pork ribs Archives - The Midnight Baker

Instant Pot Ribs & Sauerkraut

Judith Hannemann — Sat, 26 Jun 2021 23:00:40 +0000

Made in the Instant Pot makes these ribs and sauerkraut ultra quick. Psst…the sauerkraut is special in this one.

An Old Comfort Food Standby

Ribs and sauerkraut has got to be in the top 10 of comfort food meals.

Since its summer and long oven or stovetop cooking is not something most of us want to do, this is where your Instant Pot really comes into play. Not only do you get a meal where they flavors meld wonderfully due to how a pressure cooker cooks, but pressure cooking is relatively quick and doesn’t heat up the kitchen much.

This recipe is a bit different with a great rub for the ribs and a surprising flavor for the sauerkraut.

Sauerkraut Is Special

Usually this dish has apple accents to cut the tartness of the sauerkraut. In that case, this recipe isn’t different from the others.

However, there’s one ingredient that make this sauerkraut a big hit. And you’ll never guess that it’s BBQ sauce!

In fact, it reminds me a bit of the red coleslaw served at a famous BBQ joint in Nashville. Its one of the most-requested items on the menu because its so different. And that’s the same with the way the kraut is flavored in this.

Rub And Additional Ingredients

The rub is chock full of wonderful flavor. I think the chili powder and smoked paprika are responsible for that. If you want more smoky flavor and you don’t mind a bit of heat, use chipotle chili powder. I’d recommend using half chipotle and half regular chili powder.

In addition to all the great flavors this recipe has, an added accent of caraway seed is never out of order. Personally, I think it gives the kraut a little oomph.

As an aside, use potatoes that have a waxy texture because more mealy varieties are just going to get mushy. Anything you’d use for potato salads is perfect here.

The Recipe

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Instant Pot Ribs & Sauerkraut

The rub and fancy sauerkraut make this one a winner.

Prep Time25

Cook Time40

Course: Main, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: bbq ribs and sauerkraut, chili ribs and sauerkraut, ribs in the instant pot

Servings: 4

Calories: 940kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

4 lbs pork baby back ribs

Rub:

1/2 tbs kosher salt
2 tbs pepper
2 tbs chili powder
2 tbs smoked paprika
2 tbs brown sugar
1 tbs onion powder
1 tbs garlic powder

Sauerkraut:

29 oz sauerkraut juice included, 2-14.5 oz cans
1/2 cup apple juice
1/2 cup BBQ sauce
2 tsp caraway seeds
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 large Yukon gold potatoes

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Mix rub ingredients in a small bowl.
Remove membrane from the bone side of the ribs--this stops them from curling when cooked.
Sprinkle the rub on all sides of the ribs. Cut ribs into portions about 2-3 ribs long.
Slice potatoes (you don't have to bother peeling if you scrub them well) into 1/4-inch slices then place in the the bottom of the Instant pot.
Add the undrained sauerkraut, apple juice, BBQ sauce, caraway seeds and the brown sugar on top of the potatoes. Place ribs on top of the layered mixture.
Seal and cook on high pressure for 30-40 minutes--the longer time produces ribs where the meat will fall off the bone. Let pressure reduce naturally for 5 minutes, then release the pressure.
Remove ribs and stir the sauerkraut mixture.
Serve ribs on top of the sauerkraut

Nutrition

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Cointreau Ribs

Judith Hannemann — Sat, 29 May 2021 23:00:44 +0000

Kick off the summer grilling season with these Cointreau ribs.

Ribs: Great For The Grill

Memorial Day (or Spring Bank Holiday if you’re in UK) is the traditional kick-off to summer. Even though summer really begins mid June, this weekend is all about outdoor cooking.

I just love cookouts and always have so I look forward to this weekend. And most of all, I look forward to my first rack of ribs done on the grill. I think they’re my favorite thing to eat. Since they taste way better done on the BBQ, I’m all set to go. One thing I really like is citrus with pork. These Cointreau ribs certainly satisfy with a hint of orange in the glaze.

The Liqueur

Cointreau is an orange-flavored liqueur for those who’ve never heard of the stuff. By itself, it’s a pleasant after-dinner drink, but it’s also useful for when you want to impart a deeply orange accent to anything.

