Nevada Cocktail

Slow cooking really makes these ribs tender and the sauce insures they are full of deep flavors. After you make the sauce, the slow cooker does the rest.  Right before these are eaten, just finish them off in the grill if you want that extra BBQ taste.

Finishing the Pork Ribs

Slow-cooker sweet and sour Pork Ribs

INGREDIENTS

1 medium onion, chopped

1 red pepper, stemmed, seeded and chopped

6 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

6-inch piece of ginger, peeled, in 1/4-inch slices

2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 tbsp tomato paste

1  12 oz jar apricot jam

6 oz (3/4 C) can frozen pineapple juice concentrate

6 tbsp soy sauce

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

5 tbsp rice vinegar

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

6 lbs  baby back or St. Louis-style ribs (4 racks)

salt + black pepper to taste

2 tbsp cilantro leaves, chopped

Pork Ribs Sauce

DIRECTIONS

Place onion, pepper, garlic and ginger in food processor and pulse till finely chopped, about 8 pulses.

Heat oil in medium frying pan over medium-high heat. Add vegetable mixture and tomato paste and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is softened and slightly brown, about 7 minutes.

Stir in jam, frozen juice, soy, sugar, 1/4 cup vinegar and red pepper flakes. Bring to simmer and cook until thickened, about 5 minutes.

Pat ribs dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper. Stand upright in slow cooker insert, winding them around in a spiral, meaty side toward the wall of the cooker. Pour sauce over ribs. Cook on low 4 to 5 hours until tender.

Fitting Ribs in the Slow Cooker

Finished in the Slow Cooker

Transfer ribs to cutting board; tent with foil and rest 20 minutes.

Finished with the Crock Pot

Let cooking liquid settle 5 minutes; pour off fat. Strain through fine-mesh sieve into medium pot.

Bring sauce to simmer and cook down until it measures about 2 cups, about 15 minutes.

Stir remaining tablespoon of vinegar into sauce; correct seasoning.  Place the ribs for about 10 minutes per side on a hot grill, brush with reduced sauce to glaze.

Saucing the Ribs on a Grill

Slice ribs between bones, toss with sauce. Serve on platter garnished with cilantro.

Slow Cooker Pork Ribs

Makes 6-8 servings.

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