BBQ Ribs in the Slow Cooker!

I know you are thinking ribs in a slow cooker....ugh!  But NO!  These ribs are amazing!  My husband loves ribs and he said these are the best ever!  He doesn't want to cook them any other way from now on.  They are so tender and fall of the bone that it is insane.  The final broil really seals the deal.  They look and taste better than any restrauant but they are soooo easy.  A must try for all. 

Easy Barbecued Ribs

America's Test Kitchen

 

3 tbsp sweet paprika
2 tbsp light brown sugar, lightly packed
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
S&P to taste (about 1 tsp each is what I used)
6 lbs pork (baby) back ribs  leave the membrane on the ribs to help hold them together
3 cup barbecue sauce
Vegetable oil spray.
In a small bowl, mix together paprika, brown sugar, cayenne and S&P. Rub this mixture all over both sides of your ribs well. Arrange ribs in the slow cooker by standing them up against the wall of the stoneware pot, thicker side down and meaty side against the pot. Pour barbecue sauce over the ribs, cover and cook for 6-8 hours on low.  (My ribs were done after about 5 hours so your first time making these I would watch them closely at the end.  Each crockpot is so different.)

Now comes the only stove/oven work involved, we need to reduce the sauce and then brown the ribs under the broiler. These steps are what turn the ordinary into the extraordinary, so don't skip this step no matter how fantastic they may already look and taste.  Once the initial slow cooking is done, very carefully remove the ribs to a baking pan which you have lined with foil and put a rack on (like in my photo collage), bone side up. Set to the side. Skim any fat that has risen to the top and strain all of the remaining juices from the slow cooker through a mesh strainer into a small saucepan. Bring to boil and allow to simmer and reduce by about a third, approximately 15 minutes. Put your oven's broiler on to heat up and make sure that there is an oven rack about 10 inches below the broiler element. When the broiler is preheated, brush the ribs with sauce and broil for 3 or 4 minutes. Take them out and very carefully flip them over, brush with sauce and broil again, meat side up, for approximately 5 minutes, taking them out once or twice to baste with more sauce. Serve any remaining sauce on the side with the ribs.