BROWN: Pat the country ribs dry and cut each piece in half. Heat a large fry pan over medium heat with the fat of your choice. If your country ribs have a large layer of fat along one side, add them to the pan fat side down first and cook until the fat renders down and crisps a little. Once the fat has rendered, flip the country ribs onto a meaty side and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes or so. Repeat on the other side until evenly browned, then transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining pieces in a second batch, if necessary. Reserve the rendered fat from the skillet for later.

LAYER: Add the unfiltered apple juice or fresh apple cider and 2 tbsp / 30 ml of the apple cider vinegar to the bottom of the 6 quart Instant Pot. Place the browned country ribs into the braising liquid in layers, with the largest pieces of pork on the bottom. Peel the onions and chop them into half moon pieces about 1/2 inch / 1 cm thick. Chop each of the apples into eight pieces and discard the cores – no need to peel them. Tuck the apple and onion pieces into the Instant Pot between and around the country ribs. Add the rosemary and thyme, then sprinkle with salt.

PRESSURE COOK: Pop the Instant Pot lid on and set the vent to sealing. Use the Meat & Stew setting and cook for 35 minutes. Turn off the Instant Pot and let the meat rest for 15 minutes before using quick release.

BOIL: If you can, preheat your oven’s warming setting. While the country ribs are resting, peel and chop the sweet potatoes into pieces. Add them to a saucepan and cover them with just boiled water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until they are just tender, about 15 minutes. Drain the cooked sweet potatoes into a colander and let them sit for a few minutes while they release steam – this helps reduce any potential gumminess later.

SIMMER: Use tongs to remove and discard the fresh herb stems. Transfer the cooked country ribs to a plate or platter, cover and keep them warm in the oven. Use a immersion blender to puree together the liquid and leftover apple and onion mixture in the Instant Pot until you have a smooth sauce. You should have a little over 3 cups / 720 ml of liquid total. Taste and add extra salt if you like, along with the remaining 1 tbsp / 15 ml of apple cider vinegar. Use the Saute function and bring the sauce to a simmer. Cook until the gravy darkens and reduce to 3 cups / 720 ml for a looser gravy or even further to 2 cups / 480 ml if you like a super thick gravy, about 5 – 15 minutes.

WHIP: While the gravy is reducing, add the cooked sweet potatoes to the bowl of a 14 cup food processor, along with the reserved rendered pork fat. Roughly chop the sweet potatoes with a few pulses, then scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the coconut milk, salt, rosemary and thyme. Whip together until smooth and creamy.

SERVE: On a large platter, make a bed of whipped sweet potatoes, then top with the country ribs and serve the gravy on the side for family style. Alternatively, divide the mash between plates and portion the country ribs as you like, then drizzle with the gravy to taste.