Since the brand name is quite expensive–my local liquor store owner said that it has “attitude.” I assume that he meant that it was overpriced because if you could apply the sarcasm font to speech, that’s how it was said. As I’m known to be economical, he suggested a lesser-known brand which was quite in line with what I wanted to spend. I had lots of it left over after I made this great chocolate mousse cake and I wanted to use some.

Even though I rarely drink, I like the taste alcohol imparts to food and I also like orange with pork so I decided to experiment with ribs. The dry rub contains orange zest and the glaze has the orange liqueur and orange juice.

If you want to go non-alcoholic in this, substitute frozen orange juice concentrate for the liqueur.

Cooking Method

The preferred way to cook these ribs is over indirect grill heat, but they can also be done in a conventional oven. You could do them in the air fryer if you have a fryer large enough to accommodate a full or two half racks of ribs. If you want to go slow cooker or Instant Pot, you have to keep a very careful eye on them because these ribs are best when they are not falling off the bone.

When you finish them up with the glaze, just move the ribs to the lit side of the grill or pop them under the broiler if you used the oven. The air fryer is also great for finishing them off but keep a sharp eye because it’s so quick that the glaze will burn easily.

The Recipe

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Cointreau Ribs

Great for summer BBQs or any time.

Prep Time17

Cook Time1 30

Marinating Time8

Total Time9 47

Course: Appetizer, Main, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cooking with cointreau, July 4 BBQ, Memorial Day cookouts, orange dry rub, ribs for grilling

Servings: 4

Calories: 519kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

2 lbs pork baby back ribs

Dry Rub:

1/4 cup kosher salt
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tbs smoked paprika
1 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
1 tsp dehydrated orange zest
Pinch of cayenne

Orange BBQ Sauce:

1/2 cup ketchup
2 tbs cider vinegar
2 tbs molasses
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup orange liqueur
1 tsp orange zest
1 tbs balsamic vinegar
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp honey

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Mix dry rub ingredients in a small bowl; set aside.
Prepare ribs by removing the membrane covering the bones. Pat ribs dry and cover them with the dry rub. Place on a tray then refrigerate, uncovered, overnight.
Place BBQ sauce ingredients in a small saucepan and stir well. Heat over medium-low heat until mixture boils. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20-25 minutes until sauce is reduced to a ketchup consistency. Remove from heat and set aside.
To prepare on the grill--wrap ribs in heavy-duty foil. Heat the grill to medium-high heat on one side. Place ribs on UNLIT side and cook for 90 minutes.
To prepare in conventional oven--wrap ribs in foil as above and cook in a preheated 350F/180C oven for 90 minutes.
To finish with sauce--remove the ribs from the foil, brush generously with the sauce and cook over direct heat until sauce caramelizes; about 5 minutes each side. If you cooked them in the oven, place under the broiler until the sauce caramelizes.

Notes

For EU/UK--poultry seasoning is a blend of sage and thyme primarily. Equal portions of each is a good substitute or you could use all thyme or all sage to your taste.

Nutrition

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Hong Kong Ribs

Judith Hannemann — Sat, 22 May 2021 23:00:58 +0000

Hong Kong ribs are great done outdoors but are just as good all year round.

Hong Kong Ribs: A Real Treat

These Hong Kong-style ribs are a real treat for anyone who eats them. These ribs are so good I guess you think they’re hard to make. Nope, they’re very easy. The hardest part is waiting for them to finish marinating.

I bet you have most of the ingredients on hand too. The only thing you may have to buy is five spice powder and hoisin sauce. And the hoisin sauce is a great investment because you can use it in so many things such as Hoisin Pot Roast.

Long Marinating Equals Great Taste

Most recipes call for marinating anything (with the exception of shellfish) from 4-12 hours.

Personally, I’ve never tasted anything marinated for the minimum time that tastes really good. It always seems to lack a full flavor. The only exception I’ve experienced is when I’ve used my vacuum sealer’s marinating pan. However, that device is so small that it’s not practical for ribs.

These ribs require a long marinating time to develop their great flavor. Overnight is the minimum time for them to develop the flavor. Marinating for 12 hours is even better.

Cooking Methods

The ribs finish off the same way regardless of the initial cooking method.

