Description
Hearty Pioneer Woman baby back ribs slow cooker create mouthwatering tender meat that melts off the bone. Kansas ranch-style preparation delivers rich barbecue flavor with minimal kitchen effort.
Ingredients
Scale
- 5–6 lbs (2.3–2.7 kg) baby back ribs (approximately 2 racks, each about 2.5 to 3 lbs or 1.1–1.4 kg)
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 12 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 cup (320 g) plum preserves
- ½ cup (120 ml) ketchup
- ½ cup (120 ml) barbecue sauce
- 1 tsp (5 g) kosher salt
- ½ tsp (2.5 g) black pepper
- A few dashes of hot sauce
Instructions
- Membrane Removal: Detach the tough back membrane from rib racks using a sharp knife, ensuring optimal meat tenderness. Slice each rack into manageable halves for efficient slow cooking.
- Initial Layering: Position rib halves inside the slow cooker, interspersing with thinly sliced onions and crushed garlic. Sprinkle kosher salt and black pepper across the meat to establish a robust flavor foundation.
- Slow Cooking Process: Secure the lid and set slow cooker to low temperature. Allow ribs to simmer gently for 8 hours, transforming the meat into incredibly tender morsels without disturbing the cooking environment.
- Liquid Preparation: Extract ribs and strain cooking liquid, preserving caramelized onions and garlic. Combine plum preserves, tomato ketchup, barbecue sauce, and hot sauce in a bowl, whisking until a smooth, vibrant glaze forms.
- Sauce Application: Reintroduce ribs to the slow cooker, thoroughly coating each piece with the prepared sauce using tongs. Ensure comprehensive coverage for maximum flavor penetration.
- Final Glazing: Switch slow cooker to warm setting for 20 minutes, allowing the sauce to caramelize and create a lustrous, sticky exterior that enhances the ribs’ visual and gustatory appeal.
Notes
- Membrane Removal Technique: Carefully peel off the tough back membrane using a sharp knife to ensure maximum tenderness and better sauce absorption.
- Low and Slow Cooking Secret: Maintain consistent low heat for 8 hours without lifting the lid to preserve moisture and create fall-apart tender meat.
- Sauce Coating Pro Tip: Use tongs to thoroughly and evenly coat ribs with sauce, ensuring every inch of meat gets maximum flavor coverage.
- Flavor Melding Magic: The final 20-minute warm setting helps blend sauce flavors and create a glossy, sticky glaze that makes the ribs irresistibly delicious.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hour
- Category: Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 600
- Sugar: 38 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 32 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 60 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 100 mg