My country style ribs are boneless pork ribs rubbed with a simple spice mix and baked low and slow in the oven until they're fork-tender. You get barbecue flavor without firing up the grill.
You’ll find the full recipe with ingredient amounts and instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Be sure to check out the blog post itself for extra tips and tricks!
Country Style Ribs Flavor Snapshot
How it tastes
Heat: Mild
Want some kick? Add a pinch of cayenne to the rub or use a spicy BBQ sauce.
Difficulty
Simple
Rub, cover, bake, and glaze. The oven does most of the work.
When I moved to North Carolina, I started eating barbecue like crazy. Every time I saw a pack of these pork ribs at the grocery store, I picked one up and made them.
My favorite way to cook them is in the oven because it's so simple. They aren't a quick weeknight dinner since they bake for a couple of hours, but they're an easy one. Most of that time is hands-off, and you end up with tender ribs full of flavor. I follow the same rules I use for any barbecue: a good spice rub at the start and a good sauce at the end.
Happy Cooking,
Tanya
If you love ribs as much as we do, try my BBQ Air Fryer Ribs and my Oven Baked Beef Ribs.
A Quick Look at the Ingredients
Ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions are on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Country-style pork ribs - At my store, the package just says "pork ribs," so look for thick, meaty strips, not baby back or spare ribs. I buy boneless, and sometimes a few pieces still have a little tip of bone on the end. That's fine. Most country-style ribs are cut from the pork shoulder, which is why they get tender with a long, slow bake.
- Yellow mustard - This is the glue that holds the rub on the ribs.
- The rub - Light brown sugar, paprika, kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt. If you use Morton, use about half as much, because it's saltier by the spoonful.
- BBQ sauce - I use whatever's in my fridge. If I have my homemade BBQ sauce, I use that. If not, it's usually Sweet Baby Ray's.
Tools to Gather
- Oven
- 13x9-inch baking pan
- Aluminum foil
- Small bowl
- Pastry brush
- Fork
Tip Cover the pan tightly with foil. If steam escapes, the ribs can dry out.
See the pans and tools I use in my Amazon storefront.
How to Make Country Style Ribs in the Oven
Please see the recipe card below for the full printable recipe, ingredients, and instructions. Here you will find step-by-step photos of how to make this recipe.
Step 1: Heat the oven. Heat the oven to 300°F (149°C). Place the ribs in a 13x9-inch baking pan.
Step 2: Make the rub. In a small bowl, stir together the mustard, brown sugar, paprika, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. It turns into a thick paste.
Step 3: Season the ribs. Rub the paste over all sides of the ribs so every piece is coated.
Step 4: Cover and bake. Cover the pan tightly with foil and bake for 2 hours and 15 minutes. The foil holds in the steam, so the ribs cook low and slow without drying out. Hold off on the sauce. It goes on at the end.
Step 5: Check for fork-tender. Take off the foil and press a fork into one of the thicker pieces. It should slide in easily. If it still feels firm, cover the pan back up and give it more time before you add the sauce.
Step 6: Add the sauce. Brush the ribs generously with BBQ sauce.
Step 7: Glaze. Raise the oven to 350°F (177°C) and bake the ribs uncovered for 15 more minutes, until the sauce is glossy and sticky. All in, the ribs spend about 2½ hours in the oven.
Flavor Building Block: Rub First, Sauce Last
The rub and the sauce are where the flavor comes from, so they're the easiest places to make this recipe your own.
- Swap the rub. Use my homemade BBQ seasoning in place of the spice mix.
- Swap the sauce. Use my homemade BBQ sauce, your favorite bottle, or a sugar-free BBQ sauce. For a tangy mustard sauce, try my Carolina Gold BBQ sauce.
- No mustard? Rub the ribs with a thin layer of olive oil so the spices stick.
- Want heat? Add a pinch of cayenne or crushed red pepper flakes to the rub.
- Want it smokier? Stir a few drops of liquid smoke into the BBQ sauce.
What to Serve with Country Style Ribs
Serve these with the classic barbecue sides: Southern potato salad, creamy coleslaw, and a pan of Southern cornbread. For a plate like the one in my photos, go with garlic mashed potatoes and Southern green beans.
Tanya's Top Tips
- Go by the fork, not the clock. Thick pieces can need more time.
- Want them stickier? Brush on a little more sauce after baking and broil for 1 to 2 minutes. Watch closely so the sauce doesn't burn.
Make Ahead and Storage
- Make ahead: Bake the ribs the day before, then reheat and brush on the sauce right before serving.
- Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Freeze cooked ribs for up to 2 months.
- Reheating: Cover with foil and reheat in a 300°F (149°C) oven for 15 to 20 minutes. Brush with a little extra sauce before serving.
FAQ
They're a cut from the pork shoulder, not actual ribs. They're meatier and juicier — perfect for slow roasting.
Absolutely! You can grill country-style ribs low and slow over indirect heat until they’re tender, then finish them over direct heat for that beautiful char. Or, if you prefer a more straightforward method, bake them first until tender, then finish them off on a hot grill for a few minutes to get that smoky flavor.
More Ribs and BBQ
If you've tried these country style ribs or any other recipe on my blog, please rate it and let me know how it turned out in the comments below!
Country Style Ribs Recipe
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300°F (149°C). Place the ribs in a 13x9-inch baking pan.
- In a small bowl, mix the mustard, brown sugar, paprika, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. Rub the marinade evenly over the ribs, ensuring they are well coated.
- Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 2 hours and 15 minutes.
- Remove the ribs from the oven, take off the aluminum foil, and brush the ribs generously with BBQ sauce.
- Increase the oven temperature to 350°F (177°C). Return the ribs to the oven, uncovered, and bake for an additional 15 minutes to allow the BBQ sauce to caramelize.
- Serve and enjoy.
Nutrition
Notes
- Make sure you're using country-style pork ribs — not baby back or spare ribs. Look for thick, meaty cuts from the shoulder.
- For extra sticky ribs, brush on an additional layer of BBQ sauce after baking and broil for 1–2 minutes. Keep a close eye so they don't burn!
Allison MC says
Per my husband, So tender and GOOD!!! I don’t eat country style ribs, but I will say they smelled so good while they were baking! I used the liquid to make a delicious gravy that I poured over the ribs; he said it was better than using barbecue sauce!
Thank you for sharing.
Tanya Harris says
Thanks Allison MC! So happy your husband enjoyed the recipe 🙂
Melanie says
These were delicious! I added dry mustard to the spice rub because I only had dijon and wasn’t sure if that would work. This is the only way I’ll do country style ribs from now on and will now try different spice combinations for the rub. Thank you!
Tanya Harris says
Thanks so much, Melanie! So happy you like the country ribs recipe. My favorite part is how easy this is to put together lol. Glad the dry mustard worked well.
Amos Jones says
My Guru Chef has the absolute best recipe for Countrystyle Ribs! Girl, you're the best! This is my second time making them. I used Kraft Sweet n Spicy BQ Sauce! My fav! The ribs are so tender, a baby could chew them! Thanks again! Guru!
Tanya says
Thank you so much, Amos 🙂 So happy you liked the ribs recipe. Thanks for the tip on the BBQ sauce too. I haven't tried that brand but I'm glad to know it's delicous!
Barb says
I am not sure if the 2 tablespoons Mustard was supposed to be dry powdered Mustard or "prepared" mustard?
Tanya says
Hi Barb, it's yellow prepared mustard.