Country-style ribs aren’t something I think of cooking that often. When I do, they usually end up on a bed of sauerkraut. That’s why I was excited to see this idea for spicy sweet-and-sour grilled country-style ribs in a recent edition of Chile Pepper magazine. I knew that the ribs would be great because everything I’ve made from the magazine has been. And I knew that they’d have some kick. And they do.
The sauce on the ribs is the star of the show. I definitely plan on using the sauce on other dishes. It’d be perfect on grilled pork tenderloin, burgers, and pork spare ribs. The ribs are tasty, and really good grilled for a nice char then cooked low-and-slow to perfect tenderness.
I wouldn’t hesitate to make these spicy sweet-and-sour grilled country-style ribs again, and I’ll definitely be using both the Asian rub and fantastic sauce on other cuts of meat.
Don’t use wimpy tools when it comes time to making these ribs. Or anything else on a grill or smoker. You want something sturdy, something quality. I have used Weber’s line of grill tools for decades. I wouldn’t use anything else. Ever.
Also try my slow cooker Vietnamese ribs and my sous vide country style ribs.
Spicy Sweet-and-Sour Grilled Country-Style Ribs
Ingredients
For the Asian rub (makes 1 cup, you’ll need 1/2 cup or so for the ribs)
- ¼ cup onion powder
- ¼ cup garlic powder
- ¼ cup ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons ground ginger
- 2 tablespoons dried red pepper flakes
For the ribs
- 3 pounds country-style ribs
- ½ cup Asian rub from above
For the sauce
- 1 hot pepper minced
- 1 cup pineapple juice
- ½ cup ketchup
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup white vinegar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- ½ teaspoon ground mustard
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
Instructions
For the Asian rub
- Combine all ingredients. Store leftover rub in an air-right container.
For the ribs
- Sprinkle the ribs with the rub and rub into the meat. Don’t be shy with the rub and make sure to get all sides or the ribs.
- Let ribs rest at room temperature while you preheat the oven to 275 F and fire up your grill for direct cooking.
- Grill ribs 10-12 minutes over direct heat, turning once, to get lightly charred. You’re just looking for color here, the ribs will finish cooking in the oven. Over-grilling them will result in tough ribs.
- Transfer ribs to a baking sheet and place in the oven. Bake for 45 minutes or until done.
- Serve drizzled with sauce.
For the sauce
- Place all ingredients into a blender and puree.
- Transfer to a saucepan over medium heat and warm through.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are approximate.
