• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Chef Dennis
  • Recipe Index
  • On the Road
  • About
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • Contact
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipe Index
    • About
    • Contact
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Pork Recipes

    Smoked Country Style Ribs

    Published: Jul 4, 2023 by Chef Ryan Littley

    7 shares
    • Facebook
    • Email
    5 from 32 votes
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Wouldn’t you love to sit down to a plateful of my tender, juicy, Smoked Country Style Ribs? Coated with a savory pork rub and finished with a tangy barbecue sauce for the perfect combination of sweet and spicy.

    Smoked country style ribs with bbq sauce on a white platter.

    With just a few minutes of prep work, you’ll have my country-style ribs in the smoker, and then it’s time to let them cook low and slow until the meat is melt in your mouth tender and oh-so flavorful.

    Table of Contents:

    • Ingredients to make smoked country-style ribs
    • What are country-style ribs?
    • How to make smoked country-style ribs
    • Can I use other seasonings in my pork rub?
    • Recipe FAQ’s
    • More Recipes You’ll Love!
    • Smoked Country Style Ribs
      • Equipment
      • Ingredients
      • Instructions
      • Nutrition

    Ingredients to make smoked country-style ribs

    ingredients for recipe.

    Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make Smoked Country Style ribs. In Chef Speak, this is called the “Mise en Place,” which translates to “Everything in its Place.”

    Not only does setting up your ingredients ahead of time speed up the cooking process, it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.

    What are country-style ribs?

    Well, they’re not actually ribs. Country-style pork ribs come from the shoulder area of the pig. It’s a cut that is taken from the blade end of the pork loin close to the shoulder. This cut includes parts of the pork shoulder blade bone and is characterized by a good amount of marbling, which makes it tender and flavorful when cooked.

    How to make smoked country-style ribs

    collage of seasonings for recipe.
    • Add the spices for the rub to a small bowl.
    • Mix well to combine seasonings.

    Can I use other seasonings in my pork rub?

    Yes, you can. The key to making delicious smoked ribs that you and your family will love is to use seasonings that you enjoy eating. Changing up the spices in this simple dry rub is easy and definitely something you can do each time you prepare smoked ribs, beef, pork, or chicken.

    Other seasonings you could add to your spice rub are cumin, chili powder, dry oregano, ground ginger, turmeric, and coriander. You can also use your favorite seasoning blend. Cajun seasoning, jerk seasoning, barbecue seasoning, and Old Bay seasoning can be used instead of making your own dry rub.

    pork rubbed with olive oil on a white platter.

    Rub the ribs with olive oil to give the pork rub something to attach to. You can also use brown mustard or Dijon mustard as the base coat instead of olive oil. I prefer using olive oil as it doesn’t alter the taste of the pork. But if you like the taste of mustard, it will add the overall flavor.

    seasoned pork in foil pan.

    Spread the rub generously over the country-style pork ribs making sure to season all sides of the ribs for a well-balanced flavor. If you have time, let the pork sit for 30 minutes to allow the seasonings to seep into the pork.

    This also lets the meat come to room temperature before smoking.

    Hand inserting wood chips into smoker.
    • Preheat the smoker to 250 degrees.
    • Add the wood chips of your choice to the smoker. I used pecan wood chips for these ribs.
    ribs in smoker.

    For this recipe, I cooked the country-style ribs in a foil pan. You could place them directly on the grill grates if you like. Place the pan in the smoker and cook for 2 hours.

    After 2 hours, remove the ribs from the smoker and cover the foil pan with aluminum foil and return to the smoker for an additional 1 hour or until the ribs reach an internal temperature of 195 degrees F. with a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the ribs. 

    Smoked country style ribs on a white platter.

    When the ribs reach 195 degrees F. remove them from the smoker.

    Smoked country style ribs with bbq sauce on a white platter.

    Slather the ribs with your favorite brand of barbecue sauce (or my semi-homemade bbq sauce) and return them to the smoker to cook for an additional 30 minutes.

    Remove the ribs from the smoker and allow them to rest for 15 minutes before serving. Serve with your favorite sides and more barbecue sauce. My Creamy Cole Slaw and Macaroni Salad are two of my favorite side dishes.

    Recipe FAQ’s

    What cut of pork is country-style ribs?

