Country Style Pork Shoulder Ribs

I’ve made these “ribs” (which, as mentioned in an earlier post, Two Options For Dry Rub Marinated Baby Back Ribs, are not technically ribs) more often than any other dish in my blog, and they are consistently tender, flavorful, and delicious.  My Mom, who would make these in the summer when I was a kid, taught me this simple preparation method.

Because this cut of pork tends to be quite fatty, boiling them until tender helps remove most of the fat, leaving large chunks of meat that can be grilled or broiled.

Start by washing the desired quantity of bone-in or boneless country style ribs, and place in a large stock pot with enough water to cover by a couple of inches. I usually add to the water:

• a bay leaf
• a dash or two of smoked paprika
• coupla dashes garlic powder
• coupla dashes onion powder
• some celery seed

Bring to a boil, and simmer, partially covered, for 2-3 hours, until the meat becomes tender and, if bone-in, the meat separates from the bones. Strain, and remove the chunks of meat from the fat and place into a baking dish.

Using a basting brush, slather both sides of the meat with your favorite barbeque sauce (I prefer the tangy/spicy Trader Joe’s brand bbq sauce myself), and finish it by grilling on medium-low heat or broiling to sear the sauce to your preferred crispiness/char. These are awesome as leftovers, too!