The key to perfect ribs is cooking them gently so the meat stays tender while the fat renders, and the slow cooker is the perfect tool for accomplishing just that. The recipe below will give you fall-off-the bone ribs with only 10 minutes of prep.
Barbecue is all about balancing sweet and salty. Here soy sauce, black pepper, and garlic add a pungent savor while honey, ginger, and allspice provide sweetness. Allspice may seem an odd choice for barbecue, but it’s subtle here, adding depth, not a strong flavor.
2½-3 lbs. (1.11.4 kg) pork ribs, halved
1 tablespoon (21 g) salt
1 tablespoon (6 g) pepper
2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
10 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon (2 g) allspice
1 cup (240 ml) honey
½ cup (120 ml) soy sauce
Rub ribs with salt and pepper, working spices evenly into the meat.
Mix garlic, ginger, allspice, honey, and soy sauce in a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Place the ribs in the slow cooker and rotate in the sauce until evenly coated. Stand the ribs up, placing the meatier edge against the bottom with boney sides resting together in the center.
Cook, covered on low for 8 hours.
Remove the ribs to a cutting board and cool slightly. Cut individual ribs apart. Brush with sauce from the slow cooker and serve with the remaining sauce on the side.
Pro Tip: If you’d like to caramelize the edges of the meat, after slow cooking transfer them to a baking sheet, meatier side up, and broil for 3-5 minutes, watching them carefully to ensure the sauce doesn’t burn. Then proceed as directed in step 5.
