It’s a truly easy recipe - the oven does all the work! So sit back, relax, and await your fabulous meal. I’m a big fan of simply cooked fatty meats such as beef back ribs, ribeye roast, and leg of lamb. I’m also a fan of oven-baking, the ultimate hands-off approach to cooking. Season a fatty cut of meat, bake until tender, then briefly broil. Easy! This is the technique I use when making oven brisket, and I use the same approach when making these ribs. It’s one of my favorite cuts at Costco, second only to their pork belly.
Instructions
Recipe Card
Boneless pork shoulder country style ribs: I usually get them at Costco. Smoked salt: It’s important to use smoked salt and not regular salt in this recipe. The smoky flavor dramatically enhances the flavor of the ribs. Spices: I use black pepper, smoked paprika, dried thyme, and cayenne pepper. Like smoked salt, smoked paprika is significantly better in this recipe than regular paprika.
The pork shoulder is a well-marbled and flavorful cut. Its marbling makes it rich and juicy. It should be cooked low and slow to break down tough connective tissue. I use it when making pork roast and slow cooker carnitas.
Pork loin is a leaner cut from the back of the animal. It has less marbling and fat. It’s suitable for quick cooking (such as grilling) and should not be overcooked, or it will become dry.
Since we’re cooking the ribs low and slow in this recipe, it’s important to use pork shoulder ribs. Ribs cut from the loin will dry out during prolonged cooking.
These pork loin ribs will not work in this recipe:
The package should expressly state “Pork Shoulder Country Style Ribs.” So, these ribs from Costco will work in this recipe, as well as these ribs from Sam’s Club. If the ribs don’t state that they come from the shoulder, please don’t use them in this recipe.
Arrange the ribs in a rimmed baking dish. Mix the spices and sprinkle them on top of the ribs.
Cover the pan tightly with foil and bake the ribs for two hours in a 325°F oven.
Transfer the ribs to a broiler-safe pan. Turn them so the fat side is on top (you want to expose the fat to the broiler element), and baste them with the pan liquids. Broil them briefly to brown the fat, keeping a close eye on them while under the broiler.
Serve immediately. Look how gorgeous they are when they are ready!
As for sides, I like to serve these ribs with a simple side dish such as a salad or a steamed veggie. So, I often serve them with one of the following:
Arugula salad Steamed cabbage Cucumber tomato salad Steamed asparagus Cucumber salad Steamed broccoli Steamed spinach Asparagus salad