    Country-style pork ribs come from the shoulder area of the pig. They’re not actually ribs but rather a cut that is taken from the blade end of the pork loin close to the shoulder. This cut includes parts of the pork shoulder blade bone and is characterized by a good amount of marbling, which makes it tender and flavorful when cooked.

    How long does it take to smoke country-style ribs?

    Smoking the ribs at 250°F will take 3.5-4 hours. The internal temperature needs to be between 195-205 degrees for tender and juicy ribs.

    Do country-style ribs have bones?

    Some cuts may include pieces of the pork shoulder blade bone, but there are no rib bones running through the middle of the rib.

    More Recipes You’ll Love!

    • Smoked St. Louis Style Ribs
    • 3 half racks of grilled baby back ribs on a white platter
      Grilled Baby Back Ribs w/ Dry Rub Step by Step
    • Barbecued short ribs in a white casserole
      Easy Baked BBQ Short Ribs
    • overhead view of barbecued half racks of baby back ribs on a white platter
      Easy Oven Baked Baby Back Ribs

    Did you make this? Please RATE THE RECIPE below!

    Please SUBSCRIBE and FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST!

    Chef's Choice
    Masterbuilt 30-inch Digital Electric Smoker
    Masterbuilt 30-inch Digital Electric Smoker
    $279.99

    An electric smoker takes all the work out of smoking your favorite meats and seafood. This is the smoker I use for all my recipes.

    Buy On Amazon
    This post includes affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
    09/25/2023 03:48 pm GMT
    Chef's Choice
    ThermoPro Twin Wireless Meat Thermometer
    ThermoPro Twin Wireless Meat Thermometer
    $129.99

    I love the ThermoPro wireless meat thermometers. The easy to use app makes it easy to track the temperatures of the meats and seafood your cooking.

    Buy On Amazon
    This post includes affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
    09/25/2023 04:04 pm GMT
    Top Choice
    Western BBQ Smoking Wood Chips Variety Pack
    Western BBQ Smoking Wood Chips Variety Pack
    $25.99

    You get a great variety of wood chips with this starter pack. You get one bag of apple, cheery, mesquite, and hickory wood chips in each variety pack.

    Buy On Amazon
    This post includes affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
    09/25/2023 03:53 pm GMT
    Chef's Choice
    Heat Resistant Oven Gloves & Grilling Gloves
    Heat Resistant Oven Gloves & Grilling Gloves
    $15.98 ($7.99 / Count)

    These gloves take all the worry out of handling hot foods. These are perfect for grilling, smoking or removing pans from the oven.

    Buy On Amazon
    This post includes affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
    09/25/2023 04:08 pm GMT
    Smoked country style ribs with bbq sauce on a white platter.
    Print Recipe Save Saved!
    5 from 32 votes

    Smoked Country Style Ribs

    Wouldn't you love to sit down to a plateful of my tender, juicy, Smoked Country Style Ribs? Coated with a savory pork rub and finished with a tangy barbecue sauce for the perfect combination of sweet and spicy
    Prep Time10 minutes mins
    Cook Time3 hours hrs 30 minutes mins
    Total Time3 hours hrs 40 minutes mins
    Course: Entree
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 377kcal
    Author: Chef Ryan Littley

    Equipment

    • Smoker
    • Western Wood Chips
    • Wireless Meat Thermometer
    • Heat Resistant Gloves

    Ingredients

    • 3 lbs country style pork ribs
    • 2 tablespoon kosher salt
    • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
    • 1 tablespoon onion powder
    • 2 teaspoon cumin
    • 2 teaspoon black pepper
    • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
    • 1 teaspoon paprika
    • 1 cup barbecue sauce your favorite brand or my semi-homemade bbq sauce
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Add the spices for the rub to a small bowl.
    • Mix to combine seasonings.
    • Rub the ribs with olive oil to give the pork rub something to attach to.
      You can also use brown mustard or Dijon mustard as the base coat instead of olive oil. I prefer using olive oil as it doesn’t alter the taste of the pork. But if you like the taste of mustard, it will add the overall flavor.
    • Spread the rub generously over the country-style pork ribs making sure to season all sides of the ribs for a well-balanced flavor.
      If you have time, let the pork sit for 30 minutes to allow the seasonings to seep into the pork. This also lets the meat come to room temperature before smoking.
    • Preheat Smoker to 250 degrees.
    • Add the wood chips of your choice to the smoker. I used pecan wood chips for these ribs.
    • For this recipe, I cooked the country-style ribs in a foil pan. You could place them directly on the grill grates if you like. Place the pan in the smoker and cook for 2 hours.
    • After 2 hours, remove the ribs from the smoker and cover the foil pan with aluminum foil and return to the smoker for an additional 1 hour or until the ribs reach an internal temperature of 195 degrees F. with a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the ribs. 
    • Carefully open the foil and slather the ribs with your favorite brand of barbecue sauce, or try my semi-homemade bbq sauce.
    • Return the ribs to the smoker and cook for an additional 30 minutes.
    • Remove the ribs from the smoker and allow them to rest for 10 – 15 minutes before serving.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 377kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 109mg | Sodium: 1845mg | Potassium: 637mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 295IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @askChefDennis or tag #askChefDennis!

