These slow cooker honey garlic ribs are tender baby back ribs that are slowly cooked to perfection in a divine blend of honey, garlic, and soy sauce, creating an irresistible melody of flavors that will leave your palate begging for more. Ideal for anyone looking to impress with minimal effort, this recipe will turn any dinner into an instant hit!
Say goodbye to tedious hours spent over the stove and embrace the convenience and flavor-packed potential of these slow cooker Ribs.
This simple yet delightful recipe is your ticket to a restaurant-quality meal, right from the comfort of your home.
Honey garlic ribs find their roots in Asian culinary traditions, where soy sauce and honey form the base of many delectable dishes.
It’s a versatile recipe perfect for any occasion - whether it's for Sunday family dinners, game nights with friends, or even festive celebrations like the Fourth of July.
Its tantalizing aroma and taste is sure to leave everyone asking for seconds.
We've got other baby back rib recipes like our delicious oven baked baby back ribs.
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What You'll Like About This Recipe
- Effortless: Slow cooking ensures that you don't have to spend hours in the kitchen, and yet you end up with a gourmet-level dish.
- Flavor Depth: The tantalizing mix of honey, garlic, and soy sauce brings an irresistible flavor profile to the table.
- Versatility: Perfect for a cozy family dinner or to impress guests at a party!
Ingredients
Baby Back Ribs: The key to this delectable feast, baby back ribs are known for their tenderness and meaty flavor, which soak up the marinade beautifully.
Garlic: Garlic adds a robust depth to the dish, harmonizing with the soy and honey for a complex flavor profile.
Dark Soy Sauce and Sweet Soy Sauce: The power duo of this recipe. They add a salty-sweet, umami-rich taste that infuses the ribs with an Asian-inspired flavor.
Raw Honey: The sweetness of the honey counterbalances the saltiness of the soy sauce, lending a luscious stickiness that makes these spare ribs irresistible.
Onion Powder, Paprika Powder, and Cumin: These spices are the secret to a subtle backdrop of warmth, enhancing the overall flavors of the dish.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Begin by combining the onion powder, paprika powder, and cumin in a bowl. Rub this dry mixture all over your rack of baby back ribs, ensuring every inch is covered to infuse it with those aromatic spices.
Next, mince your fresh garlic cloves and add them to a separate bowl. Stir in the dark soy sauce, sweet soy sauce, and raw honey.
Whisk this mixture until it's well combined, creating a heavenly marinade that's going to make your ribs something truly special.
After you’ve brushed your ribs generously with the marinade, remember to keep some aside for basting later.
Cut the ribs in half and place them in the slow cooker or crock pot.
It's time for the slow cooker to work its magic. Set the cooker for 7-8 hours on low or 4-5 hours on high.
As the time passes, baste your ribs every hour with the remaining marinade to keep them juicy and flavor-packed.
Top Tips
For an extra burst of flavor, consider marinating the ribs overnight in the refrigerator.
Regular basting is crucial as it not only maintains the moisture but also layers onmore flavor.
Slow cooking on low heat for a longer period results in extremely tender ribs.
Substitutions
- Brown sugar or maple syrup can be used in place of honey for a different kind of sweetness.
- If you don't have sweet soy sauce, a combination of regular soy sauce and a bit of sugar can do the trick.
Variations
Spicy Spareribs: Add a teaspoon of chili flakes or a squirt of sriracha to your marinade for a kick of heat.
Herb-Infused Ribs: Add fresh herbs like rosemary, thyme, or basil to your marinade for an aromatic twist.
Storage Instructions
Proper storage of your Slow Cooker Soy Spareribs will ensure that you can enjoy this delightful dish even days after cooking. Here are more detailed instructions to keep your spare ribs at their best:
Cooling Down: Before you start storing, it's essential to let your ribs cool down to room temperature.
Storing hot food can lead to condensation, creating an environment where bacteria thrive.
Refrigerating: Place your leftover ribs in an airtight container or wrap them tightly in aluminum foil or plastic wrap. Refrigerate within two hours of cooking to maintain maximum freshness.
Properly stored, your ribs will last for up to four days in the fridge. When you're ready to enjoy them again, reheat the ribs in the oven at 350°F (175°C) until warmed through.
Freezing: If you plan on storing your ribs for a longer period, freezing is an excellent option.
Pack your cooled ribs in a freezer-safe bag or container. Consider separating them into serving-sized portions, so you only need to defrost what you'll eat. Frozen ribs can be safely stored for up to three months.
To reheat, thaw them in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat in the oven at 350°F (175°C) until hot.
Reheating: When it comes to reheating, make sure your ribs are heated all the way through.
Use an instant-read thermometer to check that the internal temperature has reached at least 165°F (74°C). If you're reheating the ribs from frozen, allow more time in the oven.
Remember, when storing and reheating your ribs, it's important not to repeatedly cool and reheat the same portion as it can lead to food safety issues.
Always serve out the portion you intend to eat and then store the remainder straight away.
Recipe
Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Ribs
Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Ribs - a symphony of flavors, combining the rich, savory taste of soy sauce, the robust essence of garlic, and the sweet allure of honey.
Ingredients
- 1 rack of baby back ribs
- 4 cloves of garlic
- ¼ cup dark soy sauce
- ¼ cup sweet soy sauce
- ¼ cup raw honey
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
Instructions
- Mix together the onion powder, paprika, and cumin in a bowl.
- Apply this aromatic dry rub thoroughly over the baby back ribs, massaging it into the meat to ensure every bit is seasoned.
- Finely chop your garlic and add it to a separate bowl.
- Pour in the dark and sweet soy sauces along with the raw honey.
- Stir these ingredients until they are well incorporated.
- Using a basting brush, generously apply this marinade all over the ribs, but don't forget to reserve some for later use.
- Next, halve the ribs and arrange them neatly in your slow cooker.
- Set the cooker to either low heat for a duration of 7-8 hours, or on high heat for 4-5 hours.
Notes
To ensure your ribs remain juicy and flavorful, use the leftover marinade to baste the ribs at hourly intervals throughout the cooking process.
Benefits of Cooking Ribs in a Slow Cooker
Cooking ribs in a slow cooker comes with a host of benefits, making it a favored method for many home chefs and professionals alike. Here's why:
- Tender and Flavorful: Slow cooking ensures that the ribs are cooked at a low temperature over a longer period of time. This gentle, consistent heat breaks down the collagen in the meat, resulting in incredibly tender ribs that practically melt in your mouth. Moreover, this slow process allows the ribs to marinate in the sauce for hours, absorbing all the flavors, and ensuring every bite is packed with taste.
- Time-Efficient: While the cooking process itself is lengthy, the actual time you need to spend in the kitchen is minimal. Simply prepare your ribs, set your slow cooker, and let it do all the hard work. This frees up your time to do other things, while your meal cooks itself.
- Foolproof: The slow cooker method is very forgiving. Unlike grilling or baking, where precise temperatures and timing can make or break your dish, slow cooking is far more flexible. It's harder to overcook the meat, and you have a larger window of time to check for doneness.
- Juiciness: Slow cooking traps moisture within the cooker, keeping the meat juicy and preventing it from drying out. Regular basting enhances this effect, making for succulent, moist ribs.
- Versatility: A slow cooker allows you to experiment with a variety of flavors and ingredients. Whether you're working with a sweet honey garlic marinade or a spicy barbecue sauce, slow cooking gives all those flavors time to blend and infuse the meat.
- Easy Clean-up: With everything cooked in one pot, clean-up is a breeze. Just remove the ceramic insert and wash it, no need to scrub multiple pans and pots.
The slow cooker method, with its numerous benefits, is a surefire way to achieve delicious, restaurant-quality ribs right in your own kitchen.
Whether you're new to slow cooking or an experienced chef, this recipe offers a straightforward way to create an impressive, flavor-packed meal.
With a balance of sweetness from the honey, savory notes from the soy sauce, and gentle heat from the spices, these ribs are sure to leave a lasting impression on your palate.
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