Slow Cooker Ribs

When I was growing up, my dad made the best ribs...ever. I remember seeing the wood chips being soaked the night before and the ribs put on the fragrant smoker and cooked for hours. The smell was torture, but well worth the wait. It is rare to find a BBQ restaurant around here that actually smokes their meat, and it definitely adds a whole other level of flavor.

That being said, I currently live in an apartment. Smoking would be consider ill advised and unpractical. So I had tested a few ways of making ribs, since my husband loves to have them occasionally. First I tried what my mom does, boiling them and then baking. I didn't like this method, it left them too wet for my smoked preferred taste buds. Then I tried cooking them in my slow cooker, and I have to say, I enjoyed them. My husband thought they were delicious, and asked if we could have them again tomorrow, so I guess mission accomplished.

I made a rub for the ribs and put a thick coating on them, slow cooked them, basted them lightly with sauce and broiled them. I'm not even going to begin to get into the barbecue sauce debate...tomato based, mustard based, vinegar, sweet, spicy...use what you like.

Slow Cooker Ribs (serves 2)

2 1/2lb baby back ribs, trimmed of any excess fat
3T chili powder
1T cumin
1/4t cayenne
1t brown sugar
salt and pepper to taste
1t garlic powder
1/4c favorite barbecue sauce

 Combine all spices in a bowl and mix to combine. rub both sides of the ribs liberally with the rub. Lay standing up in a crock pot with the meat side facing in. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours. Turn to low and cook for another 2 hours. Remove ribs from the crock pot and place on a sheet pan. Baste the meat side with your sauce and place under the broiler for 5 minutes. Enjoy!

Ribs right out of the slow cooker

Ribs after being broiled. I served it with sauteed spinach and hassleback potatoes