Braised Country-Style Pork Ribs Recipe

Braised Country-Style Pork Ribs

Skill Level: Easy
Servings: 4
Nutritional Info Per Serving: Calories 1152, Total Fat 75g, Saturated Fat 23g, Carbohydrates 33g, Fiber 3g, Sugar 13g, Protein 83g, Cholesterol 320mg, Sodium 1792mg
Total Time: 2 hr 50 min
Prep Time: 50 min
Cook Time: 2 hr

• 3 lbs bone-in country-style pork ribs
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 1 onion, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
• Creamy Polenta (see recipe below)
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Creamy Polenta

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1 1/3 cups half-and-half
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1/3 cup coarse polenta or corn grits
• Kosher salt
• 1/2 cup Parmesan, grated
• Fresh black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. Pat the ribs dry with paper towels and season both sides with salt and pepper.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. In batches, brown the ribs on all sides, then remove and set aside.
4. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil and reduce heat to medium. Add the carrot, celery, and onion, seasoning lightly with salt and pepper, and cook until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
5. Add the garlic and cook about 1 minute until fragrant.
6. Stir in the tomato paste and cook about 3 minutes to mellow its flavor.
7. Deglaze the pot with apple cider vinegar, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in the crushed red pepper flakes and add the bay leaves.
8. Return the ribs to the pot and pour in enough chicken broth to come about halfway up the ribs. Bring to a simmer.
9. Cover the pot and transfer to the preheated oven. Braise gently for about 1 hour 30 minutes, until the meat is fork-tender.
10. For the last 30 minutes, uncover the pot so the sauce reduces and the ribs develop deeper color.
11. Serve the ribs over creamy polenta, spooning sauce over the top and sprinkling with chopped parsley.

Creamy Polenta Preparation

1. Coat the insert of a slow cooker with nonstick spray and set it to high to preheat.
2. In a saucepan, combine 1 cup of the half-and-half, the milk, 1 tablespoon butter, and the coarse polenta. Season with salt and whisk over medium-high heat until it comes to a boil, about 23 minutes.
3. Transfer the hot mixture to the prepared slow cooker and cook on high for 2 hours, stirring once or twice each hour to keep it smooth.
4. When ready to serve, stir in the remaining butter, the rest of the half-and-half, and the grated Parmesan. Adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper to taste.