Slow Cooker 4-Ingredient Brown Sugar Pork Ribs
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 pounds bone-in pork ribs (country-style or spare ribs)
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 cup barbecue sauce (your favorite bottled variety)
- ¼ cup soy sauce
Directions
- Pat the pork ribs dry with paper towels. Trim away any thick, hard pieces of fat if necessary, leaving some fat for flavor and tenderness.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, barbecue sauce, and soy sauce until the sugar is mostly dissolved and the mixture is smooth and glossy.
- Arrange the ribs in the slow cooker in an even layer. It's fine if they overlap slightly, but try to keep them to one or two layers for even cooking.
- Pour the sauce evenly over the ribs, turning them once or twice with tongs so they're well coated.
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Cover and cook:
- LOW: 7 to 9 hours
- HIGH: 4 to 5 hours
The ribs are done when they're very tender and the meat begins to fall off the bone.
- Carefully transfer the ribs to a plate or shallow dish using tongs. They will be extremely tender, so handle them gently.
- Pour the cooking liquid into a small saucepan. Skim off any excess fat. Bring the liquid to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 8 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it reduces into a glossy, sticky glaze that coats the back of a spoon.
- Return the ribs to the empty slow cooker or place them on a foil-lined baking sheet. Pour the thickened glaze over the ribs, turning them gently to coat all sides.
- For caramelized edges, place the glazed ribs under a preheated broiler for 3 to 5 minutes, watching carefully, until the glaze bubbles and the edges begin to darken. Alternatively, leave the ribs in the warm slow cooker for 10 to 15 minutes to absorb more of the glaze.
- Transfer the ribs to a serving platter, spoon any remaining glaze over the top, and serve hot.
