Slow-Cooker Sweet and Sour Ribs
By America's Test KitchenPublished on September 28, 2011
Time
4 to 5 hours on low
Yield
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
1 onion, chopped rough1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped rough1 piece fresh ginger (6 inches), peeled and chopped rough6 garlic cloves, peeled2 tablespoons tomato paste 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 6 ounces pineapple juice, canned, frozen concentrate12 ounces apricot jelly (1 jar)¼ cup packed dark brown sugar ¼ cup soy sauce plus 2 tablespoons¼ cup rice vinegar plus 1 tablespoon¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes 3 pounds baby back ribs (2 racks, about 1 ½ pounds each), halved (see note)1 tablespoon cornstarch
Before You Begin
Racks of ribs larger than 2 pounds will not properly fit in most slow cookers; ribs larger than 11/2 pounds may require an extra 30 to 60 minutes of cooking time.
Instructions
- Pulse onion and pepper in food processor until finely chopped; transfer to bowl. Add ginger, garlic, and tomato paste to empty processor and pulse until coarsely ground. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Cook onion mixture until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in ginger mixture and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in pineapple juice concentrate, jelly, sugar, 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup vinegar, and pepper flakes and cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. (Sauce can be refrigerated in airtight container for 2 days.)
- Pat ribs dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Following photos, arrange ribs with wide ends pointing down and meaty side against interior wall of slow cooker; pour sauce over ribs. Cover and cook on low until ribs are tender, 4 to 5 hours (or cook on high 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours). Transfer ribs to cutting board and tent with foil.
- Strain and defat cooking liquid, discard solids, and pour liquid into large skillet. Simmer over medium heat until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Whisk cornstarch and remaining soy sauce in small bowl, then stir into skillet. Cook until sauce is glossy and thickened, about 2 minutes. Off heat, stir in remaining vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Transfer sauce to large bowl. Slice ribs between bones, add to bowl with sauce, and toss until well coated. Serve.
Time
4 to 5 hours on lowYield
Serves 4 to 6Ingredients
1 onion, chopped rough
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped rough
1 piece fresh ginger (6 inches), peeled and chopped rough
6 garlic cloves, peeled
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 ounces pineapple juice, canned, frozen concentrate
12 ounces apricot jelly (1 jar)
¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
¼ cup soy sauce plus 2 tablespoons
¼ cup rice vinegar plus 1 tablespoon
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 pounds baby back ribs (2 racks, about 1 ½ pounds each), halved (see note)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
1 onion, chopped rough
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped rough
1 piece fresh ginger (6 inches), peeled and chopped rough
6 garlic cloves, peeled
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 ounces pineapple juice, canned, frozen concentrate
12 ounces apricot jelly (1 jar)
¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
¼ cup soy sauce plus 2 tablespoons
¼ cup rice vinegar plus 1 tablespoon
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 pounds baby back ribs (2 racks, about 1 ½ pounds each), halved (see note)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
1 onion, chopped rough
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped rough
1 piece fresh ginger (6 inches), peeled and chopped rough
6 garlic cloves, peeled
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 ounces pineapple juice, canned, frozen concentrate
12 ounces apricot jelly (1 jar)
¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
¼ cup soy sauce plus 2 tablespoons
¼ cup rice vinegar plus 1 tablespoon
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 pounds baby back ribs (2 racks, about 1 ½ pounds each), halved (see note)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
Sautéing the onion, red pepper, garlic, and ginger in our Slow-Cooker Sweet and Sour Ribs cooked off excess moisture and intensified their flavor. To deeply season the meat, we turned to soy sauce and red pepper flakes, while rice vinegar provided a sour element. Frozen pineapple concentrate packed more fruit flavor than traditional canned pineapple chunks.
Replacing liquid sauce ingredients with more potent ingredients—like tomato paste for ketchup and apricot jelly for duck sauce—greatly reduced moisture. To ensure evenly cooked ribs, we halved each rack of ribs and stood the pieces up in a ring around the outside of the slow-cooker insert, where the heating coils rest. This technique resulted in perfectly cooked ribs with concentrated meaty flavor and even allowed the ribs to brown a little right against the heat source.
Before You Begin
Racks of ribs larger than 2 pounds will not properly fit in most slow cookers; ribs larger than 11/2 pounds may require an extra 30 to 60 minutes of cooking time.
Instructions
- Pulse onion and pepper in food processor until finely chopped; transfer to bowl. Add ginger, garlic, and tomato paste to empty processor and pulse until coarsely ground. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Cook onion mixture until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in ginger mixture and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in pineapple juice concentrate, jelly, sugar, 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup vinegar, and pepper flakes and cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. (Sauce can be refrigerated in airtight container for 2 days.)
- Pat ribs dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Following photos, arrange ribs with wide ends pointing down and meaty side against interior wall of slow cooker; pour sauce over ribs. Cover and cook on low until ribs are tender, 4 to 5 hours (or cook on high 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours). Transfer ribs to cutting board and tent with foil.
- Strain and defat cooking liquid, discard solids, and pour liquid into large skillet. Simmer over medium heat until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Whisk cornstarch and remaining soy sauce in small bowl, then stir into skillet. Cook until sauce is glossy and thickened, about 2 minutes. Off heat, stir in remaining vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Transfer sauce to large bowl. Slice ribs between bones, add to bowl with sauce, and toss until well coated. Serve.
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