Country Ribs with honey, bourbon will ignite your taste buds

Country Ribs are one of our favorite ways to prepare pork on the grill. Match with a kiss of honey and bourbon, big on meatiness and even bigger on flavor.

Country-style pork is historically a secret that many grillmasters kept to themselves, as they were inexpensive and extremely meaty.

Our friends at Rubbin’ Right BBQ Rubs sent over their Honey Bourbon rub and we find it’s fantastic on pork, especially the country-style or western rib. Pair that with the new Wildwood Grilling Hickory Smoking Wood and be prepared to cash in on an excellent grill session.

What is a country-style rib?

The country-style rib is a term given to a portion of meat at the end of a pork loin. There are still a few rib bones found here after spare and loin ribs are removed. To get a country rib, the end of the loin is removed whole, with bones, and split into ribs. This creates a semi-rectangular piece of pork that can be grilled on all sides. 

Country vs. Western

Another cut of country-style ribs isn’t found from the pork ribs. These “ribs” come from the shoulder. Butchers create this cut in order to make more profit after pork shoulders are trimmed. The first few inches of the shoulder are cut about one-inch thick, then split in half creating the shoulder-cut rib, or commonly called “Western Ribs.” Slices of this cut that are left whole are pork steaks.

Honey Bourbon Country Ribs

Let’s jump into this tasty recipe and set your next grill session off right.

• 4-6 country-style ribs
• 3 Tbsp Rubbin Right Honey Bourbon Rub
• 4 blocks Wildwood Grilling Hickory

1. Prepare by washing under cold water and pat-drying with paper towel.
2. Coat all sides of pork with Honey Bourbon rub.
3. Set up your charcoal grill for indirect cooking. Bring to 375 degrees.
4. Place all pork ribs on the indirect side of heat and cover for 15 minutes. This will allow the spices and rendered fat to meld.
5. Uncover grill and place the ribs directly over the coals for 3-4 minutes to sear.
6. Return the ribs to the indirect side and cover for another 35 minutes, or until the ribs read 185 degrees on the Thermoworks Thermapen ONE.

Happy Grilling!