Leave the ribs in slabs. Don’t cut them into individual ribs until they’ve finished cooking. They are much easier to handle that way.

Now you can do the initial cooking in a slow cooker, Instant Pot, oven or by indirect heat over an outside grill.

When it comes to the slow cooker, I’m giving an approximate time because all slow cookers cook differently. The approximate time I give won’t produce “fall-off-the-bone” texture either.

For the Instant Pot, that time will result in fully cooked ribs but they will still have body–again not “fall-off-the-bone.”

Bear in mind that for the above methods, the times are approximate. You can, of course, cook them longer, but if they’re overcooked, they can’t be saved.

Individual tastes vary for this kind of stuff so cook them the way you want them. But keep in mind they will be difficult to finish off either on the grill or under the broiler if they’re falling apart.

The Recipe

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Hong Kong Ribs

Easy and succulent ribs Hong Kong Style

Prep Time15

Cook Time1 30

Marinate12

Total Time13 45

Course: Appetizer, Main, Main Course

Cuisine: Asian

Keyword: restaurant style pork ribs, ribs for cookouts, tailgating recipes for ribs

Servings: 4

Calories: 1101kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

5 lbs pork baby back ribs about 2 racks

Marinade:

1/2 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup ketchup
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup Chinese wine or dry sherry
2 tbs hoisin sauce
1/2 tsp red food coloring Optional
pinch Chinese five-spice powder

Glaze:

1/4 cup honey
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp hoisin sauce

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Mix all marinade ingredients in a small bowl, combining well.
Place ribs (you may cut racks in half if you don't have huge bags, but don't cut into individual ribs--you do that after the final cooking) in a large zipper freezer bag and pour in marinade. Seal bag and turn a few times to coat the ribs. Place bag(s) in the refrigerator overnight.
Remove ribs from the bag and drain well. For slow cooker and Instant Pot cook methods, reserve the marinade.
Ribs may be cooked in several ways. Slow cooker--add a cup of marinade to the crock along with the ribs and cook on low for approximately 5-6 hours. For Instant Pot, place the ribs in the pot along with a cup of marinade then cook on high pressure for 12 minutes. Release pressure immediately. For the oven, place ribs on rack and bake at 350F/180C for 90 minutes. For indirect grilling, place ribs on the unlit side of the grill and roast for 2 hours.
To finish--mix glaze ingredients and brush over the rib racks. Grill over direct heat until glaze is bubbling. If doing indoors, place ribs under the broiler and broil until the glaze bubbles.

Notes

Cooking time calculated for oven cooking method

Nutrition

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Soda Pop Ribs

Judith Hannemann — Sat, 28 Oct 2017 23:00:08 +0000

Whether you make these soda pop ribs in the oven, slow cooker or Instant Pot, they’ll beg for seconds.

Soda Pop Ribs: Cola And Root Beer

It’s no longer a choice for either or!

Mixing cola and root beer results in great flavored ribs! You get the best of both worlds and it’s just yummy to boot.

Now For The Sauce

First, a bit of background–for many reasons, I wanted to move my blogging operation out of my home. Mainly my house became overrun with photography equipment, props and other things necessary to operate.

While I was looking for a nearby suitable location, I rented a small bungalow from a friend. I stocked the cupboards with what I usually use, but when I made these, I found out that I neglected to bring a bottle of BBQ sauce to doctor. However there were the fixings needed to make a sauce in the fridge, so that’s what I did.

The sauce I made was totally awesome. So you have your choice here to make up some of your own sauce from my recipe, or just “doctor” your favorite pre-made sauce.

And by the way, I found a great place that’s only one minute from my home. I closed on October 17 and am busy setting up the place.

Three Cooking Methods

You have three ways you can make these ribs.

My favorite method is to use my Instant Pot because they are ready in no time at all.

You can also set them and forget them in the slow cooker–however this might result in the meat completely falling off the bone with not much to work with when it comes to saucing them up and crisping. However, many people do love ribs that way and if you do this may be a good method to use. While I’m on the subject of texture, you certainly can get fall-off-the-bone tenderness in the Instant Pot. The only requirement is a longer processing time.

Lastly, we come to the oven method. This one takes the longest and you need to marinate the ribs at least 8 hours to get flavor infusion where the other methods do this as part of the cooking process.

