Slow-Roasted Country-Style Ribs in Sweet Barbecue Sauce

Country-style pork ribs are thick and meaty—and usually fatty. You can trim off the outer fat, but plenty will remain within the meat. These kinds of ribs benefit most from low-and-slow cooking, whether they’re braised in a tasty broth or roasted at a very low temperature with sauce added toward the end.

Country-Style Ribs

I opted for the latter here because it gives me the opportunity to pour off the rendered fat from the ribs after about an hour and a half of slow cooking. With the liquid gone from the pan, I smothered ribs with barbecue sauce for the last half hour in the oven.

Honey and brown sugar provide the sweetness in the sauce, balanced by tangy cider vinegar and Dijon mustard. But I just can’t leave out the spice altogether, so the chipotle chile and Tabasco add a little flavorful heat.

Note: Country-style ribs are rarely uniform in size and shape. Some make a single serving while others may be large enough to serve two people. Judge for yourself how many you’ll need.

If you like tender ribs on the grill, check out Slow-Grilled Western Ribs with Carolina-Style Barbecue Sauce.    

Serves 4

Ingredients

For the Ribs

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 large boneless country-style pork ribs (7-8 oz each)
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper

For the Sauce

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp finely chopped onion
• 1 8-oz can no-salt tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp Tabasco sauce (or other bottled hot sauce)
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Chipotle, Garlic, and Onion

Preparation

For the Ribs

1. Preheat the oven to 250° F. Line a large, 3-inch deep baking pan with aluminum foil.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil, swirling to coat. Season the ribs with salt and pepper and sear until browned, 4-5 minutes per side.

Ribs Beginning to Brown 

Browned Ribs Ready to Roast

1. Transfer the ribs to the prepared baking pan and cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil. Roast, turning halfway through, 1-1/2 hours.
2. Transfer the ribs to plate, being careful not to let the meat fall apart. Pour the fat from the pan and return the ribs to it.
3. Add the barbecue sauce (recipe follows) to the pan and carefully turn the ribs to coat. Roast uncovered 30 minutes.

Ribs after 1.5 Hours

Sauce Added

Ribs with Sauce

Plate the sauced ribs and serve hot.

Slow-Roasted Country-Style Ribs in Sweet Barbecue Sauce

For the Sauce

1. Heat a small saucepan over medium-low heat and add the olive oil. Add the garlic, chipotle chile, and onion and cook, stirring frequently, 3 minutes.
2. Increase the heat to medium and add the tomato sauce and next 7 ingredients (through Tabasco sauce) and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook 10 minutes.

Garlic Mixture Beginning to Cook

Sauce Beginning to Cook

Cooked Sauce

The sauce may be prepared several hours or a day ahead. Let cool, then place in a sealable container. Refrigerate until ready to use and re-warm gently over low heat before adding to the ribs.