14 Fall-off-the-Bone Slow Cooker Rib Recipes
What’s the secret to a great rack? A slow cooker, of course! Just toss in the ingredients and let the appliance do all the work. From beer-soaked short ribs to sweet-and-spicy baby backs, here are our 14 favorite rib recipes. Don’t forget napkins.
Apricots and raspberries sweeten the pot while chilies heat things up. Try it!
Key ingredients:
- Brown sugar
- Habanero chilies
- Pineapple juice
- Worcestershire sauce
- Apricots
Between the gravy mix, ranch dressing mix, two types of peppers and a splash of Jack Daniels, there's quite a lot going here. Can you handle it? Find out.
Key ingredients:
- Pork spare ribs
- Ranch dressing mix
- Butter
- Pepperoncini peppers
- Jack Daniels whiskey
Double down on seasoning with a dry rub followed by a glaze of sweet cranberry sauce that offsets the smoked paprika and spicy Sriracha. Get the recipe.
Key ingredients:
- Garlic powder
- Smoked paprika
- Sriracha/ketchup blend
- Baby back ribs
- Cranberry sauce
Everything tastes better with an egg on top, particularly these Korean-style braised short ribs. Recipe here.
Key ingredients:
- Soy sauce
- Brown sugar
- Sesame oil
- Pine nuts
- Egg
Fifteen minutes is all it takes to get all those sweet and spicy ingredients into the pot, and six hours is how long to wait before you can eat what comes of them. The sweetness of the coconut sugar might be overwhelming for some but it's totally, totally necessary to calm the zing from the ginger and red chili flakes. Try it here.
Key ingredients:
- Beef short ribs
- White mushrooms
- Coconut or brown sugar
- Soy sauce
- Grated ginger root
Bone-in or boneless is totally up to you as this no-frills ribs recipe works both ways. Make it here!
Key ingredients:
- Garlic
- Red wine
- Apple cider vinegar
- Brown sugar
- Tomato paste
Polenta adds a creamy element, and searing the meat before adding it to the slow cooker will enhance the flavor! Get the recipe.
Key ingredients:
- Brown sugar
- Pomegranate juice
- Soy sauce
- Short ribs
- Carrots
Add interest to your classic pasta-and-tomato sauce and add tender chunks of savory short ribs. Top it all off with a sprinkle of grated cheese. Dig in!
Key ingredients:
- Cremini mushrooms
- Bucatini pasta
- Tomato sauce
- Beef stock
- Red wine
Cherries and orange juice add rich flavor (substitute cranberries if you don't have the former), so serve the stuff over plain white rice to keep the fruit in focus. Recipe here.
Key ingredients:
- Dried cherries
- Orange juice
- Cornstarch
- Olive oil
- Short ribs
Fresh mango salsa is a necessity to cut the fattiness of the short ribs and Thai peanut sauce. Here's the recipe.
Key ingredients:
- Beef short ribs
- Lettuce leaves
- Mango
- Coconut milk
- Peanut butter
The cooking time is long, so it's wise to use canned potatoes in lieu of fresh cut ones -- they'll get less mushy. Recipe here.
Key ingredients:
- Au jus gravy mix
- Flour
- Bottle of ale or beer
- Onion
- Heavy cream
Cooked in an orange cinnamon sauce, it tastes like comfort food, but it happens to be fad diet-friendly -- paleo, gluten-free, and dairy-free. Get the recipe.
Key ingredients:
- Beef short ribs
- Carrots
- Chicken stock
- Tomato paste
- Orange
Start with a dry rub and finish them off with a heavy maple syrup glaze. Recipe here.
Key ingredients:
- Brown sugar
- Ground sage
- Ground ginger
- Garlic powder
- Maple syrup
Recipe author Stephanie suggests preparing a huge rack of baby back ribs for easy eating at a dinner party. Get your hands dirty here.
Key ingredients:
- Honey
- Hoisin sauce
- Sweet soy sauce
- Black vinegar
- Baby back ribs
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Alisha Prakash is a contributing writer at Thrillist NYC. She doesn't trust people who don't like ice cream. You can find more of her musings on her website or follow her on Twitter or Instagram.