If you have a passion for soft and succulent spare ribs, but don't want to spend the whole day in front of the barbecue, cook them in the slow cooker. Let them marinate in the spices and brown them briefly in the oven, then brush them with a homemade barbecue sauce and place them in the slow cooker. Cook them until the meat begins to peel off the bones. You can then serve them or grill them for a few minutes to caramelize the sauce.
Ingrediants
2 kg of pork ribs
For the dry marinade:
- One and a half tablespoons of paprika
- One and a half tablespoons of brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons of salt
- 2 teaspoons of chili powder
- 2 teaspoons of garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon of chipotle pepper powder
- 1 teaspoon of black pepper powder
- 1 teaspoon of onion powder
- Half a teaspoon of dried thyme powder
- A pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
For the barbecue sauce:
- 480 ml of ketchup
- 170 g of molasses
- 100 g of brown sugar
- 80 g of seedless blueberry jam
- 80 of apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of liquid smoke
For 6-8 people
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Prepare the Ribs, Marinade and Salsa
Step 1. Remove the membrane from the ribs and preheat the oven
Turn on the oven at 200 ° C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, then peel off the thin, hard white membrane that lines the back of the ribs by pulling it with your fingers.
Ribs are a poor and tasty cut of meat that is obtained from the pork rib. They are also called ribs or ribs
Step 2. Cut and dry the ribs
Take a sharp knife and cut them into roughly 6 sections. Rinse them with cold water and pat them dry with kitchen paper. Once dry, place them in the baking tray lined with baking paper.
Once cut, the ribs will be easier to marinate and will fit comfortably into the slow cooker
Step 3. Prepare the spice mixture
Pour the dry marinade ingredients into a small bowl. Stir, then set aside a tablespoon (15g) of the spice mix to add to the barbecue sauce. For the dry marinade, you will need:
- One and a half tablespoons of paprika;
- One and a half tablespoons of brown sugar;
- 2 teaspoons of salt;
- 2 teaspoons of chili powder;
- 2 teaspoons of garlic powder;
- 1 teaspoon of chipotle pepper powder;
- 1 teaspoon of black pepper powder;
- 1 teaspoon of onion powder;
- Half a teaspoon of dried thyme powder;
- A pinch of cayenne pepper (optional).
Step 4. Coat the ribs with the spice mixture and brown in the oven for 30 minutes
Coat them with the marinade and massage them with your fingers to make sure the spices adhere well to the meat. Place the pan in the preheated oven and let the ribs cook for 15 minutes. When the time runs out, flip them over and let them cook for another 15 minutes (for a total of 30 minutes).
Thanks to the passage in the oven, a spicy and delicious crust will form around the meat
Step 5. Make the barbecue sauce
Nothing prevents you from buying it ready-made at the supermarket, but with this recipe, preparing it at home is very simple. Measure the ingredients, pour them into a saucepan and heat them over medium heat, then let them cook for 15 minutes, taking care to stir occasionally. To prepare the barbecue sauce, you need:
- 480 ml of ketchup;
- 170 g of molasses;
- 100 g of brown sugar;
- 80 g of seedless blueberry jam;
- 80 of apple cider vinegar;
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of liquid smoke.
Part 2 of 3: Cook the Ribs in the Slow Cooker
Step 1. Prepare the slow cooker (the so-called "slow cooker")
Grease it internally with extra virgin olive oil (you can use that spray for convenience). Alternatively, you can use one of those disposable bags that protect the pot and don't force you to wash it (you can buy them online). Finally, sprinkle some barbecue sauce on the bottom of the pot.
Step 2. Arrange the ribs in the slow cooker
Place them in the pot and brush them with the sauce. If necessary, create another layer of ribs and then add more barbecue sauce.
Make sure the barbecue sauce is evenly distributed
Step 3. Let the ribs cook until the meat softens
Put the lid on the pot, set the cooking mode and turn it on. If you choose the "High" setting let the ribs cook for 4-5 hours, if you choose the "Low" setting let them cook for 7-9 hours. In both cases, remember to turn the ribs halfway through cooking. The meat will be ready when you can easily detach it from the bones.
Part 3 of 3: Complete Cooking the Ribs in the Oven or on the Barbecue
Step 1. Remove the spare ribs from the slow cooker
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. When the meat has softened, remove the ribs from the pot with the kitchen tongs to transfer them to the pan. Before putting them in the oven, sprinkle them with the barbecue sauce again.
At this point the ribs are already perfectly cooked. If you wish, you can serve them as they are without putting them on the barbecue or in the oven
Step 2. Grill the ribs for 3-5 minutes
Turn on the oven grill and place the pan a short distance from the coil. The sauce should brown and start boiling. At that point, take the ribs out of the oven and let them cool slightly so you can eat them with your hands.
Step 3. Alternatively, grill the ribs on the barbecue
If you want, you can complete the cooking of the meat on the gas or charcoal barbecue, instead of in the oven. Wrap the ribs in a large sheet of aluminum foil and place it directly on the hot grill. Let them brown for 3-5 minutes, then serve them immediately.
