Hearty Ribs & Beans

This is true comfort food cooking, the kind that fills a house with the smell of slow-baking pork. Country-style pork ribs get a 90-minute pre-bake to render their fat and tenderize, then return to the dish over a mixed bed of Great Northern beans and kidney beans for a final 45 minutes under a tangy tomato-mustard sauce.

The sauce is what ties everything together: tomato sauce, onion soup mix, brown sugar, prepared mustard, and a dash of hot pepper sauce that adds backbone without burn. Crisp celery and bell pepper added with the beans hold their shape and add fresh crunch against the tender meat.

Pro Tips

• Skim the fat carefully from the reserved liquid after the first bake. Country-style ribs throw a lot of fat, and an unskimmed sauce turns greasy fast.
• Reserve that ½ cup of sauce as directed and pour it directly over the ribs before the final bake. This builds a glossy glazed top while the rest of the sauce flavors the beans below.
• Rinse and drain the canned beans well. Leftover canning liquid clouds the sauce and adds excessive sodium.
• Slice the celery and red pepper thin so they cook through but keep some crunch. Thick chunks stay raw in the relatively short final bake.

Variations

• Use a can each of pinto beans and butter beans for a different texture and flavor blend.
• Stir 2 tablespoons of molasses and a tablespoon of cider vinegar into the sauce for a Boston baked-bean style depth.
• Sprinkle the top with crispy fried onions or grated cheddar in the last 10 minutes for a finished, crowd-pleasing crust.