If you saw my last two posts, you probably knew something with a bit of barbecue flair was coming up. The Sweet Heat Rub and the Honey Chipotle Barbecue Sauce were a dead giveaway. And here it is, Country Style Ribs in the Slow Cooker. They might look a little gnarly but that’s good down-home cooking and they are absolutely delish!
Country Style Ribs in the Slow Cooker
Country Style Ribs in the Slow Cooker are such a simple dish to make. These are going to be absolutely perfect with mashed potatoes in the winter and some kind of fry like my Bomb Baked Potato Wedges (click on the photo at the bottom of the page) in the summer. Or mashed potatoes in the summer. Mashed Potatoes are my “Desert Island Food.” I’ll vote for them anytime!
About Country Style Ribs in the Slow Cooker:
Country Style Ribs are a great slow cooker choice. The meat tends a little towards fattiness but the long slow cook renders them beautifully and they cook up so tender and moist. If you’ve never had Country Style Ribs, they’re like a cross between a pork chop and a rib. They’re cut from the blade end of the loin and are meatier than most ribs.
When you open that slow cooker, you’ll find the top layer of ribs will be a little more caramelized, the ones on the bottom paler, but saturated in juices. While some people might think that’s kind of a downfall of crockpot recipes, it can be a bonus, instead.
Having a range of chops to choose from can be a lifesaver, especially if you have kids or elderly in the family who will appreciate the softer, fall of the bone chops from the bottom.
Making Country Style Ribs in the Slow Cooker:
This meal is so easy peasy. All you really need to do is sprinkle your ribs with a little or a lot of rib rub or seasoning of your choice and give them a little massage. Of course, I’m recommending my “Sweet Heat Rub for Chicken or Pork.” It’s an easy toss-together rub made from items you probably already have in your pantry. If you don’t want to bother, these ribs would be good with any barbecue-type seasoning or rub.
Then you layer the ribs, crisscrossing them in the slow cooker, and top with a cup or two of your favorite (or maybe my Honey Chipotle) barbecue sauce. That’s it, folks. Then all you do is wait.
If you want, when the ribs come out of the slow cooker you can slather them with a little more sauce and broil them until the sauce is molten and bubbly, but it’s really not necessary. Really, for me, it just depends on how I feel at the moment whether I do or not. Sometimes it’s just not worth the bother or worth heating up the oven. I didn’t do that for these ribs in the pics.
Sweet Heat Rub for Chicken or Pork
Saving Money on Country Style Ribs in the Slow Cooker:
Country Style Ribs are almost always going to come in as an incredible bargain, especially if you buy them on sale. Watch for the best pricing in the fall to early winter (when most piggies go to market) and a few weeks prior to Easter. Any holiday where ham is often served is going to generate great sales prices on the offcuts a few weeks before.
If you don’t catch those particular times, look for the lows in your area, usually about once a quarter. In my area, the lowest price can be as little as 99 cents a pound and good sale prices range from $1.49 a pound to $1.69 a pound.
I have never seen country style ribs sold in anything but a large family pack. Bring them home and divide and freeze part of it for later or take the opportunity for a cook once, eat twice meal. But do snatch them up when you see them at a great price. If you cook up a big family pack, you may have leftovers (unless my son lives with you, the kid who eats everything!) Ribs make the best Fried Rice and I have a couple recipes you might like & I’ve shared my page on leftover pork – the links are at the bottom of this page, along with a few other links you might like.
Honey Chipotle Barbecue Sauce
Country Style Ribs in the Slow Cooker
The easiest meal you could ever hope to make with all the great barbecue flavor you could want.
- Prep Time: 10 min + rest
- Cook Time: 6 to 10 hours
- Total Time: 7 hours
- Yield: 6 - 8 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 pounds Country Style Ribs
- 1/3 cup or so of Rib Rub
- 1 generous cup of barbecue sauce, plus more for serving
Instructions
Season ribs with rub, a little or lot according to taste, and rub the seasoning into the meat. Set aside for an hour and up to overnight (if time allows) well wrapped in the refrigerator. Add ribs to the slow cooker in a single layer, then add another layer crosswise to the first. Continue until all ribs are in the slow cooker. Drizzle with a cup (or more if desired) of barbecue sauce. Cover and cook on high for about six hours (or until tender) or on low for 10.
Serve with additional barbecue sauce.
If desired, ribs may be removed from the slow cooker, placed on a rack over a sheet tray lined with foil (for easy clean up) and placed about four to five inches under a broiler till the barbecue sauce is caramelized and bubbly.
Notes
- The ribs will have a range of tenderness. Those on the bottom will be softer while those on the top will be a little more caramelized. This can be a bonus if part of the family is children or elderly.
- If that isn’t an outcome you’d like, place the ribs standing on edge.
_________________________________________
I’ll be taking this recipe to Fiesta Friday, hosted this week by Quinn @ Dad What’s 4 Dinner and Monika @ Everyday Healthy Recipes.
If you like Country Style Ribs in the Slow Cooker, you might also like:
Pingback: Country Style Ribs in the Slow Cooker | My Meals are on Wheels