Name: Country-Style Ribs With Quick-Pickled Watermelon
Yield: 6–8 servings
Ingredients: ½ cup (packed; about 3 ounces) light brown sugar or palm sugar; ½ cup soy sauce; ¼ cup unseasoned rice vinegar; 3 scallions, thinly sliced; 6 garlic cloves, minced; 2 tablespoons minced peeled ginger (from one 2x1-inch piece); 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro leaves; 1 tablespoon hot chili paste (such as sambal oelek); 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil; 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; ½ medium onion, sliced; 3 pounds (1-inch-thick) country-style pork ribs or bone-in pork chops; 2 tablespoons Chinese hot mustard powder; 1 teaspoon coriander seeds; ⅓ cup Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar; 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice; 1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot; 1 teaspoon honey; ½ cup olive oil; Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper; 5 cups coarsely chopped seedless watermelon (cut from half a 6- to 7-pound watermelon); 4 cups Sun Gold or cherry tomatoes (about 1¼ pounds), halved; ¼ cup cilantro leaves with tender stems plus more for garnish

Photo of grilled pork ribs with pickled watermelon one of our favorite summer watermelon recipes.

Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Simon Andrews

Sweet pickled watermelon pairs perfectly with hearty country-style ribs—you need to try it to believe it!

Recipe notes

See Related Recipes and Cooking Tips

73 Grilling Recipes to Set Your Summer Aflame
Easy grilled dinners to please everyone on your summer invite list.
37 Watermelon Recipes for Your Juiciest Summer Yet
A ripe red slice and the seed-spitting contest that follows are great. These recipes are better.
53 Fourth of July Recipes for a Fun-Filled Independence Day
We’ve got your July Fourth spread covered with festive recipes for ribs, grilled chicken, and sides.
Our 51 Best Grilled Pork Recipes
Whether you're starting with pork chops or tenderloin or ribs, pork is at its best when cooked over an open flame.
81 Ways to Grill Meat This Summer
Get out the charcoal; you have some cooking to do.
When It Comes to Marinating Your Meat, the Third Dip's the Charm
A marinade is marvelous once. But it's even better when you use it again (and again).
Our Best Recipes for Ribs
Beef and pork, grilled and oven-baked: they're all right here.

Sheet-Pan Sausage With Corn, Peach, and Cucumber Salad

This summery sheet-pan dinner celebrates the bounty of the season and couldn't be simpler to make. Chorizo plays nicely with the salad, thanks to its spice.

Chipotle-Citrus Ribs

Tender, well-glazed, and just spicy enough, these ribs are the ultimate grill-out food. Cook fully in the oven ahead of time and finish them on the grill.

Spice-Grilled Pork Chops

A pinch of sugar in the spice rub ensures picture-perfect grill marks with layers of flavor.

Moo Ping (Thai Grilled Pork Skewers)

This version of pork skewers is made in the oven, which tastes just as good, but you could always throw these on the grill for a version closer to the original.

Pork Dinakdakan

Braise tender pork belly in soy and vinegar, then grill with shishito peppers and toss with ginger and a tangy dressing for bold, savory Filipino dinakdakan.

Oxtail Guisado

A slow-simmering, comforting braise delivering healing to both body and soul.

Zucchini, Pea, and Bulgur Pilaf

This fragrant salad uses bulgur wheat as its base, an endlessly versatile, slightly chewy grain that’s very popular throughout the eastern Mediterranean.

Chorizo Cauliflower

A plant-based spin on chorizo to put toward tacos, quesadillas, and more.

Recipe notes

73 Grilling Recipes to Set Your Summer Aflame

37 Watermelon Recipes for Your Juiciest Summer Yet

53 Fourth of July Recipes for a Fun-Filled Independence Day

Our 51 Best Grilled Pork Recipes

81 Ways to Grill Meat This Summer

When It Comes to Marinating Your Meat, the Third Dip's the Charm

Our Best Recipes for Ribs