Braised Country-Style Pork Ribs

When you make this recipe, be prepared to feel hungry the entire time it’s cooking. From the initial searing of pork to the scent of thyme and red wine simmering in the oven, the dish seems to be calling you to take a taste. Occasionally that’s fine, but try to leave the dutch oven lidded so that it can do what it does best – maintain consistent heat that turns pork so tender you can break it apart with a wooden spoon.

Since these country-style pork ribs will braise in the oven for 3 hours, consider this ideal weekend comfort food or snow-day fare. Planning ahead gives you plenty of time to soak the cannellini beans overnight.

Ingredients

1 ​¼ cups dried cannellini beans, soaked 12 hours or overnight
Canola oil
2 pounds boneless country-style pork ribs, separated
Kosher salt
1 large sweet onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 cups dry red wine
1, 28-ounce can peeled whole plum tomatoes, no salt added
8 sprigs fresh thyme
5 large carrots

Dried beans require a simple soak before using in this recipe. Simply rinse the beans and cover with about 2 inches of cold water. Let them sit overnight or 12 hours. Drain the beans and give them one last rinse before using them in this recipe.

When selecting country-style ribs, you may find a variety of cuts. I prefer to use a rib rack that been pre-scored, making it easy to separate into individual pieces. If you opt for a few larger pieces instead of a rib rack, cut them into shorter sections. You’ll note that there are no actual ribs in the country-style variety, despite their name, and they are a meatier cut of pork with a good amount of marbling.

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees so that it’s just toasty enough for the 3 hour long braise we are going to give the meat.

Drizzle enough oil to coat the bottom of a large dutch oven and heat it over medium-high heat. Pat the ribs dry with a paper towel then season generously with salt. When the oil is hot, add the ribs, brown, and remove to a plate. When each side has browned, it should release from the pot easily.

Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the chopped sweet onion and cook until softened. Next add the minced garlic, tomato paste, and a sprinkling of salt, cooking for another 2 minutes. Stir often to prevent the garlic from burning.

Crush the whole peeled tomatoes by hand (apron recommended!) and add with their juices to the pot. Add any juice that remains in the can as well. Next add the wine.  Drain the beans, rinse, and add to the pot.

Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.  Nestle the ribs in the mixture along with their juices.  Add the thyme sprigs. Cover the pot and place in the oven.

Meanwhile cut the carrots diagonally into 1-inch thick pieces. After 2 ½ hours, nestle the carrots in the pot and cook for an additional 30 minutes.

By this point some of the fat will have risen to the surface. Gently skim some from the top of the pot before stirring and serving the braised pork ribs.

Serve on its own, over rice, or with crusty bread.