Tangy-Sweet Country-Style Pork Ribs Recipe

Photo Terry Brennan, food styling Lara Miklasevics

Not that we need an excuse to enjoy a cookout, but National Barbecue Day, celebrated on May 16, is a perfect occasion to fire up your grill. You can elevate the season’s cookouts with this regional barbecue style recipe and an updated tasty side, too.

The thick tomatoey barbecue sauce served on pork ribs in and around Kansas City is perhaps the most ubiquitous in the country, but many recipes end up cloyingly sweet because of a reliance on ketchup, says chef and cookbook author Molly Stevens, who created these recipes for Real Food. Here, she notes, we use tomato puree instead to create a sauce that balances all the elements of sweet, tangy, and spicy into an irresistible partner for boneless country-style ribs. (For more on country-style “ribs” see the recipe’s Cook’s Notes.) The traditional coleslaw also gets a twist with zingy ginger-orange dressing for a bright and fresh-tasting side.

And, scroll down to link to Stevens’ recipe for flank steak plus more than a dozen other recipes to give you plenty of ideas to celebrate this “holiday” and the grilling season ahead.

Country-Style Pork Ribs with Tangy-Sweet Barbecue Sauce

Makes 4 to 6 Servings

2–2½ pounds boneless country-style pork ribs, 1–1½ inches thick
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons brown sugar, light or dark
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1 teaspoon paprika, sweet, hot, or smoked
2 teaspoons kosher salt (or 1½ teaspoons fine)
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the Barbecue Sauce
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small onion, minced
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika, sweet, hot, or smoked
½ teaspoon ground mustard
½ teaspoon celery seed
¼ teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
1 cup tomato puree
¹/₃ cup brown sugar, light or dark
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons molasses
1 teaspoon kosher salt (or ¾ teaspoons fine sea salt), or to taste 

1. Arrange the pork ribs on a plate or baking dish. In a small bowl, combine the coriander, brown sugar, oregano, mustard, paprika, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle the seasoning mix over the ribs, rubbing so it adheres. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 12 hours.
2. For the sauce, heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute until tender and translucent, about 6 minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin, paprika, mustard, celery seed, and cayenne. Stir and cook until just fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomato puree, sugar, lemon juice, molasses, and salt. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer, and cook until thick and shiny, 20 to 25 minutes. Puree the sauce using an immersion blender or by transferring to a blender. Set aside. The sauce may be made ahead and refrigerated for several days.
3. Preheat a grill to medium heat. Let the ribs sit at room temperature as the grill heats. If the sauce has been refrigerated, return it to a saucepan and heat over gentle heat until warm.
4. Grill the ribs, turning as needed so they brown without charring, until tender and cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. During the last few minutes of grilling, brush the ribs with barbecue sauce, turning so the sauce browns. Check for doneness by pressing on the ribs to feel that they are tender or insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part to check that the internal temperature is 175°F to 180°F. Serve, passing extra barbecue sauce on the side.

Cook’s Notes
• Country-style pork ribs are not technically ribs. Instead, they are thick-cut strips from the blade end of the loin, near the shoulder. For grilling, look for uniform country-style ribs (1 to 1½ inches thick) without too much fat or connective tissue.
• Beyond pork ribs, try this sauce on chicken or burgers. It’s so good, you may want to double the recipe.

Photo Terry Brennan, food styling Lara Miklasevics

Cabbage, Fennel, and Carrot Coleslaw with Ginger-Orange Dressing

Makes 4 to 6 Servings

A zingy ginger-orange dressing brings harmony to the colorful mix of red and green cabbage, fresh fennel, and carrots in this bright and fresh-tasting slaw. The vegetables need to sit for 30 to 60 minutes before serving to absorb the dressing, and the salad will retain its crunch and flavor for up to 2 days.

4 cups shredded green cabbage (about 3/4 pound)
4 cups shredded red cabbage (about 3/4 pound)
1 medium fennel bulb, quartered, cored, and thinly sliced
3 teaspoons sugar, divided
1 teaspoon kosher salt (or 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt), plus more to taste
1 teaspoon finely grated ginger
½ teaspoon finely grated garlic
1 navel orange, scrubbed
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 cups shredded carrots (2 medium-large)
1/3 cup parsley leaves, coarsely chopped
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. Combine the cabbages and fennel in a colander set over a large bowl or sink. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sugar and 1 teaspoon salt (if using fine sea salt, use only 3/4 teaspoon) and toss to distribute the salt and sugar evenly. Let sit for 30 to 60 minutes to soften the vegetables, so they can better absorb the dressing.
2. Meanwhile, grate ½ teaspoon orange zest; reserve the orange. Combine the zest with the ginger and garlic in a small bowl. Add a pinch of salt, the vinegar, and the remaining 2 teaspoons of sugar. Set aside for at least 20 minutes to macerate.
3. Shake the cabbage and fennel a few times to eliminate excess moisture and transfer it to a mixing bowl. Add the carrots. Use a sharp knife to remove the peel from the orange, then cut into slices and cut the slices into quarters. Add these to the bowl along with the parsley.
4. Add the olive oil to the ginger-garlic-zest mixture and whisk to combine. Season with black pepper to taste. Pour the dressing over the slaw and toss to combine. Taste for salt; it may not need any. Refrigerate 30 minutes, or up to 2 days. Toss, and taste for salt again before serving.

Cook’s Notes
• You’ll need about ¼ head of each red and green cabbage. If you prefer, you can make the slaw with all one type, although it won’t be as colorful.
• You can shred the cabbage by hand or with a food processor. Either way, start by cutting the cabbage in quarters and removing the solid core. Shred crosswise.
• For the fennel, start by removing the fronds and stalks. Then cut the bulb into quarters and remove the solid core. Set each core on its side and slice crosswise (or feed the cores into a food processor fitted with the shredding blade).
• You can also make this with pre-shredded cabbage, either green, red, or white, or a tricolor mix. You will need a total of 8 cups, which is 1¼ to 1½ pounds.

Nutrition (per serving):
• Country-Style Pork Ribs with Tangy-Sweet Barbecue Sauce: Calories: 480, Fat: 28g (Sat: 7g), Cholesterol: 125mg, Sodium: 990mg, Carb: 21g, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 17g, Protein: 39g
• Cabbage, Fennel, and Carrot Coleslaw: Calories: 150, Fat: 10g (Sat: 1.5g), Cholesterol: 0mg, Sodium: 350mg, Carb: 17g, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 10g, Protein: 2g

Photo Terry Brennan, food styling Lara Miklasevics

Hungry for More?

Check out these recipes for steak, burgers, and more that I have highlighted here.

Sizzling Barbecued Steak Recipe: Cook up this Texas barbecue-style Spice-Rubbed Flank Steak with Smoky Butter Sauce and a fresh take on Succotash Salad this weekend—plus link to more than a dozen burger recipes, pork skewers, and grilling tips.