See the “Notes” section of the recipe for the slow cooker and oven methods.

The Recipe

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Soda Pop Ribs

Whether you make these soda pop ribs in the oven, slow cooker or Instant Pot, they’ll beg for seconds.

Prep Time5

Cook Time20

Total Time25

Course: Main, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: baby back ribs, crockpot recipes, Instant Pot recipes, rib recipes, slow cooker recipes, soda pop ribs

Servings: 4

Calories: 686kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

3 lbs baby back ribs (2 racks, or 3 racks if you're serving 6 people)
2 cups root beer
1 cups cola

BBQ Sauce:

1 1/2 cups ketchup
2 tbs spicy brown mustard
2 tbs dark brown sugar
1 tbs cider vinegar
1/4 cup root beer
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1 pinch red pepper flakes

Instructions

Remove membrane on bone side of ribs.
Place ribs in Instant Pot (or any electric pressure cooker). Add the cola and root beer. Seal and cook on regular pressure for 15 minutes (on Instant Pot this is manual at normal pressure. On any other pot it’s 10 psi).
Let pressure drop normally for 5 minutes, then release the pressure by opening the valve.
While ribs are cooking, place all the sauce ingredients in a small saucepan and boil for about 5 minutes or until it’s reduced by about 25%
Put the cooked ribs (you can cut them in portions if you like) on a large baking sheet. Smother them with the sauce then pop them under a preheated broiler (about 3-4-inches from heat) for 5 minutes or until the sauce caramelizes.
Serve immediately.

Notes

To Use Prepared BBQ Sauce--Mix 1/4 cup of root beer with 1 1/2 cups prepared BBQ sauce in a small saucepan. Simmer over medium heat until it's reduced by 25%

Slow Cooker Method--place ribs in the slow cooker pour the amounts of root beer & cola called for in the main recipe. Cook on low about 5-6 hours, high 3-5 hours (times approximate) Continue as with main recipe.

Oven Method--marinate ribs in amounts of cola & root beer specified in main recipe for at least 8 hours. Preheat oven to 325℉. Place ribs on rack and roast for 2 hours approximately. Continue as in main recipe.

Nutrition

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Thai Sweet Chili Ribs

Judith Hannemann — Sat, 03 Jun 2017 23:00:03 +0000

Sweet and tangy thai chili sauce glaze make these ribs extra yummy, and they’re easy to make too!

Thai Sweet Chili Ribs: Just The Right Kick

If you like your ribs sweet with a little kick of heat, you’ll just love these ribs!

You can use prepared Thai sweet chili sauce in the glaze recipe, or make your own. The choice here is completely up to you.

Prepare The Ribs Your Favorite Way

My favorite way to make ribs is to use my Instant Pot because they are ready quickly.

If your favorite way is a slow cooker, then use that method. Last but not least is to prepare them by roasting them in the oven. I’d reserve the oven method for cooler weather. The previous methods won’t heat your kitchen in the warmer months.

Speaking of the summer, these ribs are great finished off on the BBQ grill.

Finish Off Those Ribs

No matter which way you choose to initially cook your ribs, they are all finished the same way.

Weather permitting, I prefer to use my gas grill to crisp up my ribs, but if you don’t have an outside grill or the weather isn’t conducive to cooking outside, then your good old stove broiler will do the trick.

The crisping phase doesn’t last long so even using your range’s broiler in the hotter weather won’t result in too much heat in the kitchen. All it takes is about five minutes.

The Recipe

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Thai Sweet Chili Ribs

Sweet and tangy thai chili sauce glaze make these ribs extra yummy, and they’re easy to make too!

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: GRILLING, Pork, Slow Cooker

Cuisine: thai

Keyword: sweet chili ribs, thai ribs

Servings: 4

Calories: 217kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

1 slab meaty baby back pork ribs
2 cups water
2 cups apple juice
1 clove garlic crushed

SAUCE

1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup thai sweet chili sauce store bought or your own
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce

Instructions

Rinse ribs and pull off the membrane that covers the bone.
Cut into 2-rib portions and place in Instant Pot(or any electric pressure cooker). Pour in water, juice and add garlic clove.
Seal and cook on Manual setting for 15 minutes (this is also High or 15 PSI). Let pressure drop naturally for 10 minutes, then release the pressure.
In a small bowl, mix all the sauce ingredients.
Generously coat all sides of the ribs with the sauce.
Broil on high (or over high heat on an outside BBQ grill) for about 3 minutes each side. Keep an eye on the ribs to make sure they just crisp and don’t burn.
Serve immediately with extra sauce if desired.

