Rich and flavorful Smoked Country Style Ribs are a hearty main coated with a tasty dry pork rub and slathered in BBQ sauce for fork-tender pork ribs! These perfectly tender country-style ribs smoke to perfection in about 4 hours, making them a dinner worth waiting for!!
Smoky, Saucy, and Succulent – Get Those Napkins Ready!
A down-home country meal is hearty and homey, and my smoked country style ribs fit the bill beautifully. Juicy pork ribs and a DIY dry rub full of flavor make this dish so delicious!
Ribs are a family favorite, slathered in BBQ sauce so finger-licking is allowed, if not encouraged! This is far from a fancy meal, but the flavors are as good as gourmet. Get ready for ribs that’ll stick to your ribs!
Jump to:
❤️ Why I Love This Recipe
Simple and Straightforward! You don’t need tons of ingredients to create a dish that’ll make you drool!
So Savory! The spices and seasonings in the rub and sauce make these family-favorite ribs ridiculously tasty!
Fun to Eat! Forget the mess. Let your fingers get sticky and enjoy the sweet and savory combination to the fullest!
🥘 Ingredients
The short list of ingredients makes this 4-serving dish a cinch. If you follow my pork dry rub recipe, you’ll require a variety of spices and seasonings, but you can use a pre-made rub to cut down on prep time.
Or make the rub beforehand so it’s ready when you’re about to make the ribs. I have to boast…my dry rub is out of this world!
- Country Style Pork Ribs – Thawed so they’re ready for cooking. Ask your butcher for help choosing the best pork ribs if needed. These may be boneless or have a few bone pieces in them.
- Olive Oil – I go for EVOO (extra virgin) for the best taste…it’s worth it.
- Dry Pork Rub – Follow my go-to recipe or pick some pork seasoning out in the spice aisle.
- BBQ Sauce – Make your own homemade sauce, or select your favorite store-bought brand.
💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
Be generous with your seasoning. These well-seasoned ribs can be enjoyed straight out of the smoker with or without barbecue sauce.
Be sure to cover the ribs completely in the dry rub and when it’s time for the BBQ sauce, get them saturated. All this flavor is what makes my country style pork ribs recipe so irresistible.
Get familiar with your smoker. Know any steps for preheating, etc. This recipe works for all smoker types whether it's a pellet, charcoal, wood chip, or electric smoker!
If you’re not used to cooking with a smoker, follow the manufacturer’s directions and be sure you’re confident come time to cook. Smokers are pretty easy to use and make your food taste fantastic.
No knife and fork necessary! You may opt for a fork, but the ribs are delightful finger-food too!
When cooked right, these ribs will be tender and easily pull apart as you take each bite. Wet hand wipes are definitely desirable!
🔪 Instructions
Your smoker is the key to the amazing flavor of these easy-to-make smoked country style pork ribs. Preheating is a must.
Keep in mind, these ribs need to cook for hours, so plan accordingly so you don’t wind up eating dinner in the dark.
- Preheat. Get your smoker up to 225°F (107°C) before you start on the rest of the recipe.
- Rinse the pork ribs. Run the 2 pounds of country style ribs under cold water in the kitchen sink and pat them dry with paper towels, then place them on a large plate or on a sheet pan for preparation.
- Coat and season. Drizzle 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil over the ribs, using the 'dry hand/wet hand method' (pour the olive oil or seasoning with one hand, and spread with the other hand) to coat every inch. Then, apply the dry rub, fully coating the ribs with seasoning from end to end.
- Smoke. Put the ribs into the smoker and cook at 225°F (107°C) for 3 ½ hours.
- Bring on the BBQ. Sauce those babies up with a cup of your favorite BBQ sauce, be it your own recipe or a store-bought bottled one after 3 ½ hours have passed. Next, continue smoking the coated ribs at 225°F (107°C) for an additional half hour.
- Serve and enjoy. Take the ribs out of the smoker and let them rest for about 10 minutes before serving.
I love serving my smoked country-style ribs with a side of crunchy coleslaw, some smoked mac and cheese, or corn on the cob.
🥡 Storing
Refrigerating
These ribs can be refrigerated in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap or foil. I wouldn’t keep them more than 3-4 days max.
Freezing
If you want to enjoy these ribs at a later date, they can be frozen and stored for up to 2-3 months. Store leftover pork ribs in an airtight container, double wrapped in plastic cling film or wrapped in heavy-duty aluminum foil.
Using a freezer-safe storage container is probably your best bet, as the sauce can get messy when they thaw out!
Reheating
Wrap the smoked country style ribs in foil and reheat in the oven at 225°F (107°C) until hot. I do not recommend using the microwave for these leftovers. Serve with more sauce if desired.
❓ Recipe FAQs
Yes. Essentially, baby back and pork ribs are considered the same cut. If you’re confused or unsure, your butcher will be your guide.
Yes, you can use another type of sugar, but I’d go for light brown sugar for the best results. There’s something subtle about this type of sugar that works well for my rub recipe.
You can leave the sugar out completely, especially if your BBQ sauce is on the sweet side. Or add a bit of maple syrup or molasses to your sauce to get some sweetness.
The same woods that work well with other types of pork (baby back ribs, St. Louis pork ribs, pork loin, etc) also work well with these country-style ribs! Choose one of the top three favorites which include hickory, mesquite, and oak. Or use a sweet wood or fruit wood like apple, cherry, maple, or pecan to impart a different flavor. Get creative and make your own blends of wood too!
📖 Recipe Card
Smoked Country Style Ribs
Ingredients
- 2 lbs country style pork ribs (thawed)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- dry pork rub (optional, or store bought)
- 1 cup BBQ sauce
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
- Preheat your smoker to 225°F (107°C).
- Rinse the country style ribs under cold running water and pat them dry with paper towels.
- Place rinsed and dried country ribs on a large plate or on a sheet pan.
- Drizzle with olive oil, using your hands to thoroughly coat the ribs.
- Apply all the dry rub using your hands fully coating each of the country ribs.
- Put the ribs in the smoker at 225°F (107°C) for 3 ½ hours.
- Apply a generous amount of BBQ sauce at the 3 ½ hour mark and continue to smoke at 225°F (107°C) for another 30 minutes.
- Remove from smoker and allow to rest for 10 minutes then serve and enjoy!
Anonymous says
I started with your time and temp and then lowered the temp to meet out time schedule. Also used your 1 hr shucked corn smoker recipe. You are a genius. Everything was so delicious. Thank you.
Manuel Moreno says
Angela, voy a iniciar un negocio de costillas de cerdo ahumadas, gracias por su información. Que guarnición sencilla me recomienda para acompañar.
Que dios te bendiga, gracias.
"Angela, I'm going to start a smoked pork rib business, thanks for your information. What simple garnish do you recommend to accompany.
God bless you, thank you."
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Dependería de cómo se sirvan las costillas de cerdo. ¿Tendrá un acompañamiento (¿algo increíble como succotash?) o funcionará una simple guarnición de perejil?
"It would depend on how your pork ribs are being served. Will it have a side (something amazing like succotash?) or will a simple parsley garnish work?"
Anthony says
Hi,
What temperature do you cook them to?
Thank you!
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Actually, they will cook to a temperature that is well above the minimum 160F internal temp for cooking pork. If you want to base your smoking or cooking time on temp, the perfect texture of your country style ribs is at 185F-200F. Thanks for asking!