Slow cooker Asian Pork Ribs in the slow cooker.
I feel the barbeque purists rolling their eyes. Not because I can’t stand by the grill in the snow, but because I am freakin’ cozy in the warmth of my home and don’t want to change out of my fluffy slippers into real boots.
And, they’re damn good. Even without a grill mark of approval burned into them. (I also have another braised rib slow cooker recipe to check out by the way)
Slow Cooker Asian Ribs Are Great, No Grill Required
Ok, Pitmasters, drop the judgement before reading any further. Today, we are discussing ribs. Ribs in the slow cooker. I hear the barbeque purists clicking their tongues even as they gaze past this to the recipe all the way down to read the hate filled email comments.
In the words of Elsa, ‘Let it Go‘.
Now, for those of you intrigued by the slow cooker rib method, let me just tell you. It’s a pretty easy way to make pull apart ribs. I am a fan and personally grill all winter long, but some days, I am just too lazy to stand outside and push the snow off the grill.
Not because I can’t, because I am freakin’ cozy in the warmth of my home and don’t to change out of my fluffy slippers into real boots. And this is when these ribs come in handy.
Or maybe you don’t have space or budget for a grill yet, your complex doesn’t allow outdoor grills, but you still want to enjoy the mouth watering goodness that is a pork rib.
What Ribs Are Best For Asian Style Ribs?
If you want to make ribs like you enjoyed at the Tiki bar while sipping on your Mai Tai and enjoying the pupu platter, then go with pork short ribs. Also commonly known as baby back ribs.
Baby back ribs offer plenty of meat, don’t skimp on flavor, and you can pretty much always find them on sale. They don’t take freaking forever to cook either. Win to the power of four.
What Are Baby Back Ribs?
The baby back rib is the part of the rib cage that comes up right next to the spine. So, pretty much where the meat is going to be the most tender and succulent. Full of flavorful fats that melt away and leave only flavor behind.
Baby back ribs don’t come from baby pigs. So, if you were avoiding them because you didn’t want to eat Piglet, then time to get over it. They get the name from being the smaller cut of rib.
If you want to use a bigger rib, and I don’t blame you, then use the St Louis style cut of pork ribs. Those are longer and have more meat… and fat. However, I recommend the baby backs just because they are so convenient and also pretty uniform in size.
What Is Hoisin Sauce Anyway?
Hoisin sauce paints umami flavors over anything you use it for. The sauce is popular in Cantonese cooking. The name actually loosely translates as “fish flavor” even though fish isn’t in it. But, it works great on fish too, I’ll give it that!
Although there are regional variations, most of us are familiar with the variety we see on the Asian themed aisle in our local supermarkets. It is a thick dark brown soy bean sauce, pretty sticky, and seasoned with ginger, five spice, and fennel.
Make Great Ribs In a Crock Pot
Pop those bad boys in the slow cooker and let’s call it a day. A rib purist might say that is a crock of ….. But get the heck over it. Great ribs in a crock pot are still nothing short of amazing. Truth must be told.
These Slow Cooker Asian Pork Ribs are a winner. Sure, they don’t have the sweet sear of charcoal flames or that award winning smoke ring, but they are all the amazing perfection that is a pork rib to an audience who just wants to chow down on some good food.
Bring a pile of napkins and get the gang ready for an indoor barbecue festival of a different sort. PS, just tween us girls, the oven method is pretty kicking too.
Slow cookin, like a boss.
Slow Cooker Ribs not for you? I’m all for firing up that grill and doing it live-fire style! Try these out!
- Easy Vertical Smoked Ribs
- Spicy Smoked Pork Ribs
- Beginner Dry Rub Smoked Pork Ribs
- Texas Style Barbecue Beef Ribs
If you’ve tried my Slow Cooker Asian Pork Ribs Recipe or any other recipe on GirlCarnivore.com please don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know where you found it in the comments below. I get inspired by your feedback and comments! You can also FOLLOW ME on Instagram @girlcarnivore as well as on Twitter and Facebook.
Slow Cooker Asian Pork Ribs
Equipment
- crockpot or slow cooker
Ingredients
- 1 cup hoisin sauce
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ½ cup dry sherry
- cilantro handful of fresh stems chopped and leaves coarsely chopped
- 8 scallions whites chopped coarsely, greens minced thin, divided
- 3 tbs ginger minced
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 4 orange strips of zest from an orange about 3 to 4" long
- 1 ¾ tsp cayenne pepper
- 6 lbs baby back pork ribs
- salt and pepper
- 1 10 oz hot pepper jelly full jar of pepper jelly
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Whisk the hoisin, sugar, soy, sherry, cilantro stems, scallion whites, ginger, garlic, orange zest and 1 ½ teaspoon of the cayenne in a bowl.
- Pat the ribs dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.
- Grease your slow cooker with vegetable spray and arrange the ribs standing and wrapping around the rim of the cooker with the meaty side facing outwards.
- Pour the sauce over the ribs, cover and cook for 6 to 8 hours on low.
- Set up and preheat your broiler. Line a baking sheet with foil and place an oven safe rack in it. Coat the rack with vegetable oil. Place the ribs meat side down on the rack.
- Strain 3 cups of cooking liquid from the cooker into a sauce pan.
- Whisk in the hot pepper jelly, vinegar, cilantro leaves, and remaining cayenne pepper to the liquid.
- Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 to 20 minutes until thickened.
- Brush the ribs with the sauce and broil 2 to 4 minutes.
- Carefully flip the ribs over, brush with sauce and broil another 8 to 10 minutes, until ribs are sticky and browned, brushing with liquid every 2 minutes.
- Tent the ribs with foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving with minced scallion greens and additional sauce if desired.
adam j. holland says
Besides that, these don’t cause cancer. wink emoticon Lookin’ good!
David Kramer says
Can you elaborate on just how this works “arrange the ribs standing and wrapping around the rim of the cooker with the meaty side facing outwards”? Standing how, on the edge of the rib bones or on the meat end? What wraps around the rim of the cooker and the meaty side faces outwards from what; are the rib bones on the bottom of the cooker and meat on top? A picture would be very helpful as just words are not doing it.
Jen says
Family loved them!
Kita says
Thanks, Jen! I am so glad these were a hit with the family.