Place the ribs on a sheet tray or plate platter and coat the country-style ribs on all sides with mustard.
Generously season all sides of the ribs in the seasoning rub.
Add the ribs to the smoker about 1” inch apart from one another and smoke at 225° until it reaches an internal temperature of 175° or is past the dreaded stall of 150° to 170°. This takes about 3 to 4 hours. Do not forget to add the thermometer to the thickest country-style rib.
With about 20 minutes left in the first part of the ribs are smoking, add the BBQ sauce, water, vinegar, juice, and butter to a large pot and cook over low heat until combined and the butter is melted. Keep warm
Remove the ribs and place them in a 13x9 deep pan (this can be disposable) along with enough BBQ sauce to cover at least half of the ribs, which is about 2 ½ to 3 cups.
Cover with foil and place back on the smoker at 250° insert the thermometer to the thickest rib and cook until it reaches at least 200° internally. This takes about 1 to 2 hours. At this stage, they are done.
This part is optional, but I like to remove the ribs from the smoker and turn the smoker up to 400°. Place the ribs back on the grates and cook for 10 to 15 minutes.
Serve with additional BBQ sauce.
Notes
Make-Ahead: These ribs are meant to be eaten when they’re done cooking. However, keep them warm in a pan covered with foil in the oven at low temperatures (<200°) for up to 1 hour before serving.How to Store: Cover and keep the ribs in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. These will freeze covered for up to 3 months. Thaw them in the refrigerator for 1 day or until thawed.How to Reheat: Add the desired number of ribs to a pan and cover with foil. Bake at 350° for 8 to 10 minutes or until hot.Other binders you can use are Dijon mustard, softened butter, or oil.I prefer to use apple, cherry, hickory, mesquite, oak, or pecan wood for smoking these country ribs.You can also mark the ribs under the broiler on high heat for 2 to 3 minutes per side or on a hot grill (450° to 550°) for 3 to 4 minutes per side.A trick if you don’t plan to cook the meat the day you purchase it, coat it on all sides in a thin layer of oil. This prevents oxidation, which is what essentially causes discoloration. This process should give you an extra 3 to 4 days of freshness.Do the exact same thing I did on the smoker in the oven at the same temperatures. Place the country ribs on a rack over a sheet tray instead of directly on the oven racks.When smoking any piece of meat, you must figure for a 25% to 33% loss in size and weight. This is why 7 pounds of country ribs will only feed roughly 8 people.