When you cook beef ribs in the crockpot they come out tender, succulent, and very flavorful. They are slowly cooked over several hours, then glazed with a reduction of the delicious cooking juices.
A couple of years ago, I spotted gorgeous beef ribs at Whole Foods and bought them without the faintest idea on how to make them. At home, after some research, I developed the following recipe, which resulted in tender, succulent, and very flavorful ribs.
It's so good, that I've been making it regularly ever since. Apart from being super tasty, these ribs are also very easy to make, and I love the fact that leftovers are REALLY good - almost better than the freshly cooked ribs.
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Ingredients
You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make slow cooker beef ribs. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:
Beef back ribs: I usually get them at the meat counter at Whole Foods.
Light soy sauce: Or a gluten-free alternative. Traditional soy sauce is too salty in my opinion.
Sesame oil: Adds a wonderful nutty flavor to this dish.
Rice vinegar: If you don’t have any on hand, it’s OK to use white wine vinegar instead. I don’t recommend using plain distilled vinegar, though. It’s too sour, in my opinion.
Honey: Just a little to balance out the other flavors. This dish is by no means sweet.
Hot sauce: The one I use is quite potent. Simply use your favorite brand.
Kosher salt and black pepper: If using fine salt, you might want to reduce the amount you use, or the ribs could end up too salty.
Garlic powder: Make sure it's fresh! A stale spice can easily ruin a dish.
Cornstarch: Just a little. It helps thicken the cooking liquids.
Instructions
How to make beef ribs in the crockpot? It's so easy! Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:
Your first step is to place the ribs in the crockpot.
Now, whisk together the remaining ingredients (except for the cornstarch) and pour the mixture on top of the ribs. Rub the marinade all over them.
Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours.
Keep the ribs warm while you reduce the cooking liquids on the stovetop into a rich glaze.
Brush the tasty glaze over the ribs and serve.
Frequently asked questions
They come from the rib area of the cow (not surprising, really). They are what's left after the butcher cuts a boneless rib roast. Usually, a strip will have 7 ribs.
Because rib roasts are expensive, butchers tend to cut them very close to the bone, leaving very little meat on top. So most of the meat is between the bones. However, this meat is wonderful - tender (when slow-cooked), flavorful, and fatty.
I like to use the crockpot. These ribs are wonderful thanks to being cooked for several hours in very low heat and in a moist environment. Otherwise, the meat would be tough and unpleasantly chewy.
The only somewhat challenging part of this recipe is reducing the cooking liquids until they're just the right consistency to make a wonderfully rich glaze.
But adding cornstarch helps a lot with properly thickening the juices. I try to use organic cornstarch and I don't worry too much about the very small amount of carbs that it adds to each serving.
Variations and substitutions
If you want to make life super easy for yourself, you don't even need to make the sauce. Simply season the ribs with kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. Place them in the crockpot. Add ¼ cup water or broth to the bottom of the slow cooker, cover, and cook on low for 6 hours.
When done, you can serve them immediately. You can also thicken the cooking liquids and brush them on top of the ribs.
And yet another option, once they're done, is to place them on a rimmed broiler-safe baking sheet and briefly place them under the broiler, 6 inches below the heating element, to crisp up the fat. If you do, keep an eye on them so that they don't burn.
Serving suggestions
You can serve these ribs with any side you like! They're very versatile. Personally, I like to serve them with any of the following side dishes:
Storing leftovers
Leftovers keep well in the fridge, in a sealed container, for 3-4 days. Gently reheat them in the microwave, covered, on 50% power.
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Recipe card
Slow Cooker Beef Ribs
INGREDIENTS
- 3 lb. beef back ribs
- ¼ cup light soy sauce (or use a gluten-free alternative)
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
INSTRUCTIONS
- If you wish, remove the thin membrane from the bone side of the ribs. Here's how.
- Place the ribs in your slow cooker. If you bought a slab like I did, you'll probably need to cut it in half with a sharp chef's knife to fit in your slow cooker.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients except for the cornstarch. Pour over the ribs, and use your clean hands to rub the sauce into the ribs, on all sides.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours, until the meat is fall-apart tender (and smells amazing!).
- Set the slow cooker to WARM. Transfer the cooked beef ribs to a plate for a minute. Strain the liquids from the slow cooker into a wide saucepan, then return the ribs to the slow cooker and cover, to keep them warm while you reduce the cooking juices into a glaze.
- Heat the strained cooking juices on medium-high. Whisk the cornstarch with a little cold water and add to the saucepan. Keep cooking on medium-high, whisking often, until the sauce has thickened into a rich glaze, 5-10 minutes. Brush over the ribs and serve.
NOTES
NUTRITION PER SERVING
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Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living. 