How to Smoke and Grill Country Style Pork Ribs

These ribs are perfect for a Fourth of July barbecue.

Country style pork ribs are boneless and juicy. There are a variety of ways to prepare these succulent pieces of meat. They can be prepared dry or wet, smoked or grilled. This is a guide to combining the smoking and grilling methods for a meal that will not soon be forgotten.

Things You'll Need

• Boneless country style pork ribs
• Smoker
• Grill and tongs (no forks)
• Dry rub seasoning
• Your favorite BBQ sauce

Instructions

1. When you purchase your ribs, make sure they are fresh and well marbled with fat lines.

2. Trim the fat from the ribs, but not all of it, as some fat keeps the meat moist and tender.

3. Season the ribs with your dry rub. Rub the seasoning on the ribs with your hands. Make sure to get the rub all over the ribs.

4. Prepare your smoker and wood chips. Wood chips are generally soaked for about half an hour before use. For pork, sweeter woods generally bring the flavor out. If possible, use apple wood chips or other fruit tree wood. Mesquite and hickory wood chips also make the meat taste good. It also helps to grease the racks so that the meat doesn't stick to them when the smoking is finished.

5. Add the seasoned meat to the smoker. Let the meat smoke for 3 to 5 hours, depending on how strong you would like the smokey flavor to be, or how much time you want to wait. Check the wood chips every 1.5 hours to see if they need to be replaced or more need to be added.

6. When the meat is nearly done smoking, prepare the grill. Get the grill warmed, ready for the meat. The extra wood chips can be added to the grill for additional flavor. The grill should be warmed to a medium temperature.

7. Once the meat is done smoking, move the meat to the grill. Keep the grill at a medium heat. Because the meat is generally very thick, it works best to cook them on the grill slowly. The meat should cook at a medium temperature for 2 to 3 hours and be turned every 45 minutes or so to avoid burning.

8. Baste the meat generously with your BBQ sauce half an hour before it is done, and then again, just before you take it off of the grill. You'll know the meat is fully cooked when the juices run clear.

9. When you remove the meat from the grill, let it rest under a tinfoil tent for about 15 minutes before serving.

Tips & Warnings

• For a sweeter flavor, the meat can be basted with the BBQ sauce as soon as it is put on the grill. The heat will cause the sugar in the sauce to crystallize around the meat. The meat should be basted again as in Step 8.