Nutrition

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Slow Cooker 2-Ingredient Sticky Sweet & Sour Ribs

Judith Hannemann — Sun, 20 Nov 2016 00:00:07 +0000

These sticky sweet and sour ribs only have two ingredients. You won’t believe how delicious they are!

No Kidding–2 Ingredients

At first, I didn’t believe this myself.

My neighbor and a Facebook friend were telling me about these ribs for years. My thoughts were, “Yeah right.”

The problem I had with the recipe was twofold. First, I couldn’t believe that it’d actually taste good and secondly I thought of all the liquid that accumulates in the crock pot–especially if the meat is a bit fatty.

It dawned on me that the latter problem could be cured by the way I “roasted” in the slow cooker. That method involves draining off any accumulated fat or liquid about halfway through the cooking process, then wiping out the liner and finishing off the cooking. That’s what I did here.

Ribs: Great For Parties

With the holidays coming and party planning in full swing, why not put these sweet and sour ribs on your menu?

You couldn’t ask for anything easier, and with so much to do this time of year, easy and delicious is a real boon.

I suggest making double or even triple the amount on these for a party since they will not just disappear; they will evaporate!

Duck Sauce Or Saucy Susan

You have your choice here since my way of looking at it is it’s six of one, half a dozen of the other.

All Saucy Susan is is a fancy schmantzy duck sauce. It’s a bit more fruity and when I first heard of this recipe from my friends, they said they used Saucy Susan.

Duck sauce, on the other hand, is much easier to find (around where I live) and it’s way cheaper too. You can buy a big 32 ounce jar and it keeps almost indefinitely in your fridge. But Duck sauce has many other uses so it will get used up easily. Try it as a dipping sauce on chicken nuggets because it’s wonderful. It’s found either in the Asian section of the store or funny enough, the Kosher section…don’t ask me to explain the last one.

OK, you can keep this one under your hat, but how many of you grab handfuls of those seasoning packets at the Chinese take-out place? I do that all the time and ended up with almost enough duck sauce to make this recipe. I won’t tell if you won’t.

The Recipe

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Slow Cooker 2-Ingredient Sticky Sweet & Sour Ribs

These sticky sweet and sour ribs only have two ingredients. You won’t believe how delicious they are!

Prep Time5

Cook Time7

Total Time7

Course: Appetizers, Comfort Foods, Everyday Meals, Pork, Slow Cooker

Cuisine: American

Keyword: slow cooker pork, sweet and sour ribs

Servings: 4

Calories: 766kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

3-4 lbs baby back ribs cut in 2-rib portions
2 cups duck sauce -OR- Saucy Susan orange sauce

OPTIONAL RUB

2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black or white pepper

Instructions

Mix rub ingredients (if using) and rub on ribs.
Place ribs in a 5-7 quart slow cooker, cover and cook on low about 6 hours, high about 4 hours (times approximate).
Drain all accumulated liquid from cooker and wipe the liner dry with a paper towel.
Place ribs back in cooker and pour duck sauce over them.
Cover and cook on HIGH an additional 2 hours. (Use high ONLY for the remainder of the cooking)

Nutrition

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Blackberry Brandy Ribs

Judith Hannemann — Sat, 23 Jul 2016 23:00:17 +0000

Succulent pork ribs roasted low and slow covered in a blackberry glaze that’s got a hint of brandy. Smoking is optional.

Everyone’s Favorite

Ribs are a perennial favorite with most people. Grilling ribs gives them a great flavor, even if not highly seasoned.

Low Slow And Indirect

The secret to preparing great ribs on the grill is to cook them at a low temperature with indirect heat.

To cook the ribs this way, it’s necessary to have at least two burners on a gas grill because you light one side and place the ribs on the other side. With traditional charcoal grilling, a ring of charcoal is made around the perimeter of the grill and the food is placed in the center where there is no charcoal under the food.

