Slow Cooker Sticky Ribs for Two

Happy New Year and welcome to this first post of 2022! I hope you had a wonderful New Year’s Eve. We enjoyed a quiet evening at home with a special steak dinner, preceded by caviar with blinis – a wonderful gift from a West Coast friend, and of course the bubbly flowed. Today I have a slow cooker meal that is perfect for these darker, chillier days of January: Slow Cooker Sticky Ribs for Two. This recipe is mostly hands off and is super-simple. So let’s get right to it!

Prep the Ribs

I found this recipe on America’s Test Kitchen and I love that it’s built for two; we don’t have to do any math to cut the recipe in half! We are starting off with a rack of baby back pork ribs weighing 1.5-2 pounds. Pat the rack dry and then coat all sides with a dry rub consisting of ground ginger, garlic powder, salt and pepper.

Spray the bowl of a slow cooker with a light coating of cooking spray. Place the rack of ribs, meat side down, into the slow cooker. Set the timer for 3 hours and set the temperature setting on high. Then, forget about it.

Meanwhile, place a wire rack inside of a sheet tray and spray the rack with cooking spray. If you want to serve with rice, at the 2.5 hour mark of the ribs’ cooking time, make your rice.

At the three hour mark, use a fork to test the tenderness of the ribs. If they are tender (which, they will likely be), use kitchen tongs to transfer the rack from the slow cooker; place the ribs, meat side up, on the prepared sheet tray. Let the rack sit for ten minutes, until the surface of the ribs is mostly dry.

In your oven, position an oven rack on the top setting, about 4-inches away from the heating element. Turn the broiler on.

Prepare the Sticky Glaze

While the ribs are sitting, whisk together ketchup, apricot preserves, rice vinegar and soy sauce. Pour a little of the glaze on the ribs and use a brush to coat the top and sides of the ribs. Pour and brush on the glaze until about half of the glaze is on the ribs.

Place the tay with the ribs on that top rack in the oven and broil for about 3-5 minutes, until the glaze is bubbly and beginning to char. Then, take the ribs out, pour and lightly brush the rest of the glaze on the ribs and place back under the broiler for another minute or so, just until the glaze is bubbling again. Remove from the oven and tent the ribs with foil and let rest for 10 minutes.

After the ribs have rested for ten minutes, use a sharp knife to slice between the rib bones. I like to tilt the ribs up on one of the long ends, so I can see where each bone is, then slice vertically down between the bones.

Transfer the ribs to a serving plate and sprinkle with chopped cilantro. Serve with rice.

Slow Cooker Sticky Ribs for Two

These ribs are beautifully moist and tender. Not at all over cooked, with just enough resistance to give a nice tender chew. The glaze is sticky – it’s sweet and sour, with just the right amount of tang. The 1.5 pound rack of ribs is perfect for two with a serving of rice and side salad.

Thank you all so much for stopping by today! If you want to try a different Asian-inspired rib recipe, try Korean Braised Short Ribs – another great recipe for a wintertime Sunday Supper. My very best wishes to you for a happy and healthy 2022. Take care and be well everyone! xo Kelly

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Slow Cooker Sticky Ribs for Two

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Dinner, Main Course – Asian-Inspired

By America's Test Kitchen – Serves: 2

Prep Time: 10 Minutes – Cooking Time: 3 Hours, 5 Minutes with 20 Minutes of Resting Time – Total Time: 3 Hours, 35 Minutes

Slow-cooked to perfection in a slow cooker and finished under the broiler with a sweet and sour glaze – sticky rib perfection!

Ingredients

• 1.5 tsp. Garlic Powder
• 1 tsp. Ground Ginger
• 1 tsp. each Kosher Salt and Black Pepper
• 1 (1.5- to 2-pound) rack Baby Back Ribs
• 1/3 cup Apricot Preserves
• 2 tbsp. Ketchup
• 2 tbsp. Soy Sauce
• 2 tbsp. Rice Vinegar
• Chopped Fresh Cilantro

Instructions

1

Pat the rack dry and then coat all sides with a dry rub consisting of ground ginger, garlic powder, salt and pepper.

2

Spray the bowl of a slow cooker with a light coating of cooking spray. Place the rack of ribs, meat side down, into the slow cooker. Set the timer for 3 hours and set the temperature setting on high.

3

Meanwhile, place a wire rack inside of a sheet tray and spray the rack with cooking spray. If you want to serve with rice, at the 2.5 hour mark of the ribs' cooking time, make your rice.

4

At the three hour mark, use a fork to test the tenderness of the ribs. If they are tender (which, they will likely be), use kitchen tongs to transfer the rack from the slow cooker; place the ribs, meat side up, on the prepared sheet tray. Let the rack sit for ten minutes, until the surface of the ribs is mostly dry.

5

In your oven, position an oven rack on the top setting, about 4-inches away from the heating element. Turn the broiler on.

6

While the ribs are sitting, whisk together ketchup, apricot preserves, rice vinegar and soy sauce.

7

Use a brush to coat the top and sides of the ribs with about half of the glaze.

8

Place the tay with the ribs on that top rack in the oven and broil for about 3-5 minutes, until the glaze is bubbly and beginning to char. Then, take the ribs out, pour and lightly brush the rest of the glaze on the ribs and place back under the broiler for another minute or so, just until the glaze is bubbling again. Remove from the oven and tent the ribs with foil and let rest for 10 minutes.

9

After the ribs have rested for ten minutes, use a sharp knife to slice between the rib bones.

10

Transfer the ribs to a serving plate and sprinkle with chopped cilantro. Serve with rice.