Grandma’s Fall-Off-the-Bone Country Style BBQ Pork Ribs

My Grandma’s recipe for country style pork ribs baked in the oven are literally fall-off-the-bone tender and topped with jammy sweet onions in a homemade BBQ sauce.

These country style ribs aren’t your summertime picnic BBQ ribs. You don’t eat them with your hands—a fork is much preferred—and while they’re supremely easy to prepare, you’re far more likely to find them on the menu of an upscale restaurant than a good-old-boy BBQ shack.

Braised in the oven with a homemade BBQ sauce and topped with sliced onions that become sweet and jammy, these country style pork ribs baked in the oven are fall-off-the-bone tender and make a mostly hands-off prepped dinner.

My grandma Frieda used to make these the day we arrived for our annual visit and always said they taste even better the next day—perfect for making ahead of time. They were always our welcome dinner for that first night, keeping warm in the oven until we arrived.

Still today, the smell of these baked pork ribs cooking in the oven takes me back to walking into her arms filled with kisses, and the sweet and savory smell of BBQ ribs in the oven.

The Key Ingredients

The list of ingredients to make this flavorful dinner are fantastically basic and far from intimidating:

• Country-style pork ribs — Opt for ribs with bones when you can find them (my dad’s preference every time).
• All-purpose flour — Coating the ribs in flour locks in moisture, creates a golden sear, and thickens the bbq sauce, to boot.
• Onions — Slice them fairly thick so they become perfectly soft and jammy once braised, rather than disintegrate into mush.
• Apple cider vinegar — Adds a fruity tang to the otherwise sweet and savory bbq sauce.
• Soy sauce + Worcestershire sauce — Depth in the sauce comes alive with soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce’s complex umami.
• Ketchup + sugar — Sweetens the bbq sauce and balances out the many savory flavors going on.
• Dry sherry wine — Grandma calls for dry sherry wine in this sauce, but another sweet wine like Marsala or Madeira would work well too.
• Garlic — Deepens the flavor of the sauce.
• Spices — The ribs are seasoned simply with salt and pepper, while the bbq sauce is infused with paprika and chili powder for some heat.

Heidi’s Tip: If you’re alcohol averse, skip the sherry wine and add 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or hard apple cider instead, but the depth and complexity won’t quite be the same.

How to Make Country Style Ribs

1. Season, flour, and brown the ribs. The country style ribs are seasoned with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, then tossed lightly in flour to encourage more flavor and to thicken the sauce as they braise. I rest them on a baking sheet lined with a cooling rack so the bottoms don’t get gummy as they sit.

Heidi’s Tip: Brown the ribs in batches over medium to medium high heat. Wipe any burned bits from the pan between batches, but don’t get rid of the golden crisp critters left behind, they’re the flavor makers.

2. Whisk together your homemade BBQ sauce. Adding water to this homemade BBQ sauce thins it just enough to create a sauce that cooks down and adds loads of flavor as the ribs bake in the oven.
3. Add sliced onions to the top of the browned ribs. Slice the onions first in half, then slice the onions tip to tail into half moons. Don’t go too thin or they’ll break down and disappear into nothingness as the sauce reduces.

4. Pour the sauce over the ribs and onions.
5. Braise the ribs in the oven low and slow. You’ll notice that the last half hour is when the onions really get down and do their caramelizing thing. If they seem too firm, cook longer and check every 15 minutes until soft.

FAQs

Storage and Freezing Tips

Oven baked country ribs will last up to 5 days in the fridge, just make sure to store them airtight to prevent them from drying out.

Reheat in a 350°F oven for 20 minutes or until warmed through. Pull from the refrigerator to come to room temperature while the oven heats to warm up faster.

This recipe makes a big batch, so if you have leftovers to freeze, take advantage of the fact! Freeze individual portions in freezer safe containers for up to 2 months. To reheat, bake from frozen at 350° oven for 30-40 minutes or until warmed through.

What to Serve with Ribs to Make a Meal

• Potatoes — Creamy Au Gratin Potatoes, Homemade Mashed Potatoes, The Best Buttery Parsley Potatoes
• Veggies — Green Beans with Browned Butter Almondine, Pan Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Pancetta, Sautéed Spinach with Garlic, Roasted Asparagus
• Salads — Pear and Gorgonzola Salad, Vinegar Coleslaw, Classic Potato Salad, Celery Slaw
• Bread — Buttery Dinner Rolls

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.

More Easy Rib Recipes

• Raspberry Chipotle BBQ Ribs
• Instant Pot Baby Back Ribs
• BBQ Spare Ribs
• Tender Red Wine Braised Short Ribs
• Succulent Short Ribs Fettuccine

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