It’s always handy to have a grill with a built-in thermometer so you can keep an eye on the internal temperature of the grill. The internal temperature of your grill should be between 200 and 300 degrees F.

Ideal For Smoking Too

These ribs will taste even better if you decide to add some smoke to the mix.

Smoking is very easy if you have a gas grill. You don’t need a special smoker or even any special equipment. I wrote a guide on how to smoke in a gas grill and when you read it, you won’t believe how simple it is!

Simple Seasoning

There’s nothing complicated about the seasonings nor the glaze for these ribs. I give a link in the recipe for all of you who want to make your own seasoning blend, but a commercial variety of this flavor is available in your supermarket.

The glaze is simple too because it contains just four ingredients. The brandy, of course, is optional.

The Recipe

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Blackberry Brandy Ribs

Succulent pork ribs roasted low and slow covered in a blackberry glaze that’s got a hint of brandy. Smoking is optional.

Prep Time8

Cook Time3

Total Time11

Course: GRILLING, Pork

Cuisine: American

Keyword: b;ackberry brandy, pork ribs

Servings: 4

Calories: 601kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

1 rack about 4 lbs baby back ribs

RUB

1/2 cup brown sugar
3 tbsp creole seasoning see NOTES

GLAZE

1/2 cup chili sauce
1/2 cup blackberry jam/preserves
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1 tbsp brandy optional
2 cloves garlic crushed

Instructions

Remove silverskin from bone side of rib rack. This is the opaque membrane that covers the bones. If you use pliers or even your fingers to grab a corner at the end of the rack, you can pull this skin right off. Leaving it on will cause the ribs to curl because it contracts during cooking.
Mix brown sugar and creole seasoning. Rub into rib meat very well.
Place ribs in a zipper storage/freezer bag and refrigerate overnight.
In a small saucepan, combine all glaze ingredients. Cook over medium heat until sauce begins to boil. Boil 1 minute; remove from heat and set aside to cool.
Light one side of a gas grill and preheat grill to medium heat (about 300 degrees F).
Place ribs on UNLIT side of grill. Close grill lid and cook for about 3 hours. Make sure the temperature is between 200-300 degrees F.
Brush the ribs with the glaze. Crisp ribs over direct heat--you want the sauce to bubble. Watch carefully that they don't burn. About 1 minute per side should be sufficient.
If you wish to smoke the ribs as well, see the post for a link to my guide for smoking in a gas grill.
May also be cooked in a 300 degree oven for the same length of time.

Notes

You can also use Creole seasoning that is sold in the spice aisle of the supermarket. There are many brands, but McCormick makes one and Slap Ya Mama is another good one.

Nutrition

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Slow Cooker Brown Sugar Country-Style Pork Ribs

Judith Hannemann — Sun, 08 Mar 2015 00:00:00 +0000

Slow Cooker Brown Sugar Country-Style Pork Ribs

Tender and inexpensive pork ribs cook to succulent perfection in a sweet yet tangy sauce right in your slow cooker.

One of the most requested recipes on my Facebook crock pot recipe group is for brown sugar chicken. Every recipe I’d seen for this looked absolutely scrumptious.

Most things “chicken” also seem to work with pork so I decided to try which was pretty much the standard recipe for the chicken.

I was not disappointed! This was truly delectable. I used low-sodium soy sauce in this and the taste was fine.

The pork infuses with the sauce and the flavor is even more intense if you thicken that sauce and make it into a gravy and serve it over the top of the ribs.

Intensely flavorful

To keep the fat down, I trimmed as much visible fat as I could off the pork. Country-style ribs are a well-marbled cut of pork. But you could always make this a day ahead–it would probably infuse with more flavor if you did–refrigerate and skim off any congealed fat.

This would definitely work with any style chops too. With thicker chops (over 1/2 inch thick) the cook times probably would be the same as for the ribs, but if you have thinly sliced chops, then the cook time would have to be reduced.

If you use thinner chops, keep an eye on it and don’t plan for a long cook time, even at low. The times I give for this are only approximate as I tend not to buy thin chops so I’ve never cooked them by this or any other method.

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Slow Cooker Brown Sugar Country-Style Pork Ribs

Tender and inexpensive pork ribs cook to succulent perfection in a sweet yet tangy sauce right in your slow cooker.