    More Pork Recipes

    • bbq smoked pulled pork butt on a white platter.
      Smoked Pulled Pork Butt (Smoked Pork Shoulder)
    • One whole and one sliced smoked pork loin on a white platter.
      Smoked Pork Tenderloins
    • Barbecued country style pork ribs on a white platter.
      Easy Country Style Pork Ribs {Oven Baked}
    • smoked pork belly burn ends with barbecue sauce in a glass bowl.
      Smoked Pork Belly Burnt Ends

    About Chef Dennis

    Picture of Chef Dennis

    Chef Dennis Littley is a classically trained chef with over 40 years of experience working in the food service industry. In his second career as a food blogger he has made it his mission to demistify cooking by sharing his time-tested recipes, knowledge, and chef tips to help you create easy-to-make restaurant-quality meals in your home kitchen. Let Chef Dennis help you bring the joy of cooking into your home. For more details, check out his About page.

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Comment Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar


    My name is Dennis Littley or “Chef Dennis” as I’m known both at work and across the blogosphere. As a classically trained chef with 40+ years of experience in the kitchen, I share my time-tested recipes, knowledge, and chef tips to help you create easy-to-make restaurant-quality meals in your home kitchen.

    More about me →

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    Fan Favorites

    • loaf of homemade artisan bread on a wooden cutting board
      Almost No-Knead Artisan Bread Recipe
    • 2 Maryland crab cakes on a white plate
      Jumbo Lump Maryland Crab Cakes
    • chicken parm with pasta on a white plate
      Chicken Parmesan Recipe
    • seasoned crispy chicken legs on a foil wrapped tray
      Best Baked Chicken Legs {Drumsticks}
    • side view of slice of bee sting cake being taken out of full cake
      German Bee Sting Cake (Bienenstich) Recipe
    • Tiramisu with a fork on a white plate
      Best Tiramisu Recipe {step by step}
    • overhead view of barbecued half racks of baby back ribs on a white platter
      Easy Oven Baked Baby Back Ribs
    • overhead view of veal parm and linguine on a white plate
      Restaurant Style Veal Parm Recipe

    Featured In

    Collage showing where Ask Chef Dennis has been featured.

    Popular Posts

    • crispy seasoned chicken leg quarters on a white platter
      Best Baked Chicken Leg Quarters
    • cropped-Gunniess-Beef-Stew-13.jpg
      Authentic Guinness Beef Stew Recipe
    • overhead shot of baked crab imperial on a white plate with sauteed greens and roasted potatoes
      Maryland Style Jumbo Lump Crab Imperial
    • close up of half a chicken salad sandwich on a white plate
      Best Chicken Salad – Deli Style
    • oysters rockefeller with a slice of lemon on a bed of rock salt on a white platter
      How to Make Restaurant Style Oysters Rockefeller
    • sliced dry rub roasted brisket with cilantro and tomatoes on on a white platter
      Easy Oven Baked Beef Brisket Recipe
    • rack of pork with end cut off
      Oven Roasted Rack of Pork {Pork Rib Roast}
    • sliced meatloaf with the rest of meatloaf on a white platter
      Classic Meatloaf Recipe with Zesty Glaze

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    INFO

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclosure Policy
    • Cookie Policy
    • Accessibility Policy

    SUBSCRIBE

    Sign Up Today and start getting my easy-to-make restaurant-quality recipes!

    CONTACT

    • About
    • Contact
    © 2009-2023 · Ask Chef Dennis ·

    Proud Member of:
    Mediavine Publisher Network