoulder-cut ribs rather than loin-cut ribs. The extra marbling helps keep them moist and tender during the long cooking time.
Seasoning salt: A simple seasoning blend lets the flavor of the pork and barbecue sauce shine through.
Apple cider vinegar: Combined with water in the pan, it helps create a moist environment while the ribs cook.
Barbecue sauce: Use your favorite store-bought sauce or make a batch of homemade Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce for a tangy twist.
If you enjoy homemade barbecue sauces, my Chocolate Chipotle Barbecue Sauce is another great option with these ribs.
Recipe Tips
Keep the pan tightly covered. The foil traps steam and helps prevent the ribs from drying out during the long cooking time.
Wait to add the barbecue sauce. Adding sauce too early causes it to thin out while the ribs cook. For the best texture, add it after the ribs are tender.
Use tenderness as your primary guide. The ribs should be easy to pierce with a fork before they’re finished.
A thermometer can help confirm doneness. Country style ribs become exceptionally tender when they reach about 195°F to 205°F. The temperature isn’t a substitute for checking tenderness, but it can help remove the guesswork.
Watch the broiler carefully. Barbecue sauce contains sugar and can go from beautifully caramelized to burnt in a hurry.
Trim excess fat if needed. Leave a thin layer in place. As it renders, it helps keep the meat moist and flavorful.
If you’re looking for a faster recipe, my Instant Pot Country Style Ribs provide similar results in a fraction of the time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Country style ribs are safe to eat well before they become tender. For the best texture, cook them until they are fork tender and have an internal temperature between 195°F and 205°F. This allows the connective tissue to break down and create that fall-apart texture.
The most common reason is that they need more time. If the ribs aren’t fork tender, cover them again and continue cooking. Another possibility is that you purchased pork loin country style ribs instead of shoulder-cut ribs.
Make sure the oven rack is positioned close enough to the broiler and give the sauce enough time to bubble and darken slightly. Keep a close eye on it because barbecue sauce can burn quickly.
Absolutely. The seasoned ribs are flavorful on their own. You can serve them dry, add a different finishing sauce, or brush them with a glaze of your choice.
Tender Oven-Baked Country Style Ribs
These country style ribs are one of those recipes that rewards patience. Most of the cooking time is hands-off, and the oven does all the work while the pork slowly becomes tender.
Serve them with a side of Picnic Potato Salad or BBQ Black Beans for a classic barbecue-style meal.
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Country Style Pork Ribs in the Oven
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Ingredients
- 3 pounds country-style pork ribs, bone-in or boneless
- 1 tablespoon seasoning salt, homemade or store-bought
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 to 3 cups barbecue sauce, homemade or store-bought
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300°F.
- Place the ribs on a foil-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle the seasoning salt all over the ribs.
- Add the water and apple cider vinegar to the bottom of the baking sheet and cover the baking sheet with tin foil.
- Cook the ribs until fork tender. This will take anywhere from 2 ½ to 3 ½ hours depending on the size of your ribs. Check them after 2 ½ hours and continue to cook them if they are not tender.
- Remove the ribs from the oven, raise the oven so it is 6 inches under the broiler. Turn the oven to broil.
- Place the ribs on a platter then pour off the fat and liquid in the bottom of the baking sheet. Return the ribs to the baking sheet.
- Brush on side of the ribs with barbecue sauce. Broil for 3 to 5 minutes then turn the ribs over, brush the other side of the ribs and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes.
- Repeat the process again so the ribs get a double coating of sweet sticky barbecue sauce. Watch the ribs closely while they are under the broiler as they can burn quickly.
- Remove the ribs from the oven, tent with foil and let them rest for 10 minutes.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
Can I make these ahead of time and then broil them when I want? Cook in the morning and broil them at night?
Yes, that will work. The broiler isn’t meant to warm them up very much though. It is just meant to caramelize the sauce so you may want need to heat them in the oven at 300°F for about 15 minutes.
Thank you! @Dahn Boquist,
@Dahn Boquist,
Making it ahead worked out great! I heated it up for 15 min. Then continued with the broiler. What do you do with the left over broth?
If you put the leftover broth in a jar and chill it in the fridge then you can skim the fat off the top and save the broth for soups
I made this rib recipe for dinner tonight and it was a hit!! After a 10 hour shift, my daughters mate was very pleased to have a delicious and filling meal to finish the day;) Adding this recipe to my rotating meal plans!
Well a 10 hour work shift deserves a good, hearty meal! I’m glad it was a hit. Thanks for the comment
I made these ribs yesterday. I mixed Hunts Original BBQ sauce with Apricot Preserves for the sauce. They were very easy to make, tender, and delicious! Will definitely make them again. I also made the “make ahead mashed potatoes”. They were great also. Thank you for the recipes.
Oh, thanks for the comment, Katrina. That sauce sounds amazing with the apricot preserves. So glad you liked the mashed potatoes too 😉
Me and my husband absolutely loved these!!!!!! They were so tender and the taste was absolutely amazing…… thank you for posting this recipe!!! Loved them!!!! I never left a comment…. you are my first!!!! AWESOME!!!!
,!
Wow, that is a great complement if this is your first comment. Thank you. I am so happy to hear you enjoyed them.
I was skeptical because of the vinegar but followed your recipe to the t . I first got these thinking it was some thing different. So I had to pintrest recipes and quickly found this one . I’m glad I did my whole family loved it . My son first said mom that’s yucky while it cooked but once he tried it all made he was so happy . Thanks for the easy to follow recipe
Oh thanks, Ashley. That’s funny about your son but I do have to agree with him. They really are not very pretty but sometimes ugly food is really delicious 😉
Your method is the BOMB! I LOVE how the fat and collagen turn to gooey, STICKY, lip-smacking perfection. I had been cooking them exposed and they came out dry and tough. The foil and vinegar made them fork tender. Twice under the broiler is the perfect finishing touch. Excellent work.
Thank you, I’m so glad you liked it.
Can I use regular vinegar my apple cider ha expired
Hi there! That would work just fine, Cak…thanks for your question!
Made it last night. Great recipe – simple, yet resulted in a delicious meal. thank you
Thanks for the comment, glad you liked it 🙂
Tried this recipe tonight. My family was not fond of them at all. They said there was too much fat and they didn’t like all the small bones. I don’t like pork ribs, so I just took one bite of each kind- just to try them. I made one pan with BBQ sauce and left one pan without. (I used a dry rub on both sides). But 2 of the 4 of us are very picky eaters, so I wasn’t surprised.
Your recipe was wonderfully written and explained nicely, so that made it very easy on me, which I appreciate. Hope to try some regular ribs next. (Not “country” pork ribs)
Thanks for your comment. Yes, country-style pork ribs do have more fat on them than regular ribs. If you want to re-purpose them, you could remove the bones and the large chunks of fat then warm them up again and shred them for sandwiches. The family might like them better as shredded pork sandwiches or shredded pork over rice???
Literally melt-in-mouth ans so flavourful…they must have tasted amazingly delicious!
They are incredible Angie, thanks for the comment.