Prep Time15

Cook Time8

Total Time8 15

Course: Comfort Foods, Everyday Meals, Pork, Slow Cooker

Cuisine: American

Keyword: pork ribs, slow cooker recipes

Servings: 4

Calories: 439kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

2-3 lbs country-style pork ribs*
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
oil for browning

SAUCE

1/3 cup soy sauce
3/4 cup pineapple juice -OR- lemon-lime soda i.e. 7-UP
3 cloves garlic crushed
1/2 cup brown sugar

FOR GRAVY

2 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup water

Instructions

*Any variety of pork chops may be substituted, but if using thin chops (less than 1/2-inch thick), cook time will need to be adjusted down--approximately 4 hours LOW, 2 hours HIGH.
Trim ribs of any excess fat.
Heat oil over medium-high heat in a heavy skillet.
Mix the salt, pepper and garlic powder; sprinkle over pork.
Brown pork well on both sides; place in crock of a 5-6 quart slow cooker.
Mix sauce ingredients in a small bowl and pour over pork.
Cover and cook on LOW 5-6 hours, HIGH 3-4 hours--times are approximate as each cooker will cook differently.
If a thick sauce is desired, remove ribs to a serving plate and keep warm in a 200 degree F oven, turn cooker to HIGH (if you cooked on LOW), and heat until sauce begins to bubble. Mix the cornstarch and water and stir into sauce, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Cook for 5 minutes.
You can return the ribs to the crock pot to coat with sauce if desired. Otherwise, ladle sauce over ribs on serving platter.

Nutrition

Slow Cooker Brown Sugar Country-Style Pork Ribs

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Slow Cooker Mississippi Ribs

Judith Hannemann — Sat, 27 Sep 2014 23:00:00 +0000

Slow Cooker Mississippi Ribs

These delicious slow cooker pork ribs are fall-off-the-bone tender. Based on the much-loved Mississippi beef roast recipe, but gets an extra kick from a bit of hot sauce and good ole Jack Daniels.

Everyone says how delicious that Mississippi beef roast recipe is. I was intrigued because I’d never tried it. Someone on my Crazy for Crockpots group mentioned that they’d made it with a pork roast too and it was outstanding.

One of my local stores was selling spareribs dirt cheap so I figured I’d have a go at this using some pork ribs. I love pork so I was sure I’d like this. I also liked the basic ingredients, but have to admit I had no idea what pepperoncini was. OK I know it’s jarred peppers, but I have never ever tasted them. So I got to try a new recipe and a new food!

Fall-off-the-bone tender

I was delighted with both! And sometimes you discover something wonderful where you least expect it, and that’s those peppers! I plan to use them in lots of other things.

The peppers only delicately season the gravy. You don’t use that many, and they’re small, but it gives such a great taste, so don’t be tempted to leave them out!! If they are not in the pickle and pickled pepper section of your store, check the Italian aisle–that’s where I found mine.

OK, so I have to make everything my own–and I did here. I reduced the butter in the original recipe because frankly folks, spareribs are FATTY, so you don’t need any extra, but you do need it for flavor.

I thought a little hot sauce (I used Cholula regular) would give a kick, but I went easy on it. If you like 5-alarm anything, add more!

And since I’m the disgrace of my Irish family for not being one to take a “nip” every now and then, I mollify them by cooking with the stuff! I added a little Jack Daniels to this (I used the 2 tbs) and it gave the gravy just what it needed. But if you don’t want to add it, leave it out. It will taste just fine.

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Slow Cooker Mississippi Ribs

These delicious slow cooker pork ribs are fall-off-the-bone tender. Based on the much-loved Mississippi beef roast recipe, but gets an extra kick from a bit of hot sauce and good ole Jack Daniels.

