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Minggu, 09 Oktober 2011

Smoky Country-Style BBQ Ribs in the Slow Cooker




A few years ago I was in a Buffalo Wing phase--- my tongue itched for the spicy tang of Buffalo Wing sauce pretty much always.

It was a fun time.
This year, though, I seem to be on a rib kick. I love testing out new BBQ restaurants and trying to recreate the "oh-this-is-the-best-sauce-ever" flavor at home.

and in the crockpot.

I think we've hit the jackpot with this particular combination. The sauce has the perfect blend of twang, sweet, smoke, and heat without needing to brown the ribs beforehand, leave the house, or get dressed.

I used 3.5 pounds of pork baby back ribs, but you can certainly use beef if you'd like, or use this sauce on chicken thighs. I did NOT brown the meat at all--- the color shown up above was achieved solely in the slow cooker.

The Ingredients.
serves 4, unless you're really hungry.
3-4 pounds ribs
1 large yellow onion, sliced in rings
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
 1 (12-ounce) bottle chili sauce (in the ketchup aisle)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce (read labels for gluten. Lea & Perrins, made in the USA is GF)
4 chopped garlic cloves
1/2 to 1 teaspoon Tabasco Sauce
1/4 teaspoon Liquid Smoke

The Directions.

Use a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Cut the rack of ribs in half with a large knife or poultry scissors and make sure they fit all the way in the cooker, with the lid on. Now take them out.

Place the sliced onion in your pot, then put the ribs back in. Combine the dried ingredients: brown sugar, chili powder, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Rub this mixture all over the ribs.

Wash your hands well.

Now combine the wet ingredients: chili sauce, balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, Tabasco, and Liquid Smoke. Pour this mixture evenly over the top of your ribs.

Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours, or until the meat is tender, and has begun to pull away from the bone. The longer you cook the meat, the more tender it will become. Before serving, flip the ribs over a few times to get all sides nice and saucy.

The Verdict.

These are lick your fingers (and your forearms) good. Yum.
I could put this sauce on an old tire.

more ribs? no problem!