I love spring. The weather is turning warmer and we can pull out the grill to cook. However, spring is also full of surprises and crazy weather patterns. While nothing beats the taste of BBQ ribs from the grill. One has to be prepared to cook them inside when mother nature does not cooperate.
Pork country-style ribs can be cooked in the slow cooker with great results. While this is not one of those recipes where you throw everything in the pot and let it go, the extra steps give you a better rib. They are full of flavor and with a perfect texture, tender with a little bit of crispness on the outside.
Begin by thinly slicing an onion. Place the slices in the bottom of a 4 quart slow-cooker.Next, heat the oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Generously season all sides of each rib with season salt. Place the ribs in the skillet and sear all sides. You may need to work in batches depending upon the size of your pan. After they are seared remove the ribs from pan and place on a plate.
Add water to the skillet and use it to de-glaze the pan. Use a wooden spatula to scrape any bits that are stuck to the bottom. Once all bits are loosened, pour over the onions.
Next, place the ribs in the slow-cooker along with any juice that came out while resting. Pour 1 cup of your favorite bottled BBQ sauce over the top. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours.
Remove the ribs and place on a broiler pan. Brush each rib with the remaining BBQ sauce. Heat oven broiler on high for 5 minutes. Place ribs in oven and broil for 5-10 minutes until the sauce begins to bubble.
Serve with or without the onions from the bottom of the slow-cooker.
TIP: place aluminum foil in the bottom of the broiler pan to make cleaning easier.