Prep Time15

Cook Time8

Total Time23

Course: Pork, Slow Cooker

Cuisine: American

Keyword: pork ribs, slow cooker pork

Servings: 4 -6

Calories: 1405kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

4-5 lbs baby back or regular pork spare ribs
1 pkg au jus gravy mix
1 pkg dry ranch dressing mix
1/4 cup butter cut up
4-6 pepperoncini peppers

TO MAKE GRAVY

2 tbs-1/4 cup Jack Daniels whiskey
1 tbsp hot sauce
3 tbs[ cornstarch
1/4 cup water
1 tsp Gravy Master or Kitchen Bouquet optional, just for color

Instructions

Rinse ribs, and cut into 2-3 rib sections. Pat dry and lay on a baking sheet. Broil on high heat until they begin to brown. You can eliminate this step. I do it because it looks better when served, but it makes no difference to the taste.
Place ribs in crock of at least a 5 quart slow cooker.
Mix the ranch dressing mix and the au jus mix in a small bowl.
Place the butter over the ribs, trying to distribute it evenly, then sprinkle the mixed gravy/dressing evenly over all.
Place the pepperocini over the ribs.
Cover and cook on HI for 5-6 hours or on LOW for 6-8 hours (times are approximate--my cooker cooks hot so mine were done in 5 hrs)
When ribs are done (the meat will easily fall off the bone BUT they keep their shape when handled), remove them to a platter and cover to keep warm.
Turn the slow cooker to HI (if it's not already) and add the whiskey and hot sauce if using; stir.
Mix the cornstarch and water. While stirring liquid, pour in only enough of the cornstarch mixture to thicken gravy to your personal preference. Let the gravy cook about 5 minutes.
You may place the ribs back in the crock pot in the gravy to keep them warm if you're not eating immediately. Otherwise, pour the gravy in a gravy boat and serve it along with the ribs.
Mashed potatoes will go very well with this.
Makes 4-6 servings.

Nutrition

Slow Cooker Mississippi Ribs

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Apricot Maple Glazed Applewood Smoked Ribs

Judith Hannemann — Sat, 26 Jul 2014 23:00:00 +0000

Apricot Maple Glazed Applewood Smoked Ribs

Smoked ribs cooked low and slow! Tangy rub and fruity glaze combine beautifully with the delicate flavor of applewood smoke.

Here they are–these are the ribs I was cooking when I was preparing the how-to on smoking in a gas grill. Just because you don’t have one of those fancy schmantzy smokers, doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy smoked food! You can read my how-to right here.

For pork, I always liked paring it with apple wood. Maple or cherry would be a good choice too. But whatever you have would be good. Only ones I wouldn’t suggest would be citrus woods or alder, but that’s a matter of opinion as I don’t think they pair well with pork.

Cooked low & slow with plenty of smoke

It really isn’t necessary to use pure maple syrup in the glaze. I prefer it, but I have used a good pancake syrup in this when I’ve been out of the real thing. Just make sure it has some percentage of maple syrup in the ingredients–Vermont Maid and Log Cabin do, but check store or generic brands as they may not.

Often I’ll double the recipe for the glaze and reserve half for a dipping sauce. It goes nicely on chicken too.

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Apricot Maple Glazed Applewood Smoked Ribs

Smoked ribs cooked low and slow! Tangy rub and fruity glaze combine beautifully with the delicate flavor of applewood smoke.

Prep Time20

Cook Time4

Total Time4 20

Course: GRILLING, Pork

Cuisine: American

Keyword: pork,, Smoked Ribs

Servings: 4 -6

Calories: 293kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

2 2.5 lb baby back ribs about 4-5 lbs total
8 cups apple wood chips*

RUB

1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp thyme
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp onion powder

GLAZE

1/2 cup apricot preserves
1/4 cup maple syrup -OR- high-quality pancake syrup
1 tbsp thick sweet BBQ sauce (like Sweet Baby Ray’s)

Instructions

*Amount I used with my method for smoking in a gas grill. If you use a commercial smoker, follow the directions for the amount of wood.
Rinse ribs; remove silver skin on the bone side (this prevents ribs from curling). Pat dry with paper towels & set aside.
Mix all rub ingredients in a small bowl. Rub into both sides of the ribs, rubbing in well. Place ribs in a large zipper storage bag and place in refrigerator for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
Prepare grill or smoker for smoking. Depending on temperature, it will take between 3-4 hours for ribs to be done. For how I do it, follow the steps on How To Smoke In A Gas Grill. Mine took 3 1/2 hours.
Mix the glaze ingredients. Brush liberally over ribs during last hour of cooking.

Nutrition

Apricot Maple Glazed Applewood Smoked Ribs

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