by James Coulter
I’ve been experimenting with fermenting hot peppers these past few months. Been using them to prepare my own hot pepper sauces and barbecue sauces.
What results have these experiments produced? Well, that’s a story for another Cooking on the Ridge article. But for this one, I’ll be focusing on one of the dishes I prepared with my homemade sauces.
What food is more quintessential to barbecue than ribs? Chicken and brisket may be popular, but when most people think of barbecue, often, they think of ribs. Whether they be spare or country-style, bone-in or boneless, nothing’s more finger-licking good than a slab of barbecue ribs.
Well, since I was making my own barbecue sauces, I might as well try them out by making barbecue ribs. And while some folks prefer their ribs grilled, I prepared mine in my favorite cooking utensil: the slow cooker. Because when it comes to making food in the crockpot, you simply need to set it and forget it until dinner rolls around.
The following recipe can be made with your favorite store-bought barbecue sauce and dry rub. Me? I decided to go all out and make everything homemade.
The result did not disappoint. For my first attempt at cooking ribs, the meat was tender and succulent, and the sauce was sweet yet spicy. Either way, finger-licking good.
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Slow Cooker Barbecue Ribs
Ribs
1-2 pounds country-style ribs
1 12 fl. oz. can soft drink or beer
1 cup barbecue sauce
Dry rub seasoning
Olive oil
Sauce
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup molasses, honey, or maple syrup
2 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp. hot sauce (optional)
Dry Rub
2 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tbsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
Directions
1. Combine ingredients for dry rub in a small bowl and mix.
2. In a separate container, combine ingredients for sauce and mix until blended.
3. Pat the meat dry with a towel, then apply olive oil to bind the dry rub.
4. Apply dry rub to meat. Let stand for 30 minutes or overnight in the fridge.
5. Place the meat in the slow cooker and pour in the sauce with soft drink or beer. Make sure the meat is completely covered.
6. Cook on low setting for eight hours, or high for two to three hours, or until the meat is cooked thoroughly.
7. Place meat on a tray, cover with sauce from the slow cooker, and broil in the oven for five minutes. Turn the meat over halfway through.
8. Serve with extra sauce from the slow cooker.
