Adventures in Slow Cooking: Baby-Back Ribs

Gentle reader, you may have noticed that I am no longer numbering installments of the Adventures in Slow-Cooking series, as it has become readily apparent that they are accumulating too quickly to keep track of, and I was told there would be no math on the blog. I don't even like measuring ingredients.

Anyhoo, baby back ribs in a slow cooker, you can’t beat that. Especially if yours, as mine were, are labeled as “pork loin back ribs,” which just sounds so deliciously dirty.

I severed and peeled off the membrane (that plastic-wrap-like layer on the back of the ribs) and rubbed into the meat a dry rub consisting of the usual suspects: kosher salt, paprika, garlic powder. Kept it simple. Let it sit in fridge overnight.

I cut the rack of ribs in half so it could better curl up in the slow cooker, then pulled the semi-homemade thing again and just squirted a whole squeeze bottle of Key Foods-brand barbecue sauce onto/around the rack of ribs. Then it was business as usual: cover cooker, turn on low for 12 hours.

I served the ribs with skin-on smashed potatoes jacked up with sour cream and chipotle Gouda; and iceberg salad with a dressing of lime juice, mayonnaise, and just a wee sprinkle of paprika, because I figured the meat and potatoes would be flavorful enough.

And oh hell yes, they were! The rib meat just slipped off the bone; the sauce was greasealicious when spooned over the potatoes. The hush that fell over the dinner table was reminiscent of the Silence of the Lamb Roast. I dare say, gentle reader, I am getting pretty darned good at this slow-cooker thing!