Country Style Ribs confusion...

[caseydog]

I have never cooked country style ribs. I found a good deal on some today, and grabbed them. I searched on the forum, but couldn't find the answer I was looking for.

They are not actually ribs, they are cut up pork pieces. The package says "loin," but I thought they came from the shoulder.

I want to smoke them on the pellet smoker. Do I smoke them like regular ribs, or like pork butt/shoulder?

Anyone have experience smoking these things?

CD

 

[Andy M.]

These are a recurring purchase here. They are closer to pork chops than any slow cooking ribs. Many have more white meat than dark. I season them then grill them. I finish them with some BBQ sauce.

 

[pictonguy]

I've not the experience that you do CD but I have smoked that kind of "rib" that is cut mostly or all from the loin and I get pretty decent results and smoke them rather gently at a lower heat and spritz during the smoking and pull them at round 160 and then do a braising step after enough smoking has taken place and cook wrapped for the last hour or until around 195ish and let them rest as I'm sure you know. Sorry, that's all I got but I am from Canada and not the deep south, lol.

 

[forty_caliber]

We usually stew them in BBQ sauce in the crock pot for 3-4 hours on high. Shred and serve on a bun

.40

 

[caseydog]

These are a recurring purchase here. They are closer to pork chops than any slow cooking ribs. Many have more white meat than dark. I season them then grill them. I finish them with some BBQ sauce.

If they are more like a pork loin chop I'm thinking grilling would be better than smoking low and slow. I can always fire up the Weber Kettle and grill them. I bought some fresh corn on the cob, so I can use the same grill for that.

Just curious, have you done them sous vide and seared?

CD

 

[pacanis]

I think I just linked my method when there was a PC question.
I never smoked them and never had them turn out to my liking the few times I grilled them all the way through start to finish.

The braising would help. As would the slow cooker.
Probably just like pressure cooking after a quick sear helps me.

 

[caseydog]

We usually stew them in BBQ sauce in the crock pot for 3-4 hours on high. Shred and serve on a bun

.40

That's what my dad called "barbecue."

CD

 

[forty_caliber]

That's what my dad called "barbecue."

CD

Maybe it is barbecue in some barnyards, but it's nothing to crow about in this one. We typically end up with a package of those when they go on sale. Easy to prepare in the RV or a weeknight dinner.

.40

 

[caseydog]

Maybe it is barbecue in some barnyards, but it's nothing to crow about in this one. We typically end up with a package of those when they go on sale. Easy to prepare in the RV or a weeknight dinner.

.40

They should be good for camping. I don't have an RV, but I've been camping since I was twelve years old. The closest Ive had to an RV is a home-built Teardrop camper.

Well, I'll do as I usually do, and use the advice here, plus my usually reliable cooking instincts, and roll the dice.

CD

 

[Andy M.]

If they are more like a pork loin chop I'm thinking grilling would be better than smoking low and slow. I can always fire up the Weber Kettle and grill them. I bought some fresh corn on the cob, so I can use the same grill for that.

Just curious, have you done them sous vide and seared?

CD

No. SO likes them charred and slathered with BBQ sauce. I pull mine earlier.

 

[1MoreFord]

Since those are the ones from the loin, grilling or smoking both work nicely.
Grill them like a thick pork chop if you want quick food.
Smoke them if you want plenty of beer drinkin' time.

There are at least 3 versions of CSR's. The first is from a butt usually with a bone in it, then there is the version you have, and one from the loin with a short section of rib bone attached. They go by different names. Sometimes I see them called Western Ribs and probably other names I forget.
Sam's sells a similar cut they call boneless ribs from the loin that is butterflied and then scored to simulate the look of ribs.
The CSR's from the butt work better smoked but a nice really slow grilling can be good too although requiring a bit more chewing exercise unless you finish with a braise or some pressure.
Hard to beat the crockpot with sauce method if you need to put something on in the morning and have it ready when you return from a day's work.

 

[caseydog]

Since those are the ones from the loin, grilling or smoking both work nicely.
Grill them like a thick pork chop if you want quick food.
Smoke them if you want plenty of beer drinkin' time.

There are at least 3 versions of CSR's. The first is from a butt usually with a bone in it, then there is the version you have, and one from the loin with a short section of rib bone attached. They go by different names. Sometimes I see them called Western Ribs and probably other names I forget.
Sam's sells a similar cut they call boneless ribs from the loin that is butterflied and then scored to simulate the look of ribs.
The CSR's from the butt work better smoked but a nice really slow grilling can be good too although requiring a bit more chewing exercise unless you finish with a braise or some pressure.
Hard to beat the crockpot with sauce method if you need to put something on in the morning and have it ready when you return from a day's work.

Thanks for the very thurough answer. I think I am going stick with the charcoal grilling plan, and just keep an eye on them, and probe them regularly for tenderness.

I made the mistake of assuming they were from the butt, because I didn't read the label, other than the big, yellow price tag. I'll pay more attention next time.

Cooking... just when you think you have it figured out, you find out you don't.

CD

 

[giggler]

I agree with Ford.
Yet always heard they where shoulder meat.
They do very well with a slow grill.
1hr turning often, sauce at the end.
still a bit chewy, easy to eat with knife and fork.
Quite economical for meat these days.
Eric, Austin Tx.

 

[caseydog]

I agree with Ford.
Yet always heard they where shoulder meat.
They do very well with a slow grill.
1hr turning often, sauce at the end.
still a bit chewy, easy to eat with knife and fork.
Quite economical for meat these days.
Eric, Austin Tx.

Yeah, apparently some are cut from the shoulder, and some are cut from the loin. I didn't know that until today. I also thought they were all from the shoulder.

CD

 

[grumpyoldman]

caseydog : sorry to butt in here, but i cook these all the time , low and slow on the smoker after about 3 hours take them off , cover with your favorite BBQ sauce put them in the oven at 350 after about 30 min. turn them over and cover the other side with BBQ sauce and back in the over just long enough for the BBQ sauce to set ...enjoy !!!!

 

[Linda0818]

I'm in the same dilemma. Picked up country (or western) style ribs and wasn't sure what to do with them. So I did a search here to see if y'all had talked about this very thing in the past and this popped up first.

I found a nice recipe that's easy as pie. Put the 'ribs' in a pan, season them with salt, pepper, paprika and thyme, then cover tightly with heavy duty foil and bake in the oven at 325 for 2 hours. Then after 2 hours, give them a quick broil to crisp up the fat. And that's it, in case you ever want to try them this way. This will work for me, since I don't have any BBQ sauce.

Maybe I'll sprinkle them with a little brown sugar as well. That sounds yummy.