Equipment
Ingredients
Ribs & Dry Rub
- 1500 g baby back ribs, membrane removed
- 15 g smoked paprika
- 20 g brown sugar, packed
- 15 g kosher salt
- 10 g garlic powder
- 10 g onion powder
- 5 g black pepper, freshly ground
Slow Cooker Liquid
- 60 ml apple cider vinegar
- 60 ml water
Spicy Honey Glaze
- 150 g honey
- 45 ml lime juice, freshly squeezed
- 30 ml tamari soy sauce
- thai bird's eye chiles, finely minced
- 3 g lime zest, finely grated
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 1015 kcal
- Protein
- 74 g
- Carbohydrates
- 44 g
- Fat
- 62 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 37 g
- Sodium
- 2211 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 22 g
- Trans Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 26 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 10 g
- Cholesterol
- 259 mg
- Potassium
- 1154 mg
- Calcium
- 154 mg
- Iron
- 4.4 mg
- Magnesium
- 80 mg
- Phosphorus
- 624 mg
- Zinc
- 10.0 mg
- Vitamin A
- 120 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 6 mg
- Vitamin D
- 4.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 2.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 5 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 1.8 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 2.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 1.77 mg
- Riboflavin
- 1.21 mg
- Niacin
- 26.2 mg
- Folate
- 8 mcg
- Water
- 291 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Remove the silver skin membrane from the back of the ribs using a butter knife to pry up an edge and a paper towel to grip and pull it off. Wash hands thoroughly after handling raw pork to prevent cross-contamination.
In a small bowl, combine the smoked paprika, brown sugar, kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. Massage this dry rub evenly into both sides of the ribs.
Place the seasoned ribs into the slow cooker. Pour the apple cider vinegar and water around the ribs, being careful not to wash the rub off the meat. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours, or until the meat is tender and reaches an internal temperature of at least 90°C/195°F for optimal collagen breakdown.
During the final 30 minutes of the slow cooker time, prepare the glaze. In a small saucepan, combine the honey, lime juice, tamari soy sauce, minced Thai chiles, and lime zest.
Bring the glaze mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer until slightly thickened and syrupy, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
Carefully transfer the cooked, tender ribs from the slow cooker onto a baking sheet heavily lined with aluminum foil. Discard the cooking liquid.
Using a pastry brush, generously coat the top of the ribs with the thickened spicy honey glaze.
Broil the ribs in the oven at 260°C/500°F for 3 to 5 minutes until the glaze is vigorously bubbling, sticky, and deeply caramelized. Watch closely, as the sugars in the honey can burn very quickly.
Remove the ribs from the oven. Brush lightly with any remaining glaze, tent loosely with foil, and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing into individual ribs to serve.
Chef's Notes
- Removing the silver skin membrane on the back of the ribs is non-negotiable for a pleasant texture. It also allows the dry rub to properly penetrate the meat from both sides.
- Pork is safely cooked at 71°C/160°F, but ribs contain dense connective tissue. You must push the temperature past 90°C/195°F to successfully convert tough collagen into succulent, melt-in-your-mouth gelatin.
- Thai bird's eye chiles pack significant, sharp heat. If catering to a milder palate, substitute with a seeded jalapeño or reduce the chile count to one.
- For an added dimension of barbecue flavor without a smoker, you can add half a teaspoon of liquid smoke to the vinegar and water mixture in the slow cooker.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store in an airtight container. Reheat in the oven at 150°C/300°F until warmed through.
Freezer: 3 months — Wrap tightly in foil and place in a heavy-duty freezer bag.
Reheating: Reheat covered in aluminum foil at 150°C/300°F for 20 minutes, then uncover for the last 5 minutes.
Troubleshooting
Glaze burned under the broiler
Cause: The high sugar content in honey caramelizes and scorches rapidly when exposed to direct high heat.
Fix: Trim away the severely blackened spots with a knife and brush over with any leftover warm glaze.
Prevention: Do not step away while broiling. Position the oven rack in the middle rather than directly at the top under the heating element.
Ribs are tough instead of tender
Cause: The meat did not reach a high enough internal temperature for a sustained period to melt the connective tissues.
Fix: Return the ribs to the slow cooker or braise in a covered pan in the oven until tender.
Prevention: Ensure your slow cooker is heating properly and always cook ribs to an internal temperature of at least 90°C/195°F.
Cultural Context
Barbecue ribs are a foundational pillar of American culinary culture, traditionally demanding hours of careful attention over a low wood fire. This recipe adapts that low-and-slow philosophy for the home kitchen utilizing a slow cooker, while the sticky glaze draws heavy inspiration from Southeast Asian flavor profiles, balancing intense chile heat with the floral sweetness of honey and the acidic punch of fresh lime.
