This recipe appeared in Cook’s Illustrated “Dinner for Two” – a magazine filled with dishes for two people. One of my younger sisters looked through it and marked the recipes she liked with an “M”= Marna in the upper left hand corner. These ribs are one of those recipes she highlighted. They are on the mild side and would be good for kids – I would prefer a more heartier flavor and I know she would too. I lost my best friend to cancer last year and never had the chance to make them for her.
See also Ina’s Ribs and Koreatown Ribs
Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Sticky Ribs
- 1-1/2 tsp. granulated garlic (I used 1 tsp. garlic powder)
- 1 tsp. ground ginger
- 1 tsp. each kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 (2 lb.) baby back ribs, trimmed
- 1/2 cup apricot preserves
- 2 tbsp. ketchup
- 2 tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tbsp. rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp. fresh cilantro, minced (I didn’t add)
Combine the garlic, ginger, salt and pepper in a small bowl and rub mixture evenly over the ribs. Cooks recommended not removing the membrane so they would hold together better.
I placed a rack in the bottom of the cooker and arranged them meaty side down and up the sides.The ribs were on the fatty side and I didn’t want them sitting in the fat as they cooked.
Cover and cook 3-6 hours depending on the size of your slow cooker and the amount of ribs. The final temperature of the ribs was 190 degrees; pork is done at 145 degrees but I wanted this end result of “fall off the bones” which is how I like them.
In the meantime melt the preserves with the ketchup, soy sauce and rice vinegar.
I chose to baste them while grilling instead of broiling in the oven. Grill meat side down basting for 8 minutes, then turn and baste for another 5 minutes.
Recipe by cookingwithauntjuju.com
Ribs are my favorite and I love the fact that these ribs don’t have a lot of sugar in the basting sauce. They may even be allowed on my heart healthy diet (minus the salt of course)!
Well – the apricot preserves have 13 grams of sugar per 1 tbsp. and there is also sugar in the ketchup. I sometimes buy 1 bottle of no-salt ketchup and 1 bottle of no sugar ketchup and combine the two. These two ingredients are not the best on a heart healthy diet 🙂
It must have been hard to prepare this recipe. Sorry for your loss… 🙁
Yes, my sister was my best food critic…
So sad. I’m really sorry. I’m 65 and have been losing friends occasionally for a few years. it’s so awful and scary, too.
My sister was only 68 – way too young…
Looks so yummy! I am sorry about the loss of your friend.
She was not only a best friend but my younger sister…