Slow Cooker Melt Away Ribs - Recipes That Crock! (2024)

FAQs

Do I need to add liquid to a slow cooker for ribs? ›

Lightly coat a 6- to 8-quart slow cooker pot with oil or cooking spray. With the meaty sides facing out and the bones pointing up, coil the ribs into the pot, standing them up in a circle. (You do not need to add liquid.)

It is best to thaw meat or poultry before putting it into a slow cooker. Frozen pieces will take longer to reach a safe internal temperature and could possibly result in foodborne illness.

Ribs that aren't tender are usually a result of undercooking. All slow cookers vary a bit, so keep an eye on things and test for doneness. When you can easily twist the bones around inside the meat, your ribs are done!

Can You Slow Cook Ribs Too Long? Yes, just like oven baked ribs, if you leave them in the crockpot for too long they can become dry and tough. This will likely not happen, but it is possible. So just use the timer on your crockpot if it has one or set your own.

You may, if desired, spritz or mop your ribs while smoking with a liquid of your choice. Apple juice or cider, butter, Dr. Pepper, apple cider vinegar, beer… there are plenty of options.

Transfer everything to a large slow cooker and add a splash of liquid — water is great, but so is broth, apple juice, or beer if you have them handy. Cover and cook on low until the meat is tender and pulls apart easily.

Cooking any kind of meat for too long will usually leave it dry, tough, and utterly unappealing. In all honesty, cooking BBQ ribs to perfection is something of an artform. It's not something the home chef does very often, and overcooking the ribs is a common way to disappoint yourself when you sit down to eat.

It is not recommended to keep food warm in a slow cooker overnight by turning it off and not opening it until the next morning. Doing so could create an environment that allows bacteria to grow, which can make the food unsafe to eat.

Layer sauce then ribs until complete, tossing to coat as needed to ensure ribs are evenly coated in barbecue sauce. Cover and cook on HIGH for 4-5 hours or on LOW for 7-9 hours OR cook until ribs are fall apart tender. Rotate ribs once during cooking so they cook evenly.

Select a lean rib and cut off the visible fat. We like our ribs lean, tender, and beautiful. Cook them low and slow. Two pounds or less will take 4 1/2 hours at 225 degrees F.

Is it better to cook ribs on high or low? ›

The lower the meat's temperature, the less moisture it loses, but the longer its connective tissue takes to dissolve, too. You can get very juicy ribs by cooking them at 135 degrees, but making them tender takes two or three days. At 160 degrees, you get tender ribs in 10 to 12 hours.

directions. Take ribs out of package and pat dry with a paper towel. Season ribs with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper to taste. Put ribs in oven on 210°F for 8 hours.

You can get very juicy ribs by cooking them at 135 degrees, but making them tender takes two or three days. At 160 degrees, you get tender ribs in 10 to 12 hours. At 170 to 180 degrees, the meat is noticeably dryer, but the cooking time is a more manageable 6 to 8 hours.

Though they were all delicious ribs, the slow cooker definitely turned out the most tender meat. The baked ribs came in a close second, still with falling off the bone, succulent meat but just not quite as tender as the slow cooker ribs.

Arrange the ribs in a roasting pan and brush with the Liquid Smoke flavoring on both sides. Sprinkle both sides with the garlic powder, salt and pepper. Use a measuring cup to pour the water in a corner of the pan. (Don't pour the water over the ribs or the seasonings will wash off!)

Not adding enough liquid can lead to burning.

"It's important to add enough liquid to ensure the bottom of your dish doesn't burn." If your meal does burn, the chef said to avoid scraping the bottom of the pot while stirring and serving because it can give the entire dish a burnt flavor.

Water or liquid is necessary to create steam. When cooking meat or poultry, the water or liquid level should cover the ingredients to ensure effective heat transfer throughout the crock. Some manufacturers of slow cookers recommend adding liquid to fill the stoneware 1/2 to 3/4 full.

Reduce liquid when using a slow cooker

Because your slow cooker will have a tightly sealed lid, the liquid won't evaporate so if you're adapting a standard recipe, it's best to reduce the liquid by roughly a third. It should just cover the meat and vegetables.