Brother Larry’s Oven-Smoked Country-Style Pork Ribs Supper
Tender, caramelized barbecue pork with three down-South sides—built from easy-to-find groceries and served with chef-quality flavor.
This old-school supper turns an affordable pork cut into tender, glossy barbecue with deep smokehouse flavor. A slow covered bake keeps the meat juicy, while a hot finish caramelizes the sauce. Smoky beans, cool creamy slaw, and golden cornbread make it a complete family plate.
6 people
25 minutes
About 2 hours
Oven-Smoked Country-Style Pork Ribs
Ingredients
- 3 pounds boneless country-style pork ribs
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1½ teaspoons seasoned salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ cup apple juice or water
- 1 cup barbecue sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
- Optional: ¼ teaspoon liquid smoke
Directions
- Heat oven to 325°F. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with foil.
- Pat the pork dry. Rub with oil, smoked paprika, seasoned salt, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, and chili powder.
- Arrange in one layer. Pour apple juice around—not over—the meat. Cover tightly with foil.
- Bake 1 hour 20 minutes.
- Mix barbecue sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, mustard, and optional liquid smoke.
- Uncover, drain excess pan liquid, brush pork generously with glaze, and raise oven to 425°F.
- Roast uncovered 15 minutes. Turn, brush again, and roast 10–15 minutes until caramelized and fork-tender. Pork should reach at least 145°F; country-style ribs become most tender around 190°F. Rest 10 minutes.
Smoky Barbecue Baked Beans
Ingredients: 2 cans (15 ounces each) pork and beans or baked beans, ½ diced small onion, 2 tablespoons barbecue sauce, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 teaspoon yellow mustard, and ½ teaspoon smoked paprika.
- Stir all ingredients together in a small baking dish.
- Bake uncovered beside the pork during the final 30 minutes, until hot and slightly thickened.
Creamy Southern Coleslaw
Ingredients: 1 bag (14 ounces) coleslaw mix, ⅓ cup mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 teaspoon yellow mustard, ½ teaspoon celery seed if available, salt, and black pepper.
- Whisk mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, mustard, celery seed, salt, and pepper.
- Toss with coleslaw mix and chill at least 20 minutes before serving.
Golden Skillet Cornbread
Ingredients: 1 box (8.5 ounces) corn muffin mix, 1 egg, ⅓ cup milk, and 1 tablespoon butter.
- Put butter in an 8-inch oven-safe skillet and heat it in the oven for 3 minutes.
- Mix corn muffin mix, egg, and milk. Swirl melted butter around the skillet and pour in batter.
- Bake at 400°F for 16–20 minutes until golden and set.
Budget Note
Boneless country-style pork ribs are usually less expensive than spare ribs and give the family plenty of meat. Canned beans, bagged slaw, and corn muffin mix keep the meal affordable, filling, and easy to shop for.
Brother Larry’s Backyard Pitmaster Tips
- Dry the pork before seasoning so the rub sticks and the surface browns.
- Keep the first bake tightly covered; the trapped steam tenderizes this budget cut.
- Add sweet sauce only near the end so it caramelizes instead of burning.
- For deeper smoke flavor, use the optional liquid smoke or finish the glazed pork over a hot grill for 2 minutes per side.
- Let the meat rest 10 minutes so the juices stay inside.
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