A Crock-Pot, or electric slow cooker, and pork short ribs go together like a hand in a mitten. A slow cooker allows the ribs to cook to juicy perfection every time. Whether you use a rub, purchased barbecue sauce or make your own sauce, a slow cooker will turn the short ribs into a barbecue lover's delight. The key to good slow cooker meals is to never fill the slow cooker more than 2/3 full.
Purchased Barbecue Sauce
Cut the ribs into sections that will fit your slow cooker. Place the first layer of ribs into the cooker. Brush or pour half of your favorite barbecue sauce over the ribs. Place the remainder of the ribs on top of the sauce and use the remaining sauce in the jar to coat the ribs. Place the cover on the slow cooker and cook for eight to nine hours on the low setting.
Barbecue Rubs
Use your favorite rub recipe and thoroughly season the ribs by rubbing the rub into the meat. Place in the slow cooker in no more than two layers. Add 1/2 cup water to the bottom of the pot. Cover and cook, undisturbed, for eight to nine hours. Remove the ribs from the pot and serve the juices from the bottom on the side.
Homemade Barbecue Sauce
Place 1/4 cup of vinegar into a small sauce pan. Add 1 can of tomato paste and stir to blend. Turn the heat under the saucepan to medium low. Add 1 tsp. of freshly ground pepper, 1 tsp. of red pepper flakes, 2 tbsp. of Worcestershire sauce and stir to blend. Add 1/4 cup of brown sugar to the mix. Stir over the heat until the sugar has dissolved into the sauce. Remove from the heat. Place the ribs in the slow cooker. Coat the first layer of ribs with the homemade barbecue sauce and add the remaining short ribs on top. Pour the remaining barbecue sauce over the ribs to coat the upper layer. Cover and cook on low for eight to nine hours.
Tips on Cooking Short Ribs in the Slow Cooker
If your slow cooker has a high setting, the ribs will cook in as little as five hours on high. Check the temperature of the meat before serving: It should read 160 F on a meat thermometer. The keep-warm setting available on some models of slow cookers will keep the ribs at perfection for up to two hours after the cooking time is complete.
Tags: slow cooker, barbecue sauce, eight nine, eight nine hours, nine hours, ribs into