- We Learned to Cook
Slow Cooker Asian Spare ribs
These Slow Cooker Asian Spare Ribs are as easy to make as they are delicious! 8 simple ingredients and pop them in the slow cooker for juicy, tender, flavorful ribs that will taste like you spent hours on them!
Ribs are just fun. They're fun to eat with your hands. They're fun to get messy with, and with this recipe, they're fun to cook!
The base for this dish is pork spare ribs. We've also used baby back ribs with great results. For traditional barbecue-style ribs we typically make our own dry rub and season overnight before putting them on the smoker for a few hours. But this recipe is TOTALLY different and WAY easier to make.
The dry rub is super simple and consists of just onion powder, paprika and cumin. The recipe calls for a 1/2 teaspoon of each, but don't be afraid to add more to taste. Also, with this particular dish, you don't necessarily have to let the dry rub sit overnight. We make it on the spot all the time and it turns out great.
For our barbecue-style ribs, we always use some type of binder to get the rub to stick better. You can use mustard, dijon mustard, ketchup or even mayonnaise to help your dry ingredients stick to the meat better.
Once you've got the ribs seasoned with dry rub you'll want to brush on a simple marinade which consists of garlic, dark soy sauce, sweet soy sauce and honey. Not everyone has sweet soy sauce in their kitchen, but it's not a big deal. If you don't have the sweet stuff, just double up on the dark soy sauce.
When making the marinade we always put our honey in the microwave for 15-20 seconds to soften it up. That way, it's easier to pour and easier to mix into the marinade. Make sure to coat the ribs generously with the marinade, but also save some for the cooking stage.
Once the rack of ribs is coated in marinade, cut the rack in half and place in the slow cooker. With ribs, slower is ALWAYS better. So, we cook ours on low for a full 8 hours to ensure they're tender and not chewy. But if you're in a time crunch, you can also cook these on high for 4 hours.
Our recipe suggests brushing the ribs with marinade once an hour, which produces great results. But, if you're doing this as a dump-and-go meal, don't feel guilty about skipping this step—you'll still love your ribs!
When the cooking time is up, simply remove each half rack of ribs and plate. You can pre-cut each rib or let everyone cut their own. (They basically fall of the bone anyway, so you may not need to cut anything.)
Slow Cooker Asian Spare Ribs are very versatile as a main dish and can be served with dozens of side dishes including steamed white rice, vegetables, Asian corn on the cob, coleslaw or noodles.
What we like about Slow Cooker Asian Spare Ribs!
Nicole - I love that I can make these ribs without Mike's help. He's the king of the smoker and frankly I don't care to learn how to use it lol, so these are a great slow cooker option for tender ribs without the smoker.
Mike - I love how tender these ribs turn out in the slow cooker. Plus, the Asian flavors are a great alternative to traditional barbecue-style ribs. I'll even throw these under the broiler for a couple of minutes to give them a smoker-like bark for extra flavor.
Slow Cooker Asian Spare Ribs Ingredients
1 rack of spare ribs (baby back ribs work too)
4 cloves of garlic
¼ cup dark soy sauce
¼ cup sweet soy sauce
¼ cup raw honey
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp paprika powder
½ tsp cumin
How to make Slow Cooker Asian Spare Ribs.
Combine the onion powder, paprika powder and cumin, and rub the ribs with dry rub. (For best flavor refrigerate overnight so the flavors can soak into the meat.)
Mince the garlic and add the dark soy sauce, sweet soy sauce and honey. Mix until well combined and brush over the ribs. Save some of the marinade for basting during the cooking process.
Cut the ribs in half and place them in the slow cooker for 7-8 hours on low or 4-5 hours on high.
Brush the rack of ribs every hour with the remaining marinade.
Tips and Tricks
If you can't find or don't have sweet soy sauce in your kitchen, don't worry. Just double up on the regular soy sauce and your ribs will turn out great.
When the ribs are done in the slow cooker, we like to put them under the broiler for a few minutes to give them a crispy bark like barbecue-style ribs.
You don't have to use spare ribs for this recipe. If you prefer baby back ribs those work just as good.
If your rub isn't sticking to the meat try using a binder. Brush a layer of mustard, ketchup or mayo on the ribs before applying the dry rub and you'll get excellent adhesion.
For best results, you can apply the dry rub and place in the refrigerator overnight. That way, the ribs will soak up all that delicious flavor for a beautiful tasting dish.
FAQs
What should I serve with Slow Cooker Asian Spare Ribs? There are a ton of options here and you don't have to stick to Asian-style sides. Of course you can used steamed white rice, Asian coleslaw or veggies, but you can also pair this dish with corn on the cob, baked potatoes and even quinoa.
How long will Slow Cooker Asian Spare Ribs last in the refrigerator? This dish will last up to 3 days refrigerated. Just make sure you store it in an airtight container.
What if I can't find sweet soy sauce? No problem! Just double up on the regular soy sauce and your ribs will turn out fine.
Do I have to use spare ribs? Not at all. You can use baby back ribs with great results.
How long can this dish sit out at room temperature? According to the USDA, cooked ribs can sit at room temperature safely for up to 2 hours. If you're outside and the temperature is above 90 degrees that time decreases to 1 hour.
