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How to Make BBQ Ribs in the Slow Cooker
A lot of people adore BBQ ribs and this meaty treat makes a great snack or dinner. Ribs are best cooked on the grill but how do you cook them if the weather is bad or if you do not have a grill? The answer is that you use your crockpot. Learning how to make BBQ ribs in the slow cooker is really easy and the ribs are guaranteed to come out great because slow cooking is so simple.
A slow cooker has three temperature settings - low which is 200 degrees F, medium, which is 250 degrees F and high which is 300 degrees F. Not all crockpots have a medium heat setting. Because of these relatively low temperatures, you will not accidentally overcook or burn your BBQ ribs, which is something that frequently happens with other cooking methods.
Slow cooking means using a moist cooking method, so you will be braising your ribs. This means they will come out really succulent. Cooking the ribs in a closed pot in a tasty liquid over a low temperature is the best way to get juicy, tender meat.
If you do not have a crockpot, you can use a Dutch oven or big pot with a tight-fitting lid and put it in the oven at 200 degrees F. Make sure you do not use a higher temperature or the sweet sauce will burn. Using a slow cooker is much simpler than using the oven of course.
There are two ways to make BBQ ribs in the slow cooker. The first way is to throw a slab of ribs and a bottle of BBQ sauce in and leave it for eight hours. This method works well but if you want a more sophisticated finish and a better tasting rack of ribs (as well as some juicy vegetables to serve on the side), there is a better recipe you can use.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Buy a rack of baby back ribs and slice them into two or three rib sections. You might want to broil them six inches from the broiler for fifteen minutes to brown them, to add more flavor, but this is optional. Mix a teaspoon of liquid smoke with a cup of BBQ sauce unless you are using an already smoky sauce. You can also add minced jalapenos, hot sauce, or finely diced ginger to the sauce. Molasses or honey work well, if you want to sweeten it a bit.
Slice an onion into rings. Chop four carrots, two potatoes and an apple into cubes. Arrange the onion, carrots, potatoes, and apple over the bottom of your crockpot. Put a layer of ribs on top, meat side up, and then pour some of the sauce over them, making sure all the rib surfaces are coated. Use a brush or your fingers to coat all the meat with sauce. Add another layer of ribs and add more sauce. Repeat until you have used all the meat and all the BBQ sauce.
Cover the crockpot and cook the ribs for about seven hours on low. Do not remove the lid at any time else you will have to extend the cooking time by half an hour to make up for it. A lot of the juices will come out of the meat, making the sauce thinner. You can boil it to thicken it up or just leave it.
Learning how to make BBQ ribs in the slow cooker is really worthwhile. Not only is it easy enough for anyone to do but you will get a complete meal at the end of it and the ribs will be really flavorful and tender. Use rib tips, chops, country ribs, or spare ribs if you prefer them, although baby back ribs are less fatty and just